Grant Ward situation?

G

Ginge

Well-known member
As the Gazette site is completely bobbins, I can't read Appletons take in the Grant Ward situation.

Can anyone enlighten me?

Personally I'd like to see him signed.
 
Quality player, someone who I've really liked since we signed him and I defended him when it was the 'in thing' to slag him off.

But the lad has had two serious injuries in the last 3-4 years that have kept him out for a long time, he ruptured his cruciate ligament at Ipswich and ruptured his achilles tendon last season. I know there's no guarantees I'm football but I'd rather we had someone with more chance of actually playing a full season for us. In CM we've already got Kevin Stewart who can't seem to play more than a handful of games (or training sessions it seems) without breaking down and Matty Virtue who's returning from a serious injury, both are on decent contracts as well which given their injury records is absolute madness.

So for me, as good as a player Grant Ward is, we'd be mad to take the risk.
 
HighfieldSeasider said:
Quality player, someone who I've really liked since we signed him and I defended him when it was the 'in thing' to slag him off.

But the lad has had two serious injuries in the last 3-4 years that have kept him out for a long time, he ruptured his cruciate ligament at Ipswich and ruptured his achilles tendon last season. I know there's no guarantees I'm football but I'd rather we had someone with more chance of actually playing a full season for us. In CM we've already got Kevin Stewart who can't seem to play more than a handful of games (or training sessions it seems) without breaking down and Matty Virtue who's returning from a serious injury, both are on decent contracts as well which given their injury records is absolute madness.

So for me, as good as a player Grant Ward is, we'd be mad to take the risk.
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His ACL is fully repaired, we wouldn’t have signed him initially had there been a problem, and he’s played plenty of games since. I had my ACL 25 years ago, and as the surgeon said, it’s stronger than my other knee. It’s a routine repair nowadays.

The Achilles can be more problematic, but again, we wouldn’t offer a contract until he’d passed a thorough medical. If he does, the club is then insured.

For me, we couldn’t afford to buy a player of his class, so we need to make every effort.
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
His ACL is fully repaired, we wouldn’t have signed him initially had there been a problem, and he’s played plenty of games since. I had my ACL 25 years ago, and as the surgeon said, it’s stronger than my other knee. It’s a routine repair nowadays.

The Achilles can be more problematic, but again, we wouldn’t offer a contract until he’d passed a thorough medical. If he does, the club is then insured.

For me, we couldn’t afford to buy a player of his class, so we need to make every effort.
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His ACL injury is the only reason we could sign him, he's a Championship player all day long, we only managed to sign him in League One as no Championship clubs would touch him due to his recent injury. Surely now as a Championship club we shouldn't be the ones who need to take that risk? Especially considering he's since had a ruptured achilles tendon.
 
Having just read the Gazette article it sounds like he will feature again at Salford and they will make a decision. He's still only 27, if he has fully recovered it would be a total no brainer not to give him a deal. Great player.
 
Remember when he came on at Wembley vs Lincoln and he really took the sting out of the final 1o mins or so. Really hope he gets another chance - good skilful, honest player.
 
HighfieldSeasider said:
Quality player, someone who I've really liked since we signed him and I defended him when it was the 'in thing' to slag him off.

But the lad has had two serious injuries in the last 3-4 years that have kept him out for a long time, he ruptured his cruciate ligament at Ipswich and ruptured his achilles tendon last season. I know there's no guarantees I'm football but I'd rather we had someone with more chance of actually playing a full season for us. In CM we've already got Kevin Stewart who can't seem to play more than a handful of games (or training sessions it seems) without breaking down and Matty Virtue who's returning from a serious injury, both are on decent contracts as well which given their injury records is absolute madness.

So for me, as good as a player Grant Ward is, we'd be mad to take the risk.
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HighfieldSeasider said:
His ACL injury is the only reason we could sign him, he's a Championship player all day long, we only managed to sign him in League One as no Championship clubs would touch him due to his recent injury. Surely now as a Championship club we shouldn't be the ones who need to take that risk? Especially considering he's since had a ruptured achilles tendon.
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Best posts I’ve read summing his situation up and how the club should treat him. We’ve done the right thing letting him train with us and giving himself the chance to prove his fitness as he suffered the injury with us. But yeh as you say ultimately we’re not a charity.
 
Tricky one this and very risky, do the club give him some form of contract and include him in the 25 man squad which is already tight especially with another 3-4 rumoured players to come in!🤔
 
This has to be one of the oddest situations we've had with a first team player.
One minute he's released, then he's training with us, then he leaves to train with the Royals, then he returns to train with us, then he plays in a couple of friendlies (including tonight?).
MA must see something in him that he likes, and any contract, will I'm sure take account of his injury record.
Sentiment won't play any part in Grant being given a new contract, he will have to earn it, and tonight gives him a fianl chance to do that.
 
Grant Ward is a couple of months away from being fully fit, and he isn't a holding midfielder. I can't see him getting a contract, I just think Appleton
is giving him a chance as he himself suffered from injuries, also it will make him look a decent boss to the rest of the players.
 

Blackpool will not be offering midfielder Grant Ward a deal with the club despite his outing for the club’s development side against Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday.​

Blackpool made the decision to part ways with Ward upon the end of his contract last season.
 
And breathe a sigh of relief. We have enough crocks on the payroll without extending the contract of another. I think after the Stewart debacle the club are remembering the old adage about once bitten etc.
 
Preferred Ward to Virtue tbh but it’s the correct decision. Think we’ll sign at least one more centre midfielder at least.
 
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