 Grant playing forIpswich Town in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Grant Anthony Ward[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1994-12-05)5 December 1994 (age 30)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Lewisham, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2014 | Tottenham Hotspur | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2016 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | (0) |
| 2014 | →Chicago Fire (loan) | 23 | (1) |
| 2015 | →Coventry City (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | →Rotherham United (loan) | 40 | (2) |
| 2016–2019 | Ipswich Town | 94 | (8) |
| 2019–2022 | Blackpool | 45 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Blackpool | 2 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | Bristol Rovers | 74 | (3) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:12, 3 May 2025 (UTC) | |||
Grant Anthony Ward (born 5 December 1994) is an English professionalfootballer who last played as amidfielder forBristol Rovers. He has previously played forTottenham Hotspur,Chicago Fire,Coventry City,Rotherham United,Ipswich Town andBlackpool.
Ward signed with theTottenham Hotspur Academy in 2011. During his time at Spurs, he progressed through the club's youth system. He appeared for their Under-18 side during the 2011–2012 season, scoring 3 goals in 16 starts and 10 substitute appearances during the season, as well as featuring in 3FA Youth Cup matches. He continued to feature for the club's under-18 team during the 2012–13 season, making 17 appearances in theU18 Premier League, while also making 3 appearances in the FA Youth Cup and featuring twice in the2012–13 NextGen Series.[3]
On 22 March 2014 Ward signed on loan withMajor League Soccer clubChicago Fire.[4] Ward's debut was delayed due to his injury on metatarsal that kept him out for months[5] It took until 25 May 2014, where he came on as a substitute forDilly Duka in the 61st minute, as Chicago Fire beatColumbus Crew 2–0.[6] Ward's loan spell with Chicago Fire was extended until the end of the season.[7] Ward scored his first Chicago Fire goal on 24 July 2014, in a 5–1 loss againstSan Jose Earthquakes.[8] In the last game of the season, Ward then provided two assists, in a 2–1 win overHouston Dynamo.[9] Following the end of the 2014 season, the club allowed Ward to make his return to his parent club.[10]
On 11 March 2015 Ward began training withLeague One sideCoventry City and it was announced two days later on 13 March 2015 that he had joined them on loan until the end of the season. He was given the number 8 shirt.[11] Ward made his Coventry City debut three days later againstChesterfield, where he assistedSanmi Odelusi, as his shot was deflected to Odelusi's goal.[12] The match ended with Coventry City winning 3–2.[13] Ward went on to make eleven appearances for the club.
At the start of the 2015–16 season, Ward started training withChampionship sideRotherham United.[14] Six days later after training, Ward joined Rotherham United on a six-month loan deal on 13 July 2015.[15] Upon joining the club, Ward was given number seventeen shirt ahead of the new season.[16] Ward made his Rotherham United debut, in the opening game of the season, as they lost 4–1 againstMilton Keynes Dons.[17] He scored his first goal for the club againstBurnley in a 2–1 loss on 2 October 2015.[18] After changing his loan type from initial youth loan to a senior loan to cover for injuries in the squad by Rotherham managerNeil Redfearn,[19] Ward then scored his second goal for the club on 26 December 2015, in a 4–0 win overBolton Wanderers.[20] After extending his loan spell for the rest of the season,[21] Ward continued to be in the regular first team and helped the club avoid relegation for the second time this season and made forty appearances and scoring two times. For his performance this season, Ward won both the club's Young Player of the Year[22] and Goal of the Year.[23]
On 1 August 2016 Ward signed a three-year deal withFootball League Championship sideIpswich Town on an undisclosed fee, believed to be £600K.[24] Ward was previously linked with a move back to Rotherham United before opting to join Ipswich Town instead.[25]
On his debut, Ward scored a hat-trick in 39 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute in an opening day 4–2 win overBarnsley atPortman Road.[26] Three weeks later, on 27 August 2016, Ward scored the only goal in a 1–0 win overPreston North End.[27] It wasn't until on 26 November 2016 when he scored again, in a 3–0 win overQueens Park Rangers.[28] He made 46 appearances in all competitions during his first season at the club, scoring 6 goals.[29]
Ward continued to be a first-team regular during the 2017–18 season. He scored his first goal of the season on 26 September, netting the final goal in a 5–2 home win overSunderland.[30] He went on to make 37 appearances over the course of the season, scoring 2 goals.[31]
On 26 December 2018, Ward suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury during a 0–3 away loss to Queens Park Rangers, which ruled him out of playing for up to a year. This proved to be his last appearance for the club as he was released at the end of the 2018–19 season, although he remained at the club while he recovered from injury.[32]
On 28 December 2019, Ward joinedBlackpool on a free transfer, signing an 18-month contract with the option of an additional year.[33] Grant was released by the club at the end of the2021–22 season.[34]
Ward appeared as a trialist for Blackpool during a pre-season friendly againstRangers at Bloomfield Road on 16 July 2022, having been on trial withReading. Blackpool managerMichael Appleton, the successor toNeil Critchley, whose decision it was to release Grant, said: "It's an opportunity for him to say, 'Right okay. Here's where I'm at, these are my fitness levels and are you interested? Do you want to sign me?'"[35]
He re-signed forthe Seasiders on 21 October 2022, on a three-month contract;[36] he was released on 21 January 2023.[37]
On 27 January 2023, Ward signed for League One clubBristol Rovers.[38] He made his debut the following day as a substitute in a 5–1 defeat atMorecambe.[39] On 10 April 2023, he scored his first goal for the club with the winner in a 2–1 victory overFleetwood Town, his cross flying over the goalkeeper's head and finding the top corner.[40] Having only signed a short-term contract until the end of the season, he was reportedly receiving interest from other clubs with a new contract offer from Rovers also on the table.[41] He was officially offered a contract at the end of the season.[42]
On 3 June 2023, Ward signed a new two-year contract.[43] Injury issues once again returned for Ward during the2023–24 season, making just three appearances across a three-month spell from late August to late November before another injury suffered in early January ruling him out until March.[44][45][46]
Following relegation, Ward was released at the end of the2024–25 season.[47]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | ||||||||||||
| 2013–14[48] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15[49] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16[50] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Chicago Fire (loan) | 2014[51] | Major League Soccer | 23 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 27 | 2 | ||
| Coventry City (loan) | 2014–15[52] | League One | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Rotherham United (loan) | 2015–16[53] | Championship | 40 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 43 | 2 | |
| Ipswich Town | 2016–17[29] | Championship | 43 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 46 | 6 | |
| 2017–18[31] | Championship | 37 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 37 | 2 | ||
| 2018–19[54] | Championship | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | ||
| Total | 94 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 98 | 8 | ||
| Blackpool | 2019–20[55] | League One | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 2020–21[56] | League One | 36 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 44 | 2 | |
| 2021–22[57] | Championship | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23[58] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 47 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 58 | 2 | ||
| Bristol Rovers | 2022–23[58] | League One | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
| 2023–24[59] | League One | 20 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 2 | |
| 2024–25[60] | League One | 35 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 2 | |
| Total | 74 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 289 | 15 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 327 | 19 | ||
Blackpool
Individual
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