Joe Hardy (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Joe Hardy

| image =

| caption =

| full_name = Joseph Keith Hardy{{Cite web |title=Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Brentford |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-professional-retain-list--free-transfers---2017-18.pdf |access-date=31 January 2019 |publisher=English Football League |page=8}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1998|9|26}}

| birth_place = Wirral, England{{Cite web |title=Joe Hardy |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/team/academy/player/joe-hardy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509142828/https://www.liverpoolfc.com/team/academy/player/joe-hardy |archive-date=9 May 2021 |access-date=5 June 2021 |publisher=Liverpool F.C.}}

| height = 1.70 m{{Cite web |title=Brentford B – Forward – Joe Hardy |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/teams/brentford-b/forward/joe-hardy/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712165520/https://www.brentfordfc.com/teams/brentford-b/forward/joe-hardy/ |archive-date=12 July 2019 |access-date=2 July 2017 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |language=en}}

| position = Forward, right winger

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2012

| youthclubs1 = Tranmere Rovers

| youthyears2 = 2012–2017

| youthclubs2 = Manchester City

| youthyears3 = 2016

| youthclubs3 = → Stoke City (loan)

| youthyears4 = 2017–2020

| youthclubs4 = Brentford

| years1 = 2020–2021

| clubs1 = Liverpool

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2021–2023

| clubs2 = Accrington Stanley

| caps2 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2022

| clubs3 = → Inverness Caledonian Thistle (loan)

| caps3 = 12

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2023

| clubs4 = → Marine (loan)

| caps4 = 8

| goals4 = 4

| years5 = 2023

| clubs5 = Bootle

| caps5 = 5

| goals5 = 0

| club-update = 15:22, 29 August 2024 (UTC)

}}

Joseph Keith Hardy (born 26 September 1998) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Hardy is a graduate of the Manchester City academy and began his professional career with the U23 teams at Brentford and Liverpool. He transferred to Accrington Stanley in 2021, but failed to make an appearance for the club. Following his release in 2023, Hardy dropped into non-League football.

Career

= Manchester City =

A forward or right winger, Hardy began his career with Tranmere Rovers at age eight and moved to the academy at Premier League club Manchester City at the age of 13.{{Cite web |title='It was amazing to sign for Liverpool – it is perfect for me' |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/academy/389980-it-was-amazing-to-sign-for-liverpool-it-is-perfect-for-me |access-date=4 April 2021 |website=Liverpool FC}}{{Cite web |last=Scragg |first=Steven |date=3 February 2020 |title=Liverpool starlet Joe Hardy talks the academy, Klopp's chances and his path to Anfield |url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2020/02/03/liverpool-starlet-joe-hardy-talks-the-academy-klopps-chances-and-his-path-to-anfield/ |access-date=3 February 2020 |website=These Football Times |language=en-GB}} He progressed through the ranks and made his U18 team debut while still an U16 and signed a two-year scholarship deal at the end of the 2014–15 season.{{Cite web |title=Manchester City U18s Joe Hardy profile |url=https://www.mancity.com/joe-hardy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314125205/https://www.mancity.com/joe-hardy |archive-date=14 March 2017 |access-date=14 March 2017}} Hardy scored 11 goals in 20 U18 appearances during the 2015–16 season and had a spell on loan at the Stoke City academy.{{Cite web |title=Joe Hardy – MCFC Players – Manchester City, Man City History |url=https://bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/EDSAndAcademy/Academy/Player.aspx?id=687 |access-date=25 September 2020 |website=Bluemoon-MCFC}} He showed prolific form during the 2016–17 season,{{Cite web |title=EDS Stats – Manchester City, Man City |url=http://bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/EDSAndAcademy/Academy/Stats.aspx |access-date=14 March 2017 |website=Bluemoon-MCFC}} scoring 12 goals in 11 starts, before departing the Etihad Campus in March 2017.{{Cite news |title=Brentford sign Manchester City forward Joe Hardy |language=en |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/brentford-sign-manchester-city-forward-joe-hardy-_154413 |access-date=14 March 2017}}

