Ashley Ward

"Ashley ward" redirects here. For the council ward, see Ashley (Bristol ward).

Ashley Ward

Personal information
Full name	Ashley Stuart Ward
Date of birth	24 November 1970 (1970-11-24)
Place of birth	Middleton, Lancashire, England
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position	Forward
Youth career
	Cheadle Town
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1989–1991	Manchester City	1	(0)
1991	→ Wrexham (loan)	4	(2)
1991–1992	Leicester City	10	(0)
1992	→ Blackpool (loan)	2	(1)
1992–1994	Crewe Alexandra	61	(25)
1994–1996	Norwich City	53	(18)
1996–1997	Derby County	40	(9)
1997–1998	Barnsley	46	(20)
1998–2000	Blackburn Rovers	54	(13)
2000–2003	Bradford City	84	(17)
2003–2005	Sheffield United	33	(5)
–	Total	388	(110 )
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Ashley Ward (born 24 November 1970) is an English retired footballer. He was a centre forward.

Biography

Ward was born in Middleton, Lancashire, the son of a coal mining engineer. He attended William Hulme's Grammar School, which opted for Rugby and Lacrosse as the school sports over football.

Career

Ward had a spell with Manchester United in the 1986–87 season, making 16 appearances for the club's Junior B team. He then played for Cheadle Town Youth, and chose to become an apprentice at Manchester City above an offer from Blackburn Rovers.

He played for at least a dozen different clubs in a long career, including Crewe Alexandra, where he made his name, Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers and Bradford City. He retired in the summer of 2005.

Ward has been relegated from the Premiership four times, a number only beaten by Nathan Blake, Nigel Quashie and Hermann Hreiðarsson who have been relegated five times.

In 1998, playing for Barnsley in a match at Sunderland, Ward scored, missed a penalty and got sent off in the space of five minutes.

After retirement

Ward and his wife run a number of businesses, including:

• Developing fashion boutique Apparel in Wilmslow. After wanting some trousers altered, Ward's wife returned to find the shop closed. She did a deal with landlord Robert Bilton. Now sold to friend Clare Sudweeks
• A commercial property business, in partnership with Robert Bilton. The portfolio extends from Manchester to Marbella
• Operating Abafields, a nursing home in Bolton bought for development but now operating under a manager
• Managing a £15million luxury property development company Bilton Ward Developments. Developed with business partner Robert Bilton, he has now been bought out by the Wards. Formed in 2002 the company specialises in the building and renovation of luxury homes, many for footballers' including those of Kevin Campbell and Wayne Rooney. Interior design is often done by former Changing Rooms designer Laura McCree.

Personal life

Ward is married to former model Dawn. Born in Salford, she is a former school friend of Ryan Giggs. Ward proposed to her in the car park of the pub where she worked when they first met. The couple have four daughters — Darby, Taylor, Charlie and Aston, — and used to live in Mill Lane, Mottram St. Andrew.

External links

• Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk
• Ashley Ward career stats at Soccerbase
• Bilton Ward Developments