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Ward Signs for Blackpool
Saturday, 28th Dec 2019 13:36

Former Blues midfielder Grant Ward has joined Blackpool on an 18-month contract with the Seasiders having an option for a further season.

Ward, 25, was released by Town at the end of last season but has remained with the Blues as he recovered from the ACL injury he suffered at QPR on Boxing Day last year with clubs obliged to get players fit before they depart.

Despite the former Tottenham man appearing in a couple of recent U23s games Blues boss Paul Lambert poured cold water on suggestions that he would re-sign Ward.

“I’ve spoken to the manager and the owner and they’ve welcomed me with open arms,” Ward, who was linked with a return to his former loan club Rotherham earlier in the season, told the Blackpool official site.

“I’m coming to a team that wants to progress and the owner wants the area to do well. I’m excited to be part of it.”

Blackpool manager Simon Grayson said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to bring Grant in.

“He’s a player with proven Championship experience and he offers versatility in those attacking positions, both centrally and wide.

"I’ve spoken to a number of people in the game about him, including Mick McCarthy, and they all speak highly of him.

“The move is a sign of our intent to do business early in the transfer window as we look to strengthen and keep improving the squad.”

Tangerines chief executive Ben Mansford added: “We are delighted to have signed Grant. There was a lot of competition for his signature.

“I trust the fact that Grant chose Blackpool shows that we are firmly back in terms of attracting some of the best talent for this league, as well as evidencing the ambition and intent that [new Blackpool owner] Simon Sadler has brought to the club.

“Grant is a young man with his best years ahead of him, who comes having had a good upbringing at Tottenham and proven experience of League One and in particular the Championship.

“Grant’s aspiration to be playing back in the Championship matches ours. Grant will add competition to the squad and this signing will start off our winter recruitment plans. Welcome Grant.”

The Blues signed Ward from Tottenham Hotspur where he had come through their academy for a fee understood to be £500,000 in the summer of 2016.

The Londoner made a dramatic impact when he scored a debut hat-trick in the opening day 4-2 victory over Barnsley at Portman Road which included a goal with his first touch for Town.

In total, Ward made 75 starts and 23 sub appearances for the Blues, scoring eight goals.


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ArnieM added 13:47 - Dec 28
Good luck Grant , hope you do well..... just not against us 👍
12

Dissboyitfc added 13:51 - Dec 28
its quite amazing how many players have stunning debuts only to never reach that height again, Ward being very much in that group.

Wish him well apart from anytime he plays us!
10

Cloddyseedbed added 14:02 - Dec 28
Another in a long list of players that had the skill but not desire or attitude after his initial debut. No doubt he will be like an increasing list of players who go on and do well once they leave our setup. Once upon a time players when they left our club rarely went on to greater things.
3

OwainG1992 added 14:18 - Dec 28
I fully expect him to do very well at Blackpool.
0

positivity added 14:33 - Dec 28
hope he's fit enough to make his debut before 29th february then!
0

positivity added 14:39 - Dec 28
little surprised we didn't make an effort to keep him, would be useful whilst kvy is out, plus, with the wingers not firing, could do a job there too, useful squad player.
1

Saxonblue74 added 14:52 - Dec 28
Bit of a shame I think, the right manager could do something with him. Good luck to him.
0

jas0999 added 14:59 - Dec 28
Good luck to the lad. Been out for a while and suspect it will take him a long while to rediscover full fitness and form. We have enough part fit or injured players so can see why we didn't sign him to be fair.
3

Radlett_blue added 15:41 - Dec 28
Well, for once it seems that Lambert was telling the truth when he said we shouldn't read anything into Wards's U23 appearances.
0

Ipswichbusiness added 15:50 - Dec 28
He was a first class player, then suffered a nasty injury. Fully fit and on form he would be an asset to most Championship sides.

However, we have a plethora of options in midfield and the last thing we need on the wages bill is one who is coming back from injury.

Have you ever been to Blackpool? It is a complete dump.
2

Michael101 added 16:00 - Dec 28
Why do players always step up after leaving us??.watched the staff Utd game on the box boxing day and mcgoldrick looked a different player,a couple of times i saw him sprinting .thought I had to much beer.
1

tractorollson added 16:27 - Dec 28
could of filled the gap at right back, but wish him well
0

Bert added 17:52 - Dec 28
A good move for him to a decent team. Shame he did not make progress with us.
1

Linkboy13 added 20:02 - Dec 28
A player with ability who often followed a good game with a bad one and seemed very laid back to me and very inconsistent needs a very strong manager to keep him motivated.
1

have_a_word_with_him added 21:48 - Dec 28
I couldn't care less about this, just glad he's off our wage bill, useless for us
-1

BildestonBlue added 22:45 - Dec 28
Great start with us but failed to recreate that's form! Maybe mick took the edge out of his attacking threat!
Let's just hope he helps Blackpool take points from other promotion contenders!
1

OsborneOneNil added 00:29 - Dec 29
Bang average.
0

Steelmonkey added 08:32 - Dec 29
Ipswich business - yes a plethora of midfield options that can't put a creative attacking option together amongst them. That's why we see so many long balls played up to the oppositions defence that our strikers have no chance of winning.
A ball in the air at best is a 50-50 ball, a pass on the ground has an 80% chance of finding another team member, however there's no movement in the side to create many openings.
No openings = no shots on goal = no goals.
We need a a strong player who can put his foot on the ball and control periods of the game.
1

bobble added 11:00 - Dec 29
blackpool sounds awful....did someone really decide to call their town that ?
-1

planetblue_2011 added 11:04 - Dec 29
Could be very good signing for Blackpool if keeps fit.
Shame it didn't work out for him at town, thought we had signed a gem 💎 from his hat trick in his first game.
0

ITFCsince73 added 11:19 - Dec 29
More of a chance of reaching the Championship than our sorry rabble.
2

Pecker added 12:37 - Dec 29
Best of luck to the lad. As long as he remembers his loyalties when we play them.
0

runningout added 12:38 - Dec 29
We may have numbers in midfield but they aren't showing up in games at the mo. Plus you have to be cruel to be kind and attempt to move on those that don't belong
0


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