Ryan Hardie will have to wait longer for his first Bolton Wanderers start after suffering a hamstring injury during an Under-21 match against Huddersfield Town.
Manager Steven Schumacher confirmed that the 29-year-old striker will be sidelined for at least a few weeks. Hardie had been in contention to start Saturday’s Championship fixture against Bristol City after building up his fitness, but the setback rules him out of the game and leaves Bolton short of attacking options.
Closing in on a Championship starting role
Hardie joined Bolton on a season-long loan from Wrexham in August. The move reunited him with Schumacher after their successful time together at Plymouth Argyle, where Hardie scored 74 goals and helped the club win the League One title in the 2022-23 campaign.
That past record was a major reason behind Bolton’s decision to bring him in, but smaller fitness problems have disrupted his progress since arriving at the club. All eight of his appearances for Wanderers so far have come from the bench.
However, the forward showed encouraging signs of nearing full sharpness when he came on during Bolton’s 5-1 defeat by Middlesbrough on 23 October. Despite the heavy loss, Schumacher viewed Hardie’s contribution as a positive. The manager praised his movement into spaces behind the opposition defence and pointed to two passes that helped create attacking opportunities.
That performance brought Hardie close to a starting spot for the Bristol City match. Schumacher noted that the timing of the injury was particularly disappointing because the striker had worked hard to put himself in line for a bigger role.
How the injury happened against Huddersfield
To help him reach the sharpness needed to start regularly for the first team, Bolton gave Hardie extra minutes at reserve level. He played around 70 minutes for the Under-21s against Wigan Athletic on 20 October and scored in a 3-1 win.
According to The Bolton News report on Hardie’s injury, the striker looked increasingly comfortable on the pitch and asked for another run-out against Huddersfield on 27 October after feeling the benefit of the Wigan match.
Hardie had three good chances during the game against Huddersfield, but he pulled his hamstring while going through on goal for the third opportunity. Schumacher described the injury as devastating for the player and frustrating for the club just as he was approaching the level required for regular starts.
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Scan results leave recovery timeline open
An initial scan has confirmed damage to the hamstring, though Bolton’s medical staff are still working to establish the full extent of the problem. Schumacher explained that the scan findings did not completely match what Hardie was feeling physically.
Because of this uncertainty, the club have not announced a detailed diagnosis or a specific return date. Bolton plan to monitor how the striker responds over the next week or two before deciding whether to arrange a second scan.
The upcoming November international break could help reduce the number of matches Hardie misses, although there has been no confirmation that he will be fit to return straight after it. His immediate focus will be on making a full recovery before working to rebuild his match fitness once again.
Mounting injury list tests Bolton squad
Hardie’s absence leaves Schumacher with fewer options ahead of a busy run of three Championship matches in six days.
John McAtee is also an injury concern before the Bristol City game after missing training with a knee problem. Bolton do not yet know the exact cause of the issue, leaving his availability uncertain.
Meanwhile, winger Jayden Nelson is still recovering from a groin injury picked up in the Under-21 win over Wigan, with Schumacher previously estimating that he could be out for around six weeks.
In midfield, Ethan Erhahon suffered a thigh strain during the 5-1 defeat by Middlesbrough and is expected to remain unavailable until after the November international break.
There was some positive news for Wanderers with the return of defender Chris Forino-Joseph. He featured for the Under-21s following a groin problem and has moved back into contention for the first team.
While Schumacher admitted the number of absentees will test his squad during a demanding week, he said it also gives players who have been waiting for an opportunity the chance to step in and make an impression.
