The winger broke his hand and cheekbone on a night out after failing to do his homework on his destination
A former Birmingham City player was ‘battered’ by bouncers after one of his first games
A former Birmingham City player said he was badly beaten up after ending up in a club with strong Aston Villa links on a night out.
Mark Ward played for Birmingham City between 1994 and 1996, with the winger scoring seven goals in 63 league appearances.
But he told B2B The Business Club Podcast that some of his worst injuries during his time at the club were not suffered on the pitch.
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The Scouser was left with a broken hand and cheekbone after visiting Liberty’s nightclub on the Hagley Road with his brother and friends after one of his first games for Blues.
Unaware Liberty’s had a reputation for being a Villa nightclub, Ward was ‘battered’ by nightclub doormen, he said.
Birmingham City midfielder Mark Ward is beaten to the ball by Cambridge United full back Matt Joseph(Image: Independent)
Speaking on the podcast, Ward said: “I got a terrible hiding there (Liberty’s) one night and I think it was the first night game on a Tuesday.
“No one told me, that as a Blue, you couldn’t go there.
“My brother was down from Liverpool and a couple of mates – we’d won the game – but we ended up getting bullied big time.
“We got battered by the bouncers who were there.
“I was in a bad way, I broke my hand and my cheekbone.
“I woke up looking at my brother and I thought he’d been in a car crash. That’s how bad he was.”
After an unexpected start to his Birmingham City career, Ward recalled a phone call from then-managing director Karren Brady who advised Ward not to visit Liberty’s again.
He continued: “She said: ‘people should have told you not to go there because it’s an Aston Villa club.’
“They got my hand sorted out and I ended up playing against Swansea on the Saturday.
“That wasn’t a good start, but it got better after that.”
Ward left Birmingham City in 1996 for Huddersfield before retiring in 1999. Liberty’s closed in 2007 and the building is now occupied by Indian restaurant chain Akbar’s.