= Brentford =

On 14 March 2017, Hardy joined the B team at Championship club Brentford on a three-year contract. Over the course of the following {{frac|2|1|2}} years, he scored 40 goals in 80 appearances and was voted the 2018–19 Brentford B Players' Player of the Year. Hardy gave a man of the match performance and scored two goals in Brentford B's 4–0 2019 Middlesex Senior Cup Final victory over Harrow Borough on 16 April 2019. He was frozen out of the B team during the first half of the 2019–20 season and departed the club in January 2020.{{Cite web |title=Brentford B forward Joe Hardy departs for Liverpool |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/january/brentford-b-forward-joe-hardy-departs-for-liverpool/ |access-date=6 January 2020 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}}

= Liverpool =

After an attempt to sign him during the 2019 summer transfer window had failed, Hardy transferred to the U23 team at Premier League club Liverpool in January 2020. He signed a contract running until the end of the 2019–20 season for an undisclosed fee.{{Cite web |last=Doyle |first=Ian |date=16 June 2020 |title=Liverpool striker puts pen to paper on new Anfield contract |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-striker-puts-pen-paper-18431564 |access-date=16 June 2020 |website=liverpoolecho}} On 4 February, Hardy made his professional debut as a substitute for Liam Millar after 82 minutes of a 1–0 FA Cup fourth round replay win over Shrewsbury Town.

Hardy signed a one-year contract extension in June 2020,{{Cite web |title=Joe Hardy signs new contract with Liverpool FC |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/academy/398664-joe-hardy-signs-new-contract-with-liverpool-fc |access-date=16 June 2020 |website=Liverpool FC}} but missed the 2020–21 pre-season through injury.{{Cite web |title=Paul Glatzel and Joe Hardy fitness update |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/academy/409805-paul-glatzel-and-joe-hardy-fitness-update |access-date=25 September 2020 |website=Liverpool FC}} After returning to fitness,{{Cite web |title=Match report: Liverpool U23s suffer narrow loss at Brighton |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/academy/412480-match-report-liverpool-u23s-suffer-narrow-loss-at-brighton |access-date=23 October 2020 |website=Liverpool FC}} he was included in Liverpool's 25-man 2020–21 Premier League squad as a home grown player,{{Cite web |title=2020/21 Premier League squads confirmed |url=http://www.premierleague.com/news/1869523 |access-date=23 October 2020 |website=www.premierleague.com |language=en}} though he did not win a call into a matchday squad during the season. After making five appearances and scoring one goal for the U23 and EFL Trophy squads, Hardy was sidelined for {{frac|2|1|2}} months with an ankle ligament injury sustained during a Premier League 2 match versus Southampton U23 on 21 November 2020.{{Soccerway|id=453105|accessdate=29 January 2021}}{{Cite web |title=Paul Glatzel and Joe Hardy injury update |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/academy/417018-paul-glatzel-and-joe-hardy-injury-update |access-date=29 January 2021 |website=Liverpool FC}} He finished the 2020–21 U23 season with 6 goals in 12 appearances and was released when his contract expired.{{Cite web |title=Reds confirm Premier League retained list |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/announcements/436031-reds-confirm-premier-league-retained-list |access-date=5 June 2021 |website=Liverpool FC}}

= Accrington Stanley =

On 8 July 2021, Hardy signed a two-year contract with League One club Accrington Stanley on a free transfer.{{Cite web |title=Signing: Hardy signs a two-year deal with the Reds |url=https://www.accringtonstanley.co.uk/news/2021/july/signing-hardy-signs-a-two-year-deal-with-the-reds/ |access-date=8 July 2021 |website=www.accringtonstanley.co.uk |language=en-gb}} He suffered a calf injury in pre-season, which required surgery and he returned to full training in late November.{{Cite web |date=13 August 2021 |title=Accrington waiting on John O'Sullivan ahead of Cambridge clash |url=https://www.theleaguepaper.com/latest-news/374880/accrington-waiting-on-john-osullivan-ahead-of-cambridge-clash/ |access-date=9 September 2021 |website=The League Paper |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Interview: Coley boosted by Colby return |url=https://www.accringtonstanley.co.uk/news/2021/november/interview-coley-boosted-by-colby-return/ |access-date=28 November 2021 |website=www.accringtonstanley.co.uk |language=en-gb}} On 27 January 2022, Hardy joined Scottish Championship club Inverness Caledonian Thistle on loan until the end of the 2021–22 season.{{Cite web |date=27 January 2022 |title=Joe Hardy signs for ICTFC on loan |url=https://ictfc.com/joe-hardy-signs-for-ictfc-on-loan |access-date=27 January 2022 |website=ICTFC |language=en-GB}} In a season which concluded with defeat in the Scottish Premiership playoff Final,{{Cite news |title=Saints 'have work to do' after securing survival |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61459427 |access-date=24 May 2022}} Hardy made 18 appearances and scored his first senior goal, in a 4–0 win over Hamilton Academical on 29 April 2022.{{Soccerbase season|id=129176|season=2021|access-date=8 July 2021}}

