By Paul Eddison
GRANT Ward arrived at Ipswich wanting to grab the attention of team-mates and fans alike – and it's mission accomplished so far.
The former Tottenham trainee came off the bench in the opening game of the season against Barnsley last week to score his first senior hat-trick and lead the Tractor Boys to a 4-2 victory.
While his first start in midweek wasn't quite so successful, with Ipswich upset at home by Stevenage in the EFL Cup, the 21-year-old followed Mick McCarthy's instructions to run at people and take shots on his Portman Road debut .
“When you first come into a new team, you want to make a name for yourself with your team-mates and the fans as well,” he said.
“I've always been that sort of player. That's the main part of my game, taking people on.
“When I arrived, I was keeping it simple in training and the coaches, who'd seen a bit of me, told me to play my natural game.
“Against Barnsley, the manager didn't say much. He just said to get at people and take some shots.
“It was pretty special. I wanted to come on and make an impact.
“When I was younger, I was more of a winger and then I started playing in the centre, so that's probably where I get that ability from. I like to take people on.”
While he never got a chance at Spurs, it was someone he met there who played a part in his Ipswich move.
Bryan Klug was the head of player development at White Hart Lane when Ward was awarded a scholarship and is now fulfilling a similar role at Portman Road.
And, having got his first experience of the Championship while on loan at Rotherham last season, Ward jumped at the chance to rejoin Klug with the Tractor Boys.
He added: “I played against Ipswich twice last season, so I knew what the club was about. They have a very good squad.
“The coaches have also been there a long time, so it's a very stable club.
“They've been in the Championship for a few years, so they know what they are doing.
“Bryan was my coach at Spurs and gave me my scholarship, so I already knew him before coming here.
“The main aim for the season, on a personal level, is to score as many goals as possible and then help the team to reach the play-offs or better, depending on how things go.
“Last season was a great experience for me at Rotherham. There were some ups and some downs, but by the end of the year we thought we could beat anyone in the league. I learned a lot from it.”
Ward's journey to Ipswich from his South London roots has been an unusual one as he has also enjoyed a loan spell in the United States with Chicago Fire.
While it was a big step to take when he was still a teenager, Ward had such a good time that he refuses to rule out a return across the pond later down the line.
“It was my first loan move and an amazing experience out in Chicago,” he explained.
“The lifestyle was so different, going from state to state for matches, having to take flights to get to your game. You'd fly to games the night before. It takes some getting used to.
“I was only 19 when I went over and it was my first real time away from home. So, it was a big step to go for six or seven months, but I loved it.
“It's certainly something I'd like to do again if I get the chance.”
*This article originally features in The Football League Paper on 14 August 2016.
