Ashley Ward

Infobox Football biography
playername = Ashley Ward


fullname = Ashley Stuart Ward
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1970|11|24
cityofbirth = Middleton, Lancashire
countryofbirth = England
height = 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
nickname =
position = Forward
youthyears =
youthclubs = Cheadle Town
years = 1989–1991
1991
1991–1992
1992
1992–1994
1994–1996
1996–1997
1997–1998
1998–2000
2000–2003
2003–2005

clubs = Manchester City
→ Wrexham (loan)
Leicester City
→ Blackpool (loan)
Crewe Alexandra
Norwich City
Derby County
Barnsley
Blackburn Rovers
Bradford City
Sheffield United
Total
caps(goals) = 001 00(0)
004 00(2)
010 00(0)
002 00(1)
061 0(25)
053 0(18)
040 00(9)
046 0(20)
054 0(13)
084 0(17)
033 00(5)
388 (110)

Ashley Ward (born November 24, 1970 in Middleton, Lancashire) is a retired English footballer. He was a centre forward, noted for his strength and ability to retain control of the ball.

Biography

Ward was born the son of a coal mining engineer, and raised in Middleton. He attended William Hulme's Grammar School, which opted for Rugby and Lacrosse as the school sports over football. [http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/1999/1/16/783434.html Ashley reaps the rewards for dogged determination ] ]

Career

Ward 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 and Nigel Quashie who have been relegated five times.

In 1998, 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 [ [http://www.thewilmslowexpress.co.uk/news/s/151/151686_were_not_slappers_protest_the_real_footballers_wives.html We’re NOT slappers protest the real footballers' wives - News - Wilmslow Express ] ]
*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 [http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/homesearch/latest/readershomes/s/147/147163_premiership_class.html Premiership class ] ]
*Managing a £15million luxury property development company Bilton Ward Developments. Developed with business partner Robert Bilton, [http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article417775.ece?token=null&offset=0 Living: A style she can sell - Times Online ] ] he has now been bought out by the Wards. [ [http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article417775.ece?token=null&offset=12 Living: A style she can sell - Times Online ] ] 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. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/06/09/nsquire109.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/06/09/ixhome.html Latest news, breaking news, current news, UK news, world news, celebrity news, politics news - Telegraph ] ] 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 two daughters Darby and Taylor, [ [http://blogs.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/bourne/2006/08/post.html The Diary: A new Dawn ] ] and used to live in Mill Lane, Mottram St. Andrew. [ [http://www.thewilmslowexpress.co.uk/news/s/162/162171_striker_quizzed_by_police_after_dog_is_shot_dead.html Striker quizzed by police after dog is shot dead - News - Wilmslow Express ] ] The Wards now live in Great Warford where they have made extensive alterations to a large Victorian house. On 18 April 2008 they were turned down by the planning authorities in relation to an application for a second drive. Local residents had expressed deep concerns with the Wards' plans to develop Green-belt land unnecessarily.Fact|date=April 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/ward.htm Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk]
*soccerbase|8284|Ashley Ward
* [http://biltonward.com Bilton Ward Developments]

Persondata
NAME= Ward, Ashley
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Retired English footballer
DATE OF BIRTH= 1970-11-24
PLACE OF BIRTH= Middleton, Manchester, England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=