mkdons.com lists a number of things you may not know about defender Elliott Ward, who has joined the Dons on loan until the end of the season.
West Ham Academy graduate
The famous ‘Academy of Football’ has produced a number of footballers that are currently dotted around the Premier League and Football League and Ward is one those.
The Middlesex-born defender is a product of the Hammers academy system and made his senior debut for the club in a 2-0 Carling Cup win over Southend United.
After a brief loan spell at Bristol Rovers, Ward returned to Upton Park and would feature a further 14 times for the Hammers, including an appearance in the Championship Play-off Final triumph over Preston North End.
Football in the family
Elliott isn’t the only member of the ‘Ward family’ to lace up a pair of boots – in fact, both of his brothers have also played the game. Scott Ward, 36, was a goalkeeper who came through the ranks at Luton Town before featuring for Crawley Town. He retired in 2007.
The eldest of the Ward brothers, Darren Ward, was part of Watford’s academy, where he would play 58 times for the first-team between 1995 and 2001. Darren also enjoyed spells with Millwall, Crystal Palace and Swindon Town, before in 2017, retiring from the game at Yeovil Town.
Experienced head
Elliott brings over 320 games worth of experience to Stadium MK – a career which has seen him represent 11 clubs.
The centre-back has enjoyed permanent spells with West Ham United, Coventry City, Norwich City, AFC Bournemouth and Blackburn Rovers while he has also spent time out on loan with Bristol Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Doncaster Rovers, Preston North End, Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town.
He has played in the Premier League, Championship and League One, with the majority of his 325 senior appearances coming in the second tier of English football.
Eye for goal
Not only is Ward highly-regarded for his defensive capabilities, he has also contributed at the top end of the pitch, currently boasting 23 career goals to his name.
The majority of his goals came during his spell at Coventry City but the pick of the bunch is arguably this stunning acrobatic strike while on loan at Doncaster Rovers in 2010:
Micciche will be hoping to see some more of that during Ward’s time at Stadium MK.
