Whelan Ward

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Personal information
Whelan Ward
Full name	Lawrence Whelan Ward
Date of birth	15 June 1929 (1929-06-15) (age 78)
Place of birth	Ovenden, England
Height	5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
Playing position	Striker
Youth clubs
	Ovenden
Senior clubs¹
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1948–1954 1954–1955 1955–1959	Bradford City King's Lynn Bradford Park Avenue Nelson	149 (37) 108 (31)
¹ Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. * Appearances (Goals)

Lawrence Whelan Ward, (born 15 June 1929 in Ovenden, England) also known as Polly Ward, was an English professional footballer who played for both Bradford clubs. He was a striker.

[edit] Career

Whelan Ward was a dimunitive striker, standing just 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m), who had unsuccessful trials with Bradford Park Avenue, Leeds United, Hull City and Halifax Town. He was signed by Bradford City manager David Steele, who had him on schoolboy forms at Huddersfield Town, from Ovenden in November 1948.

Ward made his City debut on Christmas Day 1948 against Oldham Athletic. He spent six seasons at Valley Parade scoring a total of 37 league goals and five FA Cup goals in 156 appearances. He was the club's top goal-scorer in 1951–52 and featured in the club's smallest attacking line-up against Darlington in October 1962.^[1]

He moved to King's Lynn in August 1954 but returned to Bradford the following year to sign for City's rivals Bradford Park Avenue. He spent four seasons with Park Avenue, returning to non-league football in August 1959 with Nelson.