Name: John Patrick Ward
Seasons Played: 1970/71-1978/79, 1981/82
Position: Centre-forward
Date of Birth: 07.04.1951
Birthplace: Lincoln
League Debut: 27.03.1971, Workington (a), Div 4
League Games: 224+17
League Goals: 90
Career: Adelaide Park (Lincoln), LCFC, Workington (loan), Watford, Grimsby Town, LCFC.

A talented centre-forward, John Ward was appearing for City's reserve and 'A' sides and with top Lincoln Sunday side Adelaide Park when he signed professional terms at Sincil Bank in March 1971. He took a couple of seasons to hold down a regular first team place but once did he was rarely out of the starting line-up.

He missed just a handful of League games from 1973 to 1977 and was a regular name on the City scoresheet, scoring 70 times in those four seasons but it was his goalscoring exploits in the 1975/76 season that would make him a hero to many a Lincoln supporter as he netted 29 League and cup goals in that record breaking campaign.

Early in the 1977/78 season Ward suffered a bad injury but he came back the following season - a season when the Imps dropped back down to the Fourth Division - but he soon followed former mentor Taylor and players such as Sam Ellis and Dennis Booth to Watford for a fee of £15,000 in the summer of 1979.

In total he netted 90 League goals for the Imps in 241 appearances, with his overall League and cup tally being 99 goals from 263 games, putting him fifth in the all-time Club goalscoring chart.

Following a brief spell with Grimsby Town, Ward returned for an even briefer stay at Sincil Bank under Colin Murphy, making one appearance in April 1982, but it wasn't long before he hung up his shooting boots and a return to Watford saw him take up his first coaching role.

Three years after returning to Vicarage Road, Graham Taylor appointed Ward as his assistant and the duo worked in tandem for the next six years both with Watford and Aston Villa when Taylor was handed the top job at Villa Park. Ward was also involved in Taylor's coaching team during his tenure in charge of the England national team.

In November 1991, Ward decided that it was his turn for a stab at management and he was appointed as manager of York City, although a year before he was rumoured to be returning to Sincil Bank, only for Allan Clarke to be given the job.

After two years in charge at Bootham Crescent, in which he guided the Minstermen to promotion via the play-offs, Ward moved to Bristol Rovers and he took the Pirates to the play-offs in 1995, losing in a Wembley final to Huddersfield Town.

After a spell as assistant to Adrian Heath at Burnley, Ward returned to Bristol, but this time with Rovers' near neighbours City. He revived the Robins' season to reach the play-offs but promotion hopes were again dashed, this time by Brentford. But the following season Ward got his success as he took City to automatic promotion - finishing three points behind former club Watford.

After leaving Ashton Gate, Ward was appointed as assistant to Wolves' boss Colin Lee and later he was Dave Jones' right-hand man at Molineux as they strived to reach the Premiership. That goal was finally reached in May 2003 with a play-off final victory over Sheffield United.

Despite helping Wolves finally achieve their goal of a return to the top flight, Ward left Molineux in the summer after a reshuffle in the backroom staff. However, he was never going to be out of work for too long and the Lincolnian was appointed as Cheltenham Town manager on November 6th 2003.