Gerry Ward (footballer)
Gerald Ward (5 October 1936 – January 1994) was an English footballer.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gerald Ward | ||
| Date of birth | 5 October 1936 | ||
| Place of birth | Stepney, London, England | ||
| Date of death | January 1994 | ||
| Playing position(s) | Left wing, wing half | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1952–1953 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1953–1963 | Arsenal | 81 | (10) |
| 1963–1964 | Leyton Orient | 44 | (2) |
| – | Cambridge City | ||
| – | Barnet | ||
| Teams managed | |||
| 1973–1974 | Barnet | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
Born in Stepney, London, Ward joined Arsenal as a trainee in 1952 and was quickly propelled into the first team. He made his debut on the left wing in a home match against Huddersfield Town on 22 August 1953 at the age of 16 years and 321 days, this made him at the time Arsenal's youngest-ever player (since surpassed by Jermaine Pennant and then Cesc Fàbregas), and until 2008 he held the record for Arsenal's youngest-ever player in a league match, a record now held by Jack Wilshere. As Wilshere's appearance was as a substitute, Ward remains the youngest Arsenal player to ever start a league match.
Ward turned professional soon after his debut and made two more appearances in the 1953-54 season. However, he did not play for Arsenal for another four years after that; a large portion of that time was spent doing National Service, which prevented him from playing. He was demobbed in February 1957 and regained his place in the 1957-58 season, becoming a regular in 1958-59 at wing half. However, with competition from Tommy Docherty he was only a bit-part player between 1960 and 1963, making just 21 appearances over the three seasons. He left Arsenal in July 1963 for Leyton Orient; in all he played 84 times for Arsenal, scoring ten goals.
He spent one season at Orient, making 44 appearances and scoring two goals. He had a career in non-league football after that, playing for both Cambridge City and Barnet, whom he also managed for a brief period between 1973 and 1974. He died in 1994, aged 57.
References
- Harris, Jeff (1995). Hogg, Tony (ed.). Arsenal Who's Who. Independent UK Sports. ISBN 1-899429-03-4.