Elliott Ward
Encyclopedia
Elliott Leslie Ward is an English
professional footballer currently playing for Norwich City. He signed for the Canaries on a free transfer from Coventry City in May 2010; officially joining them on 1 July.
of West Ham United
, making his debut for the Under-17 side before joining the first team in August 2003. In 2004, Ward went out for two loan spells, at Peterborough United
and Bristol Rovers
in July and December 2004 respectively.
Ward made an impact on the West Ham first team during the second half of the 2004–05
season, while the club were in the Football League Championship
. Primarily due to injuries to more established defenders such as Christian Dailly
and Malky Mackay
, he found himself with the opportunity of partnering Anton Ferdinand
in the centre of defence.
When Ward was brought into the first team, for the 1–3 loss against Reading
on 12 March 2005, the club were lying outside the playoff
places and looked unlikely to make it back to the Premiership
. The pairing of Ward and Ferdinand enabled the team to remain unbeaten for the rest of the season. This unbeaten run included the three playoff games, thus ensuring their return to the Premiership for the following season.
At the beginning of the 2005–06
season, to prepare for the upcoming Premiership campaign, West Ham signed a number of players, including central defenders Danny Gabbidon
and James Collins
from Cardiff City
. Gabbidon became the preferred choice to partner Ferdinand, and this resulted in chances being few and far between for Ward. He played two League Cup games, but made only one substitute
Premiership appearance (against Bolton
on 27 August 2005) before being loaned out to Plymouth Argyle
in November. The month-by-month loan deal lasted three months, and after playing 16 games and scoring once against Wolves, Ward returned to The Hammers in February 2006 playing three further games towards the end of the 2005–06 season.
said of him: ""In Elliott we have a young, talented and confident defender who I'm sure will bring a real presence to our back line. He is just the sort of player we are looking for to help the club progress."
His performances for Coventry have attracted significant interest from Charlton Athletic
and Fulham
, or even a move back to former club West Ham
for reported £2.5 million fees. The speculation heightened when Ward was omitted from the starting line up that faced Bristol City
in an F.A. Cup 3rd round tie on 6 January. Coventry manager Micky Adams
vehemently denied the rumour that Ward had been dropped to avoid him being cup-tied, but insisted that Ward had picked up a hamstring strain and thus was unfit to play.
Having fallen down the pecking order at Coventry, he joined Doncaster Rovers
on a one month emergency loan after Rovers suffered injuries to several first team defenders.
He made an instant impact at Doncaster, scoring a spectacular overhead kick goal on his debut against Sheffield Wednesday
at Hillsborough
.
He signed a loan deal with Preston North End
until the end of the 2009–10 season.
, a 2–3 home defeat to Watford
. Ward picked up his first man of the match award at the club in the 2–0 win over Swansea City on 21 August. Ward formed a good partnership with Leon Barnett
in the centre of defence, helping Norwich to 5th place by 23 October.
Ward picked up an injury in the 2–1 away win over Coventry on 18 December, sidelining him until the end of January. He made his return to the team in the 2–1 win over Millwall
on 1 February 2011, scoring his first goal for the club to equalise.
During the tour of Germany, Ward picked up an injury, which meant he was considered unlikely to make the start of the Premier League season, meaning he faces stiff competition to gain a starting place with competition from Zak Whitbread, Ritchie De Laet and Leon Barnett.
, at the start of the 2005–06
season, instead opting for Championship
side Palace, claiming he did not want to keep his brother out of the team.
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...
professional footballer currently playing for Norwich City. He signed for the Canaries on a free transfer from Coventry City in May 2010; officially joining them on 1 July.
West Ham United
Ward came through the youth systemThe Academy of Football
The Academy of Football, or just The Academy, is a nickname of the English football club West Ham United.The title pays homage to the success of the club in coaching talented young players...
of West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, making his debut for the Under-17 side before joining the first team in August 2003. In 2004, Ward went out for two loan spells, at Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
and Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
in July and December 2004 respectively.
Ward made an impact on the West Ham first team during the second half of the 2004–05
2004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
season, while the club were in the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
. Primarily due to injuries to more established defenders such as Christian Dailly
Christian Dailly
Christian Eduard Dailly is a Scottish professional footballer who is without a club having last played for Championship side Portsmouth. He is a versatile player, often seen in defence or defensive midfield, but has played in most outfield positions during his career. Dailly is Scotland's...
and Malky Mackay
Malky Mackay
Malcolm George "Malky" Mackay is a Scottish football manager and former player, who played as a central defender. He is currently the manager of Cardiff City. Mackay began his playing career in Scottish football, with Queen's Park and Celtic. He joined English side Norwich City in 1998, remaining...
