Jamie Ward - Chesterfield

Jamie Ward is rebuilding his career at Chesterfield after missing out on making the grade at Aston Villa two years ago. The speedy winger was released by former Villa manager David O'Leary just two weeks before he parted company with the club to make way for Martin O'Neill.

Ward ended up at Torquay before signing for Chesterfield last year and now the 22-year-old Brummie is picking up after the disappointment of leaving a Premier League club. He realises that not every promising youth player make it into the first team immediately so he has taken one step back in the hope of going two steps forward.

Ward still harbours ambitions of climbing back through the divisions one day and has already attracted the attention of other clubs. However, for now, he is concentrating on Chesterfield's bid to climb out of League Two and is in talks over a new contract with manager Lee Richardson. Givemefootball's Ian Clarkson spoke with Ward as the Spirerites aim to reach the top seven in a competitive league
 
YOU’VE BEEN DOING WELL THIS SEASON AT CHESTERFIELD, BUT WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU LEFT ASTON VILLA?
David O’Leary just didn’t fancy me, so I got my head down and took the long trip down to Torquay. Ian Atkins was the manager there, a Brummie like me, and he knew it was a long way from Birmingham so he would give me a bit of leeway when it came to going back home. I had to delay it a bit because there was a possibility that O'Leary might leave during that summer and I was told I should try and hold out. I held on as long as I could, but Torquay wanted me in for pre-season. Two weeks later, Martin O'Neill got the job! The timing was wrong and it just wasn't meant to be for me at Villa.
 
YOU PLAYED IN THE SAME YOUTH AND RESERVE TEAM AS PEOPLE LIKE GABBY AGBONLAHOR DIDN’T YOU?
Gabby was in the year below me. But we played in the same FA Youth Cup Final side along with other players who have gone on to do well in the game like Gary Cahill, Craig Gardner and Luke Moore.  So if I didn't think I could get back up there then I shouldn't be playing. Everyone knows my ambition at this club and that is to play at the top, the gaffer knows that. But you have to adjust when you come out of the Premier League and some lads do find it hard after academy life. They're coming to clubs where you suddenly have to wash your own kit! At Chesterfield the young lads look after our boots which is a bonus but you pretty much have to do everything else in terms of things like diet. And it's physical in League Two compared to Premier League reserve or youth sides - that's where some people struggle. But I don't mind being smacked about a bit.
 
CHESTERFIELD HAVE BEEN GOOD TO YOU THOUGH HAVEN'T THEY?
Yes, I want to do really well here.  I'm in the last year of my contract and we're already talking about a new one. I'm not going to say too much about it yet because it has to be right. But the fans expect a lot of me every week because I am a player the club signed and paid money for me. They forget sometimes that I'm just a baby! I'm only 22 and really I'm still learning the game, I'm doing that every week.
 
DO YOU FEEL YOU'RE IMPROVING NOW THAT YOU'RE GETTING REGULAR FIRST TEAM FOOTBALL?
Yes, I'm playing better than I was last season. I had some injury worries with my hamstring but we've sorted all that out now. I got a good pre-season behind me and those fitness problems have hopefully gone. I have been getting goals but I'd rather the team did well than me score 25 a season.
 
IT'S OBVIOUS YOU STILL FEEL YOU HAVE A LOT TO OFFER THE GAME?
I want to do myself proud and I want to do my family proud. They have done so much for me and given up a lot of time running me up and down the country to play football. I've had to alter my aims since Villa. Now I consider Chesterfield to be a step up from Torquay because that's how it felt for me.