- Nick Ward (Australian footballer)
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Nick Ward Personal information Full name Nicholas Andrew Ward Date of birth 24 March 1985 Place of birth Perth, Australia Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Playing position Attacking Midfielder Club information Current club Wellington Phoenix Number 12 Youth career Kingway Olympic 2000–2002 ECU Joondalup 2003 AIS Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2003–2004 Perth Glory 2 (0) 2004 Stirling Lions 7 (2) 2005–2006 Perth Glory 21 (5) 2006–2007 Queens Park Rangers 20 (1) 2007 → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 8 (1) 2007–2010 Melbourne Victory 46 (5) 2010–2011 Wellington Phoenix 24 (1) 2011 Iraklis 0 (0) 2011– Wellington Pheonix 2 (0) National team‡ 2004–2005 Australia U-20 16 (4) 2006–2008 Australia U-23 16 (2) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21 February 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17:30, 19 November 2010 (UTC)Nick Ward (born 24 March 1985 in Perth, Western Australia) is an Australian football (soccer) player who plays for Wellington Phoenix in the A-league.
Contents
Club career
His efforts in the inaugural A-League season of 2005-06 resulted in him becoming the first player to win the A-League's Rising Star Award with Perth Glory, along with also winning the Perth Supporter's Player of the Year, and also the Smokefree WA Coach's Award.[1]
Following the end of the first A-League season, Nick Ward had trials with Leicester City and Brentford however, much to the disappointment of Football Federation Australia,[2] he joined Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship prior to the 2006-07 season.
On 31 January 2007, the last day of the transfer window, Ward joined Brighton on loan for the remainder of the 2006-07 season. On 17 February 2007, Ward scored his first goal for the Albion in their 2-1 home win over Nottingham Forest before returning to Queens Park Rangers.
On 4 December 2007, Ward's contract with Queens Park Rangers was terminated by mutual consent. He joined Melbourne Victory before further signing on as the Victory's youth marquee in a two-year deal. On 11 January 2008, Ward scored his first goal for the Melbourne Victory in their 3-0 home win over Wellington Phoenix.
On 1 September 2010, it was announced that Ward had signed with the Wellington Phoenix for the remainder of the 2010/11 A-League season.[3] On 11 September 2010, against Sydney FC, he scored his only goal for the Phoenix, a wonderful shot into the top right hand corner from outside the 18 yard box.[4] Following the season, Ward was released from the Phoenix.[5] Months after joining Iraklis Thessaloniki, Ward returned to the Wellington Phoenix after the Greek team was relegated to the amateur divisions. Ward said, “I am delighted Ricki wanted me back and everything has fallen into place.[6]
International career
After his season had concluded with Perth Glory, Ward was selected by Australia in an extended squad for its opening Asian Cup qualifier with Bahrain.[7] Ward was named on the bench, but did not play on the field.
In December 2006 the then Socceroos manager Graham Arnold believed that Ward (lacking game time under the management of Queens Park Rangers at the time) should be playing continental European competitions (e.g. Belgium, Netherlands), where there was (in Arnold's opinion) better ball delivery and midfield play than in the English Championship.[8] Those comments could be interpreted as a preliminary reason not to select Ward in forthcoming Socceroos friendlies at the time. Ward's absence from more recent squads could be attributed to his lack playing minutes at Melbourne Victory (due to injuries and club coach Ernie Merrick's preference for more experienced players in his positions) and the success of other similar young players in transitioning their career to European clubs (including Nick Carle, Dario Vidosic, Nikita Rukavytsya and Brett Holman).
His exclusion from the Olyroos squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics was a major disappointment [9] especially after being a regular squad member under coach Rob Baan in Australia's qualification path.
Club career statistics
All-Time Club Performances Club Season 
A-LeagueFinals Series Asia Total App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals Perth Glory
(A-League)2005–06 21 5 21 5 Club Total 21 5 21 5 Club Season 
ChampionshipFA Cup Carling Cup Total App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals Queens Park Rangers
(Football League Championship)2006–07 19 1 1 0 1 0 21 1 2007–08 1 0 1 0 2 0 Club Total 20 1 1 0 2 0 23 1 Club Season League OneFA Cup Carling Cup Total App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
(Football League One)
(on loan from Queens park Rangers)2006–07 8 1 8 1 Club Total 8 1 8 1 Club Season A-LeagueFinals Series Asia Total App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals Melbourne Victory
(A-League)2007–08 5 1 5 1 2008–09 15 2 3 0 ? ? 18 2 2009–10 19 2 3 0 ? ? 22 2 2010–11 1 0 1 0 Club Total 40 5 6 0 46 5 Club Season A-LeagueFinals Series Asia Total App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals Wellington Phoenix F.C.
(A-League)2010–11 23 1 1 0 24 1 Club Total 23 1 1 0 24 1 Career totals Last updated 21 February 2011 Honours
With Melbourne Victory:
- A-League Championship: 2008-2009
- A-League Premiership: 2008-2009
With Perth Glory:
- NSL Championship: 2003-2004
Personal Honours:
- A-League Young Player of the Year: 2005-2006
- Perth Glory Member's Player of the Year: 2005-2006
References
- ^ "Despotovski wins MGP Award". a-league.com. http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=3645. Retrieved 9 August 2006.
- ^ "Midfielder Ward seals move to QPR". bbc.co.uk. 8 July 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/5119900.stm. Retrieved 9 August 2006.
- ^ Ward bolsters Phoenix midfield
- ^ Stoney, Emma (11 September 2010). "Phoenix edge hapless Sydney FC". A-League. http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=35260. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ Layland, Christian (29 June 2011). "Hyundai A-League transfers 2011/2011". The Football Sack. http://www.thefootballsack.com/2011/06/hyundai-league-transfers-20112011.html. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ "Nick Ward Back And Raring To Go". a-league.co.au. 3 October 2011. http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=41219. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
- ^ "Local players boosted". a-league.com. http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=3326. Retrieved 9 August 2006.
- ^ "Arnold: QPR not the club for Ward". Tribal Football. http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=21710. Retrieved 2006-12-15.[dead link]
- ^ "Victory's Ward Chases Dream Year". Australian Four Four Two. http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/92698,victorys-ward-chases-dream-year.aspx. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
External links
Wellington Phoenix FC – current squad Awards Preceded by
Alex BrosqueHyundai A-League
Young Player of the Year Award
2005-06Succeeded by
Adrian LeijerCategories:- 1985 births
- Living people
- People from Perth, Western Australia
- Australian soccer players
- Australian expatriate soccer players
- A-League players
- The Football League players
- Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
- Melbourne Victory players
- Perth Glory FC players
- Wellington Phoenix players
- Queens Park Rangers F.C. players
- National Soccer League (Australia) players
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