, he found himself with the opportunity of partnering Anton Ferdinand
Anton Ferdinand
Anton Julian Ferdinand is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers as a defender. He is the brother of Manchester United and England centre-back Rio Ferdinand and the cousin of former England striker Les Ferdinand and Southend United defender Kane Ferdinand. Like his brother, Anton...
in the centre of defence.
When Ward was brought into the first team, for the 1–3 loss against Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
on 12 March 2005, the club were lying outside the playoff
Football League Play-Offs
The Football League play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine some of the promotion places within the Football League. Essentially, each division of the league offers a certain number of automatic promotion places to the top two or three clubs. A further promotion place is...
places and looked unlikely to make it back to the Premiership
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
. The pairing of Ward and Ferdinand enabled the team to remain unbeaten for the rest of the season. This unbeaten run included the three playoff games, thus ensuring their return to the Premiership for the following season.
At the beginning of the 2005–06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
season, to prepare for the upcoming Premiership campaign, West Ham signed a number of players, including central defenders Danny Gabbidon
Daniel Gabbidon
Daniel Leon "Danny" Gabbidon is a Welsh footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers and the Wales national football team.-West Bromwich Albion:...
and James Collins
James Collins (footballer)
James Michael Collins is a Welsh footballer who plays for Aston Villa and the Wales national football team.-Cardiff City:...
from Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
. Gabbidon became the preferred choice to partner Ferdinand, and this resulted in chances being few and far between for Ward. He played two League Cup games, but made only one substitute
Substitute (football)
In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is not performing well; there may also be tactical reasons such as...
Premiership appearance (against Bolton
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
on 27 August 2005) before being loaned out to Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
in November. The month-by-month loan deal lasted three months, and after playing 16 games and scoring once against Wolves, Ward returned to The Hammers in February 2006 playing three further games towards the end of the 2005–06 season.
Coventry City
Ward left West Ham in the summer of 2006, joining Coventry City for £1m. Manager Micky AdamsMicky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
said of him: ""In Elliott we have a young, talented and confident defender who I'm sure will bring a real presence to our back line. He is just the sort of player we are looking for to help the club progress."
His performances for Coventry have attracted significant interest from Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
and Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
, or even a move back to former club West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
for reported £2.5 million fees. The speculation heightened when Ward was omitted from the starting line up that faced Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
in an F.A. Cup 3rd round tie on 6 January. Coventry manager Micky Adams
Micky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
vehemently denied the rumour that Ward had been dropped to avoid him being cup-tied, but insisted that Ward had picked up a hamstring strain and thus was unfit to play.
Having fallen down the pecking order at Coventry, he joined Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
on a one month emergency loan after Rovers suffered injuries to several first team defenders.
He made an instant impact at Doncaster, scoring a spectacular overhead kick goal on his debut against Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
.
He signed a loan deal with Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
until the end of the 2009–10 season.
Norwich City
On 26 May 2010, it was announced that Ward had signed a two-year deal with Norwich City signing on a free transfer. His Norwich debut game on 6 August in the opening game of the 2010–11 season2010–11 in English football
The 2010–11 season was the 131st season of competitive football in England.The season began on 6 August 2010 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier League and Football Conference both starting eight days later on 14 August 2010. The Championship, League One, and League Two ended on 7 May...
, a 2–3 home defeat to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
. Ward picked up his first man of the match award at the club in the 2–0 win over Swansea City on 21 August. Ward formed a good partnership with Leon Barnett
Leon Barnett
Leon Peter Barnett is an English professional footballer who currently plays for Norwich City. Although primarily a central defender, he has also played at left back, right back, central midfield and up front...
in the centre of defence, helping Norwich to 5th place by 23 October.
Ward picked up an injury in the 2–1 away win over Coventry on 18 December, sidelining him until the end of January. He made his return to the team in the 2–1 win over Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
on 1 February 2011, scoring his first goal for the club to equalise.
During the tour of Germany, Ward picked up an injury, which meant he was considered unlikely to make the start of the Premier League season, meaning he faces stiff competition to gain a starting place with competition from Zak Whitbread, Ritchie De Laet and Leon Barnett.
Personal life
He is the brother of Millwall defender Darren Ward, who turned down the opportunity of joining West Ham and the PremiershipFA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
, at the start of the 2005–06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
season, instead opting for Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side Palace, claiming he did not want to keep his brother out of the team.
External links
- Elliott Ward player profile at ccfc.co.uk
- Elliott Ward player profile at pafc.co.uk
- Elliott Ward at Soccerbase