Stephen Ward

Just to add to the above , I seem to remember that DC took up his position and Chambers was injured and then his contract terminated. Think it was then DC made the remark after someone inquired about the player .

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You can see where DC was coming from, Chambers is only worth a trial but his mates like Sinclair, Liddle and Guthrie were worth a contract :rofl:

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Looks that way.

Best of luck for the future, no matter what he’ll do next. No regrets, he’d tried to keep playing, but his health had enough.

That’s me on the Delerium

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Cya Ward, dont let your nose catch you on the way out

When he signed I think I’m right in saying he’d played 30 times for Ipswich the season before running up and down the line with Ipswich fans singing his praises but as with every player we sign he plummeted dramatically, lost his form and ultimately looked old and passed it.He’s not the first and won’t be the last to end up playing worse for us than he ever has anywhere else I’m not sure what happens but it happens alright.

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Ipswich fans said his legs had gone also, but also said that at a lower level he should do a job.

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Isn’t it just the same when useless, hopeless players leave us and suddenly become world beaters? So many of our relegation side went on to do better, many in higher divisions. Is it just something about ‘the Walsall way’? Here’s hoping Flynn can make all this become a thing of the past…

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I know an Ipswich Town season ticket holder. At the time of Ward signing for us he told me that he had enjoyed a solid season the previous season and felt he had a 50/50 chance of being offered another contract. He was one of their big earners which would of been a factor no doubt.

He was not one of our big earners.

Like many have said, probably one season too far for him.

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Not really. Either went to Scotland, League one or league 2. Hardly higher divisions.

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Like most of last summer’s recruitment…looked a very smart move on paper but reality very different.

Massively disappointing considering the guy was still playing regularly for Burnley and ROI three years ago.

Very frustrating club can’t seem to get a break recruiting experienced pros who turn out to offer very little…Russell Martin, Guthrie and now Ward while Wes Hoolahan was signed by Cambridge when he was about 48 and he’s helped them from depths of league 2 to comfortable mid table league 1.

Think that’s a difference from Dosh and DS as they both had the knack of signing experienced heads who could actually make a difference on the pitch at key times. Until club starts getting that right it’s not going to threaten the right end of the table.

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Most is generous. Think people were happy with Labadie, Wilkinson and Monthe. Ash Taylor was definitely praised too. Rushworth was seen as a solid back up and has surpassed that. Earing was seen as a shrewd move for the future.

There were concerns over Wards age and the lack of an alternative to a 36 year old to boot. Kiernan was seen as a player that struggled at Harrogate. Mills was seen as a player that failed at Fail. Miller was seen as an inexperienced last minute cheap option. Shade was seen as someone who had zero experience, ditto Phillips. There were worries that Mayo was being allowed to leave a club in the same division and had been relegated last season.

I’d say 50/50 at best even at the time. The only people that are saying “we were all happy at the time” are the people that were dismissing those concerns at the time.

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I knew little on likes of Meyanese, Rushworth, Kiernan and Shade.

Given Monthe and Labadie had been key players in top 7 teams at this level, Wilko hit double figures comfortably for Orient who just finished outside play offs and Ward had played alright for Ipswich in mid table a league above then I thought it was looking a reasonable spine.

In reality Labadie been very mediocre indeed, Wilkinson done alright but now will be missing for most of next season which puts big pressure on club to properly back Flynn now and Monthe probably best but his ban meant form plummeted under Taylor.

Ash Taylor also looked shrewd on paper but he looked past it even earlier than Ward so guess those two wages will provide some flexibility for Flynn, if it pays for Daniels on two year deal I think that’s a good first step as he’s done well in his games and team kept a few clean sheets.

I wish Ward well as he has had a good career and from all accounts is a good guy. He wasn’t very good for us although he played some decent games early in the season .Signings like this are always a risk and I remember a good few like him over the years who came to us too late.

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Not really sure what your point is, you’ve talked up signings of the time that I did, and talked about how they are perceived now, which is irrelevant to the point.

There were legitimate worries of a lot of our signings, including Ward, at the time.

I don’t think Fullerton did a terrible job on paper with recruitment.
If we had these players he signed on paper only without seeing them play no Walsall fan would think we would have struggled this year

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How many times do the concerns people had AT THE TIME have to be pointed out? :thinking:

That’s what I hate about this, same cycle with walsall fans:

Summer: any signing is met with marching bands, parades, memes about pissing the league. Anyone saying otherwise dismissed as negative/troll

Winter: ok things aren’t going to plan. Sack/ let a manager go, that will sort it. Or get some bloke in on loan. Maybe Pomlett should do a Q&A

End of season: “Well nobody was complaining when we signed these shit players at the time!”

Yes they were!

Agree with this, take Roberts he’s doing well in League 2 wow who gives a shite!!

I’d half expect him to.

I think people were more worried about what happened to the CF especially after the dismal signings in the forward area during 20/21.

Leaving striker to last minute is never a good idea especially given Taylor had the weird obsession with playing Wilkinson as the actual number 9 in the early week. Miller came in and looked the answer early before reverting to form he’s shown at most of the clubs he’s been at.

Simply have to get that right in the summer and get whoever is Flynn’s first choice in BEFORE the first game, more so given Wilkinson isn’t going to be around for most of next season.

The manager proved at Newport he could spot a good striker (Dom Telford arrived there last summer having scored 3 goals in 35 games for Plymouth) so club really really needs to back Flynn in that area even if you have to plaster other positions a little.

Daniels in on two year deal, a decent wing back, goalscoring midfielder and proven CF is a must this summer otherwise it’s just yet more talk from Pomlett.

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