Iain Ward

{{Short description|English football player and coach}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Use British English|date=June 2016}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Iain Ward | image = | caption = | fullname = Iain Campbell Ward | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|5|13|df=y}} | birth_place = Cleethorpes, England | height = | position = Defender | currentclub = Grimsby Town<br>(Youth Team Coach) | youthyears1 = 1999–2001 | youthclubs1 = Grimsby Town | years1 = 2001–2004 | clubs1 = Grimsby Town | caps1 = 12 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2004–2008 | clubs2 = Brigg Town | caps2 = | goals2 = | manageryears1 = 2016– | managerclubs1 = Grimsby Town (U12's) }} '''Iain Campbell Ward''' (born 13 May 1983) is an English former professional footballer and youth team coach of League Two side Grimsby Town.

As a player, he was defender, primarily a right back. He played in the Football League for Grimsby Town<ref name=NB>{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/grimsby/grimsby.html |title=Grimsby Town : 1946/47–2008/09 |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=5 January 2010}}</ref> before going on to play for Non- League side Brigg Town.

==Career== Ward was born in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. He joined the youth system at Grimsby Town at the age of 12,<ref name=twelve>{{cite web |url=http://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10417~224121,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008072744/http://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10417~224121,00.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=8 October 2011 |title=Town Secure Promising Youngsters |publisher=Grimsby Town F.C |date=5 June 2002 |accessdate=5 January 2010}}</ref> and worked his way through to the first-team squad by Lennie Lawrence towards the close of the 2000–01 season. He made his debut a year later, in the last Division One match of the season, a 3–1 defeat away to Millwall on 21 April 2002.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/1935819.stm |title=Lions see off Mariners |publisher=BBC Sport |date=21 April 2002 |access-date=5 January 2010}}</ref>

He was given a 12-month contract in June 2002,<ref name=twelve/> and went on to feature 14 times for The Mariners in all competitions before being released at the end of the 2003–04 campaign.<ref name=NLD>{{cite news |url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=20116 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130015810/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=20116 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=30 January 2013 |title=Brigg Bring In Ward |work=NonLeague Daily |date=30 August 2004 |accessdate=5 January 2010}}</ref> When he received no offers from League clubs, he decided to start a degree course in Grimsby, and signed for nearby Brigg Town, newly promoted to the Northern Premier League First Division, on a semi-professional basis.<ref name=NLD/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefishy.co.uk/story.php?sid=909&p=2&stid=8413909 |title=Iain Ward Interview |first=Jake |last=Olley |publisher=The Fishy |date=18 June 2006 |accessdate=5 January 2009}}</ref> Ward left Brigg Town after four years with the club at the end of the 2007–08 season.{{citation needed|date=January 2010}}

==Personal life== Ward's younger brother Andrew also played for Grimsby Town's junior teams.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10417~387069,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008072823/http://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10417~387069,00.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=8 October 2011 |title=The Future's Bright! |publisher=Grimsby Town F.C |date=29 May 2003 |accessdate=5 January 2010}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{soccerbase|30922|Iain Ward}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Iain}} Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Cleethorpes Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Grimsby Town F.C. players Category:Brigg Town F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Grimsby Town F.C. non-playing staff Category:21st-century English sportsmen