Peter Ward (footballer born 1955)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Peter David Ward | ||
| Date of birth | 27 July 1955 | ||
| Place of birth | Derby, England | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1974–1975 | Burton Albion | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1975–1980 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 178 | (79) |
| 1980–1983 | Nottingham Forest | 33 | (7) |
| 1982 | → Seattle Sounders (loan) | 32 | (18) |
| 1982 | → Brighton & Hove Albion | 16 | (2) |
| 1983 | → Seattle Sounders (loan) | 30 | (13) |
| 1984 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 24 | (16) |
| 1984–1987 | Cleveland Force (indoor) | 133 | (89) |
| 1987–1989 | Tacoma Stars (indoor) | 101 | (80) |
| 1989 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 8 | (4) |
| 1989–1990 | Wichita Wings (indoor) | 18 | (5) |
| 1990 | Baltimore Blast (indoor) | 22 | (12) |
| 1991 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 14 | (2) |
| 1996–1997 | Tampa Bay Terror (indoor) | 23 | (13) |
| National team | |||
| 1977–1980 | England U21 | 2 | (3) |
| 1980 | England | 1 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Peter Ward (born 27 July 1955) is a retired English footballer, whose most successful times were with Brighton & Hove Albion, mostly as a forward. He now lives in the United States.
Ward was an apprentice engine fitter at the Rolls-Royce plant in Derby. While there he played for non-league side Burton Albion. He was transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. in 1975 for a fee of £4000 (almost $5,500). The move also saw Burton manager Ken Gutteridge move to the Albion as Assistant Manager. Initially, Ward played in the Brighton Reserves. His first game with the first team came on 27 March 1976 against Hereford United. He scored in the first minute in a game that ended 1–1.
During the 1976–77 season, he scored 36 goals, beating the club record and winning him the golden boot. He is still revered by Brighton fans who sing a song dreaming of a team in which every player is Peter Ward: 'We all live in a Wardy Wonderland.' After finishing second in Division Two in 1978–79, Brighton were promoted to the old Football League First Division. Ward put in a transfer request; however, differences were resolved and he still wore the Brighton shirt for the first game in the top flight which saw Brighton lose 4–0 to Arsenal. In November of that year Brighton accepted a £400,000 offer from Nottingham Forest, but Forest manager Brian Clough changed his mind and withdrew it.
Ward finally did move to Nottingham Forest in October 1980 in a three-way deal which saw Gary Birtles leave Forest for Manchester United and Andy Ritchie move south from United to Brighton. He made 28 league appearances for Nottingham Forest and scored seven goals, but things did not work out. Ward was sent on loan to American side Seattle Sounders where he scored 18 goals in the 1981–82 season putting him third in the list of top NASL goalscorers that season.
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