In conversation with ..... John Ward: Manager BCFC 1997-98

John Ward's managerial record at City for me, as a fan looking back, is defined by three things: a marvellous season that brought about promotion back to the [now] Championship after a 3 year absence, a questionable summer '98 transfer window and asking for help after a 9 game winless run at the start of the 98/99 season.

Wardy is a top man and to my mind should have been here longer than 84 games. He would have won the league as opposed to being runners up to Watford had top scorer Shaun Goater not been sold with 8 games remaining. As you'll hear in the interview, the summer transfer dealings were, in part, not down to him and no one would have argued with Ray Harford coming in to provide the help he perhaps naively admitted he needed. 

John made his name in football as a player with Lincoln City [91 goals, 240 appearances] which is where he met the late Graham Taylor whom he later served under and enjoyed considerable success with at both Watford and Villa. 

Prior to City he managed the Gas for a period and again 16 years later. In between he took Cheltenham from League 2 to League 1.

He turned 70 last month and his involvement in the game sees him act as a mentor to young coaches through the LMA.

One of football's nice guys, I can't think why anyone would disagree with that.