Hardy was again absent from the matchday squad throughout the 2022–23 season and on 17 March 2023, he joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Marine on loan until the end of the campaign.{{Cite web |date=17 March 2023 |title=Joe Hardy |url=https://marinefc.com/joe-hardy/ |access-date=18 March 2023 |website=marinefc.com}} He scored four goals in eight appearances and was a part of the Liverpool Senior Cup-winning squad.{{Cite web |date=19 April 2023 |title=Marine 0–0 Runcorn Linnets (4–3 Pens) – Match Report |url=https://marinefc.com/marine-0-0-runcorn-linnets-4-3-pens-match-report/ |access-date=20 April 2023}} Hardy was released when his contract expired.{{Cite news |date=20 May 2023 |title=Update: Retained list |language=en |work=Accrington Stanley |url=https://www.accringtonstanley.co.uk/news/2023/may/update-retained-list/ |access-date=20 May 2023}} He failed to win a call into a matchday squad during his two seasons at the Crown Ground.

= Non-League football =

Hardy began the 2023–24 season with Northern Premier League First Division West club Bootle, for whom he made five appearances without scoring.{{Cite web |title=Appearances – Joe Hardy – 2023–2024 |url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/appearances/2023-2024/joe-hardy/948541 |access-date=29 August 2023 |website=Football Web Pages}}

Personal life

Hardy attended St Winefride's Catholic Primary School in Neston and St. Anselm's College in Birkenhead.{{Cite web |title=Joe Hardy recently signed for Liverpool |url=https://www.st-anselms.com/115/social-media/article/817/joe-hardy-recently-signed-for-liverpool |access-date=15 July 2020 |website=www.st-anselms.com}}

Career statistics

rowspan=2\|Club !rowspan=2\|Season !colspan=3\|League !colspan=2\|National cup{{efn\|Includes FA Cup}} !colspan=2\|League cup{{efn\|Includes EFL Cup}} !colspan=2\|Europe ! colspan="2" \|Other !colspan=2\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals !Apps !Goals	Apps	Goals
Liverpool \|2019–20{{Soccerbase season\|id=129176\|season=2019\|accessdate=4 February 2020}} \|Premier League \|0	0	1	0	colspan="2" \|—	0 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|—	1	0
Liverpool U21 \|2020–21{{Soccerbase season\|id=129176\|season=2020\|access-date=30 December 2020}} \| colspan="9" \|— \|1Appearance in EFL Trophy \|0 \|1 \|0
Inverness Caledonian Thistle (loan) \|2021–22 \|Scottish Championship \|12 \|1 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|6Appearances in Scottish Premiership play-offs \|0 \|18 \|1
Marine (loan) \|2022–23{{Cite web \|title=Appearances – Joe Hardy – 2022–2023 \|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/marine/appearances/2022-2023/joseph-hardy/948541 \|access-date=18 March 2023 \|website=Football Web Pages}} \|Northern Premier League Premier Division \|8 \|4 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|1Appearance in Liverpool Senior Cup \|0 \|9 \|4
Bootle \|2023–24 \|Northern Premier League First Division West \|5 \|0 \|0 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|0 \|0 \|5 \|0
colspan="3" \|Total !25\|\|5\|\|1\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0 !8 !0\|\|34\|\|5

Honours

Brentford B

Middlesex Senior Cup: 2018–19{{Cite web |title=Harrow Borough 0 Brentford B 4 |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2019/april/match-report-for-harrow-borough-vs-brentford-on-16-apr-19/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603053045/https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2019/april/match-report-for-harrow-borough-vs-brentford-on-16-apr-19/ |archive-date=3 June 2022 |access-date=16 April 2019 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}}

Marine

Liverpool Senior Cup: 2022–23

Individual

Brentford B Players' Player of the Year: 2018–19{{Cite web |title=Maupay takes the honours at Player of the Year Dinner |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2019/may/award-winners-2019/ |access-date=6 May 2019 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}}