Ashley Ward
Encyclopedia
Ashley Ward is an English
retired footballer. He was a centre forward.
, 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.
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.
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
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
retired footballer. He was a centre forward.
Biography
Ward was born in MiddletonMiddleton, Greater Manchester
Middleton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Irk, south-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, the son of a coal mining engineer. He attended William Hulme's Grammar School
William Hulme's Grammar School
William Hulme's Grammar School is an Academy in Whalley Range, Manchester, England.-History:WHGS was founded on 26 January 1887 as a grammar school. It ceased to be a direct grant school when the Labour government abolished the scheme, and was therefore forced to become private...
, which opted for Rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and Lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
as the school sports over football.
Career
Ward had a spell with Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
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
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
above an offer from Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
.
He played for at least a dozen different clubs in a long career, including Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
, where he made his name, Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
, Blackburn Rovers and Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
. He retired in the summer of 2005.
Ward has been relegated from the Premiership four times, a number only beaten by Nathan Blake
Nathan Blake
Nathan Alexander Blake is a Welsh former professional footballer, who played in the Premier League for several clubs and also represented his country at international level...
, Nigel Quashie
Nigel Quashie
Nigel Francis Quashie is a British footballer who has played more than 300 games in the Football League. He plays as a midfielder, and has represented Scotland, the country of his grandfather, at full international level. He was released by Queens Park Rangers in 2010.-Personal life:Quashie was...
and Hermann Hreiðarsson
Hermann Hreiðarsson
Hermann Hreiðarsson is an Icelandic football player who plays for Football League Championship club Portsmouth as a left back...
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 WilmslowWilmslow-Economy:Wilmslow is well known, like Alderley Edge, for having many famous residents, notably footballers, stars of Coronation Street and rich North West businessmen. The town is part of the so-called Golden Triangle in the north west together with Alderley Edge and Prestbury...
. 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 MarbellaMarbellaMarbella is a town in Andalusia, Spain. It is situated on the Mediterranean Sea, in the province of Málaga, beneath the La Concha mountain. In 2000 the city had 98,823 inhabitants, in 2004, 116,234, in 2010 approximately 135,000....
- Operating Abafields, a nursing home in BoltonBoltonBolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
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 CampbellKevin Campbell (footballer)Kevin Joseph Campbell is an English former football player who played as a striker.-Playing career:Campbell began his career as a trainee with Arsenal, joining the club on schoolboy forms in 1985...
and Wayne RooneyWayne RooneyWayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
. Interior design is often done by former Changing RoomsChanging RoomsChanging room may refer to:*changeroom, a room or enclosure in a clothing store where customers may try on clothes before purchasing them*Changing Rooms, a BBC television series*The Changing Room, a stage play by David Storey...
designer Laura McCree.
Personal life
Ward is married to former modelModel (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
Dawn. Born in Salford, she is a former school friend of Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
. 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
Mottram St. Andrew
Mottram St Andrew is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census, the village has a population of 629 people. It is an affluent village set in the heart of the Cheshire countryside...
.