The death has occurred of former Aston and GB under-21 player Geoff Ward, a multi-talented sportsman who excelled at cricket and golf in addition to water polo.
Former men's National League chairman Stephen Baker writes: "At 6‘3”, he was a strapping player who always looked a lot younger than he was. Geoff followed his father Ron into the Aston club and won many trophies in junior and local midland league competitions.
Aston saw their pre-eminence in the 1970s in the NWPL, twice finishing runners-up in the top division. Crowning glory was the 1975 ASA knock-out final, a 6-5 win against Polytechnic.
The club played in the very shallow Aston pool, which must have been a challenge for what was the biggest team of the day, including such giants of the game as Nigel Horton, Norman Lines, Tony Whittington, Alan Widdowson, John Staniland, Ian Wallwork, John Barnes and Dickie Middleton, ably led by Chris Dickinson, a former GB captain.
Aston dropped out of the National League by 1983 and Geoff moved to Warley, where he played for four years prior to retirement.
Geoff's business life was as an entrepreneur mainly in paint and automotives. He was a larger than life, cheerful and fun-loving man whose passing at 68 is tragically early and a great loss. He is survived by his mother Frances (99), sister Pat and daughter Jenna."
Former men's National League chairman Stephen Baker writes: "At 6‘3”, he was a strapping player who always looked a lot younger than he was. Geoff followed his father Ron into the Aston club and won many trophies in junior and local midland league competitions.
Aston saw their pre-eminence in the 1970s in the NWPL, twice finishing runners-up in the top division. Crowning glory was the 1975 ASA knock-out final, a 6-5 win against Polytechnic.
The club played in the very shallow Aston pool, which must have been a challenge for what was the biggest team of the day, including such giants of the game as Nigel Horton, Norman Lines, Tony Whittington, Alan Widdowson, John Staniland, Ian Wallwork, John Barnes and Dickie Middleton, ably led by Chris Dickinson, a former GB captain.
Aston dropped out of the National League by 1983 and Geoff moved to Warley, where he played for four years prior to retirement.
Geoff's business life was as an entrepreneur mainly in paint and automotives. He was a larger than life, cheerful and fun-loving man whose passing at 68 is tragically early and a great loss. He is survived by his mother Frances (99), sister Pat and daughter Jenna."
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