Kevin Ward

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
05-08-1957
N/A
06-07-1990
Castleford
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
26-08-1990 v Trafford Borough
Wigan
1993- when he Retired
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1990-1992
89 (3)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
8
0
0
32

Biography of Kevin Ward



HERITAGE NO : 1025
Kevin Ward by Dave Dooley:

If you could identify and clone the characteristics of the ideal rugby league prop forward, the resultant manifestation would be very similar to Kevin Ward. This hard, rugged and skilful gem had tormented Saints on many occasions before moving to Knowsley Road for a most glorious Indian summer in the twilight of his career. Kevin could scatter any opposition as he drove the ball into the defensive line, then just before the tackle was complete he would either deliver a beautiful over-arm offload to a supporting player or spin and feed any colleague hanging behind the attack. In defence he was as solid as a rock, furthermore he was nippy with nimble feet for a player in his position. Kevin signed for the Saints in the summer of 1990 as Mike McClennan attempted to bring in some experience in the pack to complement the young talent on the Saints` books at the time. Kevin Ward fitted the bill perfectly as he had bags of experience and was still a current seasoned international prop forward. Moreover, he was still as fit as a fiddle at the ripe old age of 33!

Kevin could not have picked a gentler introduction to life at Knowsley Road as he stormed out on the 26th of August, 1990 to face Trafford Borough in the first round of the Lancashire Cup. Saints cantered home by 56 points to 24 and `Fred` (nicknamed because of his ever so slight resemblance to Fred Flintstone) celebrated his debut with a blockbusting try. Kevin added a second in his first season with the Saints against Hull. Throughout the season the Saints rattled up the points unfortunately the side was defensively stretched in many games and 11 losses in the league left Cooper`s men in sixth position. After a fabulous 19 points to 2 semi-final win over Widnes in the Challenge Cup semi-final when Kevin played a blinder and bullied the Widnes pack, Kevin`s dream of a Wembley winner`s medal was only eighty minutes away. Sadly, Saints fell at the final hurdle as Wigan held on to a handy half time lead to prevail by 13 points to 8. Many felt that Wigan were there for the taking on that day and this made the club even more determined to bring some silverware to Knowsley Road. A loser`s medal was all on offer that day.

Kevin`s thirst for winners` medals was soon fulfilled in the following campaign as the Saints had a blinder against Wigan in the Lancashire Cup semi-final. Kevin was the bedrock of the pack as the Saints six dominated the Wigan pack team as Saints magnificently overcame the old enemy. Ten days later Kevin led the pack as Saints ground out a 24 points to 14 win over Rochdale Hornets in the Lancashire Cup Final at Warrington. He scored three cracking tries that season against Trafford Borough, Widnes and his old team Castleford. His durability and fitness were there for all to see as `Fred` played in 35 matches during the campaign. The Saints also settled down that season and finished a comfortable second position in the league but still somewhat adrift from Wigan at the top.

Saints and Kevin made a cracking start to the 1992/3 season wining their first ten games on the bounce and easing their way to the very last Lancashire Cup Final at Knowsley Road. In a bruising battle in front a packed house, the Saints and Kevin were edged out by the men from Wigan by 5 points to 4. Nevertheless, Saints and Wardy continued their great form up to Christmas. An injury during the Castleford match meant that Kevin missed one of the team`s finest displays ever in the Boxing Day match against Wigan in 1992. The Saints whipped the boys from Wigan by a fabulous score-line of 41 points to 6. Everyone felt that the balance of power was finally shifting westwards over Billinge Lump after that game. Kevin returned to the side in mid- January but another injury against Wigan in the Challenge Cup loss on February 13th, 1993. put the big Yorkshireman out till the end of March. The derby clash against Wigan on the 9th of April was set up as a title decider. In a tense thriller the teams were locked together when disaster happened. Kevin burst through and was tackled in the midfield. Immediately the players and crowd knew `Fred` had suffered a horrendous broken leg. The injury dampened the remainder of the match and the 8 points all drawn final score meant that at the end of the season Saints lost out to Wigan on points difference at the top of the table. Some consolation came however in the last match of the season as Shane Cooper captained the team to the 1993 Premiership Final win over Wigan by 10 points to 4. Kevin Ward witnessed the victory as a spectator on crutches. The seriousness and complex nature of the injury meant that this was the end of the playing career of one of the greatest ever British prop forwards.

