Jamie Ward
Encyclopedia
Jamie John Ward is an English
-born Northern Irish
international professional footballer, who plays as a midfielder or forward for Derby County
. He was born in Smith's Wood
, Solihull
but qualifies to play for Northern Ireland
through his grandfather.
and played in their 2004 FA Youth Cup
Final defeat against Middlesbrough
. He turned professional in July 2005 after recovering from injuries received in a car crash in 2004. Although he captained the club's reserve team, he did not make a first team appearance and in March 2006 he joined Stockport County
on loan until the end of the season, making his league debut in a 1–0 victory away to Bury
on 7 March. He made nine appearances, scoring once in a 3–1 home victory against Shrewsbury Town
.
' Torquay United
, despite interest from Stockport County and Wrexham
. However, with a change of ownership and manager at Torquay, Ward asked for a transfer in December 2006.
, managed by former Torquay manager Roy McFarland
, on 31 January 2007 on a two-and-a-half year contract for an undisclosed fee.
Ward started the 2007–08 season brightly, but in only his second game, against Sheffield United
, he again pulled his hamstring. He fought back to match fitness and scored twelve goals for the Spireites that season.
He began the 2008–09 season as a first choice, with his form attracting attention from higher level clubs such as Derby County
and Sheffield United
. He rejected the offer of a new contract with Chesterfield in December 2008, with his existing contract set to expire at the end of the season. In January 2009, Championship side Barnsley
made a bid for Ward for £400,000 which had been accepted. However, the move was called off after he failed to agree personal terms with the club.
Ward scored his first goal for the Blades in only his second appearance, a 2–1 win at Southampton
in February of the same year. The Blades had conceded an injury time equaliser before Ward regained the lead in the 93rd minute. He then played regularly for the remainder of the season, scoring a further goal in the process. His season finished on a low note however as he was sent off for two handballs in the 2009 play-off final
against Burnley at Wembley.
Having been suspended for the first two games of the following season Ward returned in fine form, scoring four goals in seven games, including the opener in the Bramall Lane
leg of that season's Steel City derby
. Unfortunately he was stretchered off the field later in that game following a suspected hamstring tear. On returning to the team in November Ward played regularly without ever really regaining his early form before again succumbing to an injury in April which sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
Returning to fitness Ward started the 2010-2011 campaign as a regular first team player once more but an early suspension following a red card in the local derby against Leeds United
coupled with further injury problems and a loss of form meant that he could not hold down a regular spot in the first team.
team Derby County
in mid February for three months, with a view to a permanent deal. Ward scored 5 times in 13 games, including 25-yard strikes against Crystal Palace
and Reading
, as Derby successfully avoided relegation to League One, something his parent club failed to manage. With his loan spell adjudged a success, two days after the end of Derby's season Ward signed a permanent 2-year contract with the option of a year extension, for an undisclosed fee.
On 17 September 2011, Ward scored his first goal as a full Derby player with the equaliser against rivals
Nottingham Forest
, as Derby recorded a 2–1 win.
. After a promising start to his career at Sheffield United, Ward was called into the senior team in March 2009 ahead of two World Cup
Qualifiers against Poland
and Slovenia
. Ward was an unused substitute for the two games in which Northern Ireland won back-to-back games and possibly enhanced their chance of reaching the World Cup in South Africa. Ward won his first full cap in a Euro 2012 qualifier against the Faroe Islands
on 10 August 2011.
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...
-born Northern Irish
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
international professional footballer, who plays as a midfielder or forward for Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
. He was born in Smith's Wood
Smith's Wood
Smith's Wood is a residential area in the north of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands of England. It is a civil parish with a population of 10,943, according to the 2001 census....
, Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
but qualifies to play for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
through his grandfather.
Aston Villa
Ward began his career as a trainee with Aston VillaAston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and played in their 2004 FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
Final defeat against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
. He turned professional in July 2005 after recovering from injuries received in a car crash in 2004. Although he captained the club's reserve team, he did not make a first team appearance and in March 2006 he joined Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
on loan until the end of the season, making his league debut in a 1–0 victory away to Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
on 7 March. He made nine appearances, scoring once in a 3–1 home victory against Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
.
Torquay United
At the end of the 2005–06 season, Ward was released by Aston Villa and on 6 July 2006 he signed a three-year contract with Ian AtkinsIan Atkins
Ian Leslie Atkins is a former English professional footballer who became a manager later in his career, and now works as a coach with Sunderland. During a 20-year playing career he had eight clubs, including two spells with Sunderland and Birmingham City and playing more than 200 games with his...
' Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
, despite interest from Stockport County and Wrexham
Wrexham A.F.C.
Wrexham Football Club are a professional football team based in Wrexham, north-east Wales, who play in the English football pyramid.Founded in 1872, they are one of the oldest surviving football clubs in Britain and the oldest professional club in Wales...
. However, with a change of ownership and manager at Torquay, Ward asked for a transfer in December 2006.
Chesterfield
He joined ChesterfieldChesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
, managed by former Torquay manager Roy McFarland
Roy McFarland
Roy Leslie McFarland is an English football manager who was also a player, notably at Derby County where he played 434 league games helping him to earn 28 caps for England.-Playing career:...
, on 31 January 2007 on a two-and-a-half year contract for an undisclosed fee.
Ward started the 2007–08 season brightly, but in only his second game, against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, he again pulled his hamstring. He fought back to match fitness and scored twelve goals for the Spireites that season.
He began the 2008–09 season as a first choice, with his form attracting attention from higher level clubs such as Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
and Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. He rejected the offer of a new contract with Chesterfield in December 2008, with his existing contract set to expire at the end of the season. In January 2009, Championship side Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
made a bid for Ward for £400,000 which had been accepted. However, the move was called off after he failed to agree personal terms with the club.
Sheffield United
Having rejected Barnsley as his girlfriend Chloe Mackay told him to, Ward finally agreed a three and a half year deal with Sheffield United in January 2009 with the clubs agreeing a fee of around £330,000.Ward scored his first goal for the Blades in only his second appearance, a 2–1 win at Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in February of the same year. The Blades had conceded an injury time equaliser before Ward regained the lead in the 93rd minute. He then played regularly for the remainder of the season, scoring a further goal in the process. His season finished on a low note however as he was sent off for two handballs in the 2009 play-off final
2009 Football League Championship play-off Final
The 2009 Football League Championship play-off Final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 25 May 2009, at the end of the 2008–09 season. The match determined the third and final team to gain promotion from the Championship to the Premier League, and was contested by Sheffield United,...
against Burnley at Wembley.
Having been suspended for the first two games of the following season Ward returned in fine form, scoring four goals in seven games, including the opener in the Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
leg of that season's Steel City derby
Steel City derby
The Steel City Derby is a local derby that takes place between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday, the two professional football league teams based in the city of Sheffield, England...
. Unfortunately he was stretchered off the field later in that game following a suspected hamstring tear. On returning to the team in November Ward played regularly without ever really regaining his early form before again succumbing to an injury in April which sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
Returning to fitness Ward started the 2010-2011 campaign as a regular first team player once more but an early suspension following a red card in the local derby against Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
coupled with further injury problems and a loss of form meant that he could not hold down a regular spot in the first team.
Derby County
As the Blades struggled, and with new manager Micky Adams seeking to re-build the team Ward was loaned to fellow relegation-threatened ChampionshipFootball 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...
team Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in mid February for three months, with a view to a permanent deal. Ward scored 5 times in 13 games, including 25-yard strikes against Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
and 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...
, as Derby successfully avoided relegation to League One, something his parent club failed to manage. With his loan spell adjudged a success, two days after the end of Derby's season Ward signed a permanent 2-year contract with the option of a year extension, for an undisclosed fee.
On 17 September 2011, Ward scored his first goal as a full Derby player with the equaliser against rivals
East Midlands derby
This article is only about games featuring Nottingham Forest and Derby County. For games with either of those clubs against Leicester City, see Leicester City F.C. and Nottingham Forest F.C. rivalry or Derby County F.C. and Leicester City F.C. rivalry....
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, as Derby recorded a 2–1 win.
International career
Ward made two appearances for the Northern Ireland under-18 team and a further seven for the under-21 teamNorthern Ireland national under-21 football team
The Northern Ireland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Northern Ireland.-Former coaches:* To 20 August 2008.-2008/09 Matches:-Current squad:Squad to play San Marino.-Other Recent Call-Ups:...
. After a promising start to his career at Sheffield United, Ward was called into the senior team in March 2009 ahead of two World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
Qualifiers against Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
and Slovenia
Slovenia national football team
The Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
. Ward was an unused substitute for the two games in which Northern Ireland won back-to-back games and possibly enhanced their chance of reaching the World Cup in South Africa. Ward won his first full cap in a Euro 2012 qualifier against the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands national football team
The Faroe Islands national football team represents the Faroe Islands in association football and is controlled by the Faroe Islands Football Association, the governing body for football in the Faroe Islands. The Faroe Islands became a member of FIFA in 1988 and UEFA in 1990 and are the third...
on 10 August 2011.