Obituary to former Leamington player

ERNEST EDWARD WARD (Ernie)

Born 6 September 1937 – died 24 October 2008.

Ernie came from Warwick and as a youngster, along with pal Pat Gwynne, was picked to play for Mid Warwickshire schools eleven before joining the St. Pauls Youth Club in Friar Street where in one season, Ernie scored 100 goals but his side could only finish runners-up despite losing a single game all season in the Leamington YOC league. Form like this soon had scouts flocking and he joined Coventry City as an amateur left winger before signing professional forms for manager Warren during the close season of 1957 only to be released by the incoming Billy Frith. Ernie moved across to Lockheed in the summer of 1958 along with Charlie Timmins also from Coventry, George Lee from West Bromwich Albion, Jimmy Hill - Shrewsbury & ex Coventry and George Mountford from Stoke City, a former Bogota boy.  

With “Ada” Lee occupying the left wing berth, Ernie struggled that first season but blossomed into a fine goal scoring right winger who never netted less than ten goals every season and often double that figure helping the club into sixth place in the Birmingham & District League. The next season saw the Brakes slip to 11th spot before embarking on a tremendous run of never ending a season lower than fifth over the following seven seasons and on 30th April, 1962 Lockheed demolished Rugby Town in the final of the Birmingham Senior cup at Highfield Road by five goals to one with Ernie grabbing a hat trick. He collected championship medals of the league under its old name and again the next season under its new one of the West Midland (Regional) League. Another champion’s medal was earned in the Midland Counties League in 1964/65, this was the year Ray Holmes scored 20 goals in as many games, Ernie notched 21 in 39, Jimmy Knox got 18 and Sid Hall helped himself to 15.     

Ernie was granted a testimonial game against Peterborough United on May 9th, 1967 in which he scored the only goal of the game as United’s Welsh international keeper Tony Millington was in superb form on that night but was then allowed to leave the Windmill ground and join Worcester City who immediately won the Southern League First Division championship and at the end of 1968/69 season, after making 109 appearances and scoring 21 goals, he moved on to Rugby Town in the twilight of his career. In his mid thirties, Ernie was still on the goal trail for Southam United scoring left, right and centre.

After an apprenticeship in Warwick, he worked for Lockheed/Automotive Products most of his life before recently selling up and moving to Cyprus with his wife and family. Ernie was a wonderful person and Bobby Hancocks senior states he was privileged to see one of the best non league right wingers in Midlands football, Ernie could pick anyone out with his accurate crosses and could go either side of a defender before thundering a shot from around 25 yards that would hit the net with the goalkeeper hardly seeing it. All players like George Awde, the Jepson brothers, Ray Holmes etc had to do was stand near the goal and Ernie would put the ball on a plate for them to score.   

Our sincere condolences go to wife Trudy, daughter Angela, sons Steve and Jason and his many grandchildren plus all the many, many friends in mourning at this sad time from everyone at Leamington Football Club. On a church notice board years ago, the local incumbent had printed “What would happen if God came to Liverpool and a Scouse wit replied, move St. John to inside left”, there is no doubt now that Ernie is playing on the greatest football pitch of all, he will be banging in crosses for Ian St. John to score.

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