In all Kevin made 89 appearances for the Saints, scoring 8 tries in the process. Kevin`s rapport with the crowd was always first class and any Saints fan who had to pleasure to witness Kevin play would speak in reverential terms about this amiable giant of the game. In the year 2003 Kevin returned to Knowsley Road with copies of his autobiography aptly entitled "No pain, no gain" written in conjunction with Dave Sampson. It is a well written, fascinating insight into the life and times of Kevin Ward and a great read.



SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1990~912 0 0 30
1991~923 0 0 35
1992~93 3 0 0 24
TOTALS:8 0 0 89
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1990~910001
1991~920001
1992~930001
TOTALS:0003

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
12th Aug 1990 --
W
 8 Widnes* Fr Charity H 40 12 VIEW
26th Aug 1990 1
W
 10 Trafford Borough LC1 H 56 24 1 VIEW
2nd Sep 1990 2
L
 8 Salford LC2 A 7 21 VIEW
9th Sep 1990 3
L
 8 Hull L A 14 20 VIEW
16th Sep 1990 4
W
 8 Bradford Northern L H 24 20 VIEW
23rd Sep 1990 5
W
 10 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 42 10 VIEW
30th Sep 1990 6
L
 10 Leeds L A 4 23 VIEW
7th Oct 1990 7
L
 10 Australia Tour H 4 34 VIEW
21st Oct 1990 8
L
 10 Castleford L H 16 29 VIEW
4th Nov 1990 9
W
 10 Rochdale Hornets L A 30 18 VIEW
11th Nov 1990 10
W
 10 Sheffield Eagles L H 34 17 VIEW
25th Nov 1990 11
W
 10 Rochdale Hornets L H 44 14 VIEW
2nd Dec 1990 12
W
 10 Swinton RT1 A 31 7 VIEW
11th Dec 1990 13
W
 10 Featherstone Rovers RT2 A 33 16 VIEW
16th Dec 1990 14
L
 10 Warrington RT3 A 12 18 VIEW
23rd Dec 1990 15
L
 10 Sheffield Eagles L A 8 18 VIEW
26th Dec 1990 16
L
 10 Wigan L H 15 28 VIEW
1st Jan 1991 17
L
 10 Widnes L A 8 14 VIEW
3rd Feb 1991 18
W
 10 Oldham L A 20 16 VIEW
10th Feb 1991 19
W
 10 Swinton CC1 A 18 8 VIEW
18th Feb 1991 20
W
 10 Hull L H 12 10 VIEW
23rd Feb 1991 21
W
 10 Wakefield Trinity CC2 H 16 2 VIEW
3rd Mar 1991 22
L
 10 Warrington L A 20 34 VIEW
10th Mar 1991 23
W
 10 Halifax CC3 A 24 16 VIEW
13th Mar 1991 24
W
 10 Oldham L H 33 22 VIEW
24th Mar 1991 25
L
 10 Castleford L A 4 28 VIEW
30th Mar 1991 26
W
 10 Widnes CCSF N 19 2 VIEW
4th Apr 1991 27
L
 10 Wigan L A 14 28 VIEW
14th Apr 1991 28
W
 10 Warrington L H 62 16 VIEW
21st Apr 1991 29
L
 10 Hull PT1 A 12 28 1 VIEW
27th Apr 1991 30
L
 10 Wigan CCF N 8 13 VIEW
18th Aug 1991 --
W
 10 Widnes* Fr Charity A 30 26 VIEW
1st Sep 1991 31
W
 10 Hull L A 31 10 VIEW
8th Sep 1991 32
W
 10 Warrington L H 27 20 VIEW
15th Sep 1991 33
W
 8 Trafford Borough LC1 H 104 12 1 VIEW
22nd Sep 1991 34
W
 10 Swinton L A 16 12 VIEW
26th Sep 1991 35
W
 10 Oldham LC2 H 39 26 VIEW
29th Sep 1991 36
W
 8 Castleford L H 25 14 VIEW
6th Oct 1991 37
L
 8 Halifax L A 6 26 VIEW
10th Oct 1991 38
W
 10 Wigan LCSF H 28 16 VIEW
