Chris Ward (footballer)

Chris Ward
Personal information
Full nameChristopher Ward
Date of birth28 April 1981
Place of birthPreston, England
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current team
Lancaster City
Youth career
Springfields, Fulwood Amateurs
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1999–2001Lancaster City
2001–2002Birmingham City0(0)
2001–2002→ Forest Green Rovers (loan)5(1)
2001–2002→ Southport (loan)3(0)
2002–2003Barrow[1]8(3)
2002–2003Leigh RMI5(1)
2002–2003Lincoln City6(2)
2003–2004Northwich Victoria
2004–2005Bamber Bridge[2]37(14)
2005–2007Kendal Town
2006–2007Mossley
2006–2009Clitheroe
2008–2009Chorley
2009–Lancaster City5(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Chris Ward (born 28 April 1981) is an English footballer. He currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Lancaster City, having previously played in the Football league for Lincoln City.

Early career

Hailing from the Preston suburb of Ashton-on-Ribble, Ward began his career with local sides Springfields and Fulwood Amateurs whilst studying at Ashton-on-Ribble High School and Preston College before signing for Lancaster City at the age of 18.[3] Ward quickly made an impression at Lancaster, scoring on his full debut in the 2–0 away victory over Winsford United on 24 August 1999.[4] A deluge of goals for Lancaster attracted the attention of scouts and on 24 April 2001 Ward agreed to join Birmingham City for £25,000; his contract would officially begin at the start of the 2001–02 season.[5]

Ward failed to make the first team at Birmingham and in October 2001 he joined Forest Green on a months loan,[6] making his debut in the 2–2 home draw with Northwich Victoria on 29 September 2001 and scoring his first, and only, league goal for the club a week later in the 5–1 away defeat to Doncaster Rovers. In March 2002 he joined Southport, again on loan,[7] debuting in the 3–2 home defeat to Boston United on 1 April 2002.

Released by Birmingham at the end of the season, he joined Barrow, making his debut in the 1–1 home draw with Hucknall Town on 17 August 2002[8] and scoring his first league goal for the club in the 1–1 away draw with Runcorn on the following Tuesday. Ward's time with Barrow would be brief as after just a month with the club he signed for Leigh RMI.[9] After making his debut in the 1–0 away defeat to Farnborough Town on 21 September 2002,[10] Ward notched his only league goal for Leigh in the 2–1 home victory over Stevenage Borough on 12 October.[11]

Lincoln City

In October 2002, Ward returned to the Football league signing for Lincoln City[12][13] where he linked up with sometime Lancaster City team-mate Mark Bailey.[14] He made his Football League debut for the club as a 74th minute replacement for Adie Mike in the 0–0 draw at Darlington on 2 November 2002[15] and scored his first goal for the club on his full league debut against Carlisle United on 4 February 2003,[16] but he struggled to establish himself at Sincil Bank and was released at the end of the season.[17]

Return to the non-leagues

He linked up with Northwich Victoria[18] then Bamber Bridge.[19] Moves to Kendal Town and Mossley followed. He moved on to Clitheroe, scoring on his debut in the 3–1 home defeat to Bradford Park Avenue on 6 January 2007.[20] Teaching commitments caused Ward to miss most of the 2007–08 season but he resumed his Clitheroe career at the start of the 2008–09 season. In November 2008, Ward linked up with his one-time Lancaster City manager Tony Hesketh at Chorley,[21] debuting in the 3–1 away defeat to F.C. Halifax Town on 15 November 2008. Hesketh departed the hot seat at Chorley to return to Lancaster City and Ward was one of five players who followed him from Chorley to the Giant Axe based club ahead of the 2009–10 season.[22] He marked his return to the club by scoring on his debut in the 5–0 home Northern Premier League Division One North victory over Prescot Cables on 15 August 2009.[23]

References

  1. ↑ "Chris Ward Player Details 2002–2003". SoccerFactsUK. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  2. ↑ "Chris Ward Player Details 2004–2005". SoccerFactsUK. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  3. ↑ "Football star nets Brum deal". Lancashire Evening Telegraph. 29 June 2001. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  4. ↑ "Boost for the blues". Lancashire Evening Telegraph. 27 August 1999. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  5. ↑ "Cup Blues". Lancashire Evening Telegraph. 27 April 2001. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  6. ↑ "Ward joins Rovers strikeforce". NonLeagueDaily.com. 4 October 2001. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  7. ↑ "Southport sign Ward". NonLeagueDaily.com. 29 March 2002. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  8. ↑ "Ward joins Barrow". NonLeagueDaily.com. 19 August 2002. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  9. ↑ "Ward in at Leigh". NonLeagueDaily.com. 20 September 2002. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  10. ↑ "Farnboro 1–0 Leigh RMI". BBC Sport (British Broadcast Corporation). 21 September 2002. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  11. ↑ "Leigh RMI 2–1 Stevenage". BBC Sport (British Broadcast Corporation). 12 October 2002. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  12. ↑ "Leigh lose Ward to Lincoln". NonLeagueDaily.com. 25 October 2002. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  13. ↑ "Conference Striker Links Up with the Imps". Lincoln City F.C. Official Website. 24 October 2002. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  14. ↑ ""I'm Here To Score Goals" Says Ward". Lincoln City F.C. Official Website. 24 October 2002. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  15. ↑ "Darlington 0 Lincoln City 0 Match Report". Lincoln City F.C. Official Website. 2 November 2002. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  16. ↑ "Super City Come to the Four". Lincoln City F.C. Official Website. 4 February 2003. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  17. ↑ "Trio Released By Imps". Lincoln City F.C. Official Website. 26 May 2003. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  18. ↑ "Vics snap up three". NonLeagueDaily.com. 4 August 2003. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  19. ↑ "Big signings for Ambitious Brig". NonLeagueDaily.com. 22 July 2004. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  20. ↑ "Clitheroe 1 Bradford Park Avenue 3". Lancashire Evening Telegraph. 8 January 2007. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  21. ↑ "Magpies enlist Ward's help". NonLeagueDaily.com. 22 November 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
  22. ↑ "Hesketh brings five Magpies with him". NonLeagueDaily.com. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  23. ↑ "Lancaster City 5–0 Prescott Cables". Lakeland Echo. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2010.

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