13th Oct 1991 39
W
 10 Bradford Northern L H 30 12 VIEW
20th Oct 1991 40
W
 10 Rochdale Hornets LCF N 24 14 VIEW
27th Oct 1991 41
D
 8 Leeds L A 8 8 VIEW
10th Nov 1991 42
W
 10 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 38 15 VIEW
17th Nov 1991 43
W
 8 Huddersfield RT1 A 32 10 VIEW
24th Nov 1991 44
W
 8 Oldham RT2 A 24 18 VIEW
1st Dec 1991 45
W
 8 Bradford Northern RT3 H 30 12 VIEW
15th Dec 1991 46
L
 8 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 14 24 VIEW
21st Dec 1991 47
L
 8 Widnes RTSF N 10 18 VIEW
26th Dec 1991 48
L
 8 Wigan L A 6 16 VIEW
1st Jan 1992 49
W
 8 Widnes L H 24 22 1 VIEW
5th Jan 1992 50
W
 8 Salford L A 15 6 VIEW
12th Jan 1992 51
W
 8 Featherstone Rovers L H 28 10 VIEW
19th Jan 1992 52
W
 8 Wakefield Trinity L H 40 12 VIEW
2nd Feb 1992 53
W
 10 Widnes CC1 A 10 2 VIEW
8th Feb 1992 54
W
 10 Leeds CC2 A 32 12 VIEW
22nd Feb 1992 55
L
 8 Wigan CC3 H 6 13 VIEW
1st Mar 1992 56
W
 8 Leeds L H 19 8 VIEW
8th Mar 1992 57
D
 8 Castleford L A 8 8 VIEW
22nd Mar 1992 58
W
 8 Halifax L H 30 28 VIEW
29th Mar 1992 59
W
 8 Hull L H 42 12 VIEW
4th Apr 1992 60
L
 8 Warrington L A 18 30 VIEW
17th Apr 1992 61
L
 8 Wigan L H 6 16 VIEW
20th Apr 1992 62
W
 10 Widnes L A 28 23 VIEW
26th Apr 1992 63
W
 10 Halifax PT1 H 52 6 VIEW
10th May 1992 64
W
 10 Castleford PTSF H 30 14 1 VIEW
17th May 1992 65
L
 10 Wigan PTF N 16 48 VIEW
16th Aug 1992 --
W
 10 Widnes* Fr Charity H 22 12 VIEW
23rd Aug 1992 66
W
 10 Wigan CS N 17 0 VIEW
30th Aug 1992 67
W
 10 Leeds L A 27 14 VIEW
6th Sep 1992 68
W
 10 Wakefield Trinity L H 24 12 1 VIEW
20th Sep 1992 69
W
 15 Sheffield Eagles L A 18 10 VIEW
27th Sep 1992 70
W
 10 Salford L H 48 8 VIEW
30th Sep 1992 71
W
 10 Widnes LC2 H 10 8 VIEW
4th Oct 1992 72
W
 8 Wakefield Trinity L A 18 5 VIEW
7th Oct 1992 73
W
 8 Salford LCSF H 18 5 VIEW
11th Oct 1992 74
W
 10 Hull L H 38 8 VIEW
18th Oct 1992 75
L
 10 Wigan LCF N 4 5 VIEW
1st Nov 1992 76
L
 10 Bradford Northern L H 18 35 VIEW
22nd Nov 1992 77
W
 15 Bradford Northern L A 16 4 VIEW
29th Nov 1992 78
W
 15 Sheffield Eagles L H 30 20 VIEW
6th Dec 1992 79
W
 8 Featherstone Rovers RT2 A 25 8 VIEW
11th Dec 1992 80
L
 8 Castleford L A 6 16 VIEW
19th Dec 1992 81
L
 10 Castleford RT3 H 8 12 VIEW
17th Jan 1993 82
W
 8 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 22 11 VIEW
22nd Jan 1993 83
W
 10 Halifax L H 18 16 1 VIEW
31st Jan 1993 84
W
 10 Featherstone Rovers CC1 A 24 22 VIEW
5th Feb 1993 85
W
 8 Warrington L H 12 4 VIEW
13th Feb 1993 86
L
 8 Wigan CC2 A 3 23 VIEW
28th Mar 1993 87
W
 10 Warrington L A 32 17 1 VIEW
4th Apr 1993 88
W
 10 Leeds L H 42 8 VIEW
9th Apr 1993 89
D
 10 Wigan L A 8 8 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 62 | LOSSES : 27 | DRAWS : 3

GALLERY





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