Still there! 
Haverhill Echo/Derek Blish - October 15, 2009A DESIRE to continue to prove himself at the highest level he possibly can, persuaded former Queens Park Rangers ace Stuart Wardley to join Haverhill Rovers this summer.
The versatile 36-year-old has certainly repaid manager Peter Betts’ faith in him with two man-of-the-match performances in the past eight days, against Stanway Rovers and Leiston.
Although Wardley began his Reds’ career as a centre forward, netting on his debut at home to Dereham Town, he has moved to cover at the back and excelled at the heart of the defence.
“Since I’ve joined the club it’s been good,” said Wardley. “They have a good set of lads there and we try to play football.
“It’s not an easy league to play in with the Premier Division as it is and you play some good sides with the likes of Mildenhall, Leiston and CRC.
“I thought it would be a challenge to see whether I could be up to it.”
Wardley was plucked from non-league obscurity at Saffron Walden Town by Championship side Queens Park Rangers where Gerry Francis was the manager at the time.
He scored 14 goals in a four-year career at Loftus Road under ex-Tottenham Hotspur boss Francis and then Ian Holloway, now manager of Blackpool, that lasted 87 games.
A two-year stay at Rushden & Diamonds, when they were still in the football league, was followed by brief stints at Torquay United, Leyton Orient and Cambridge United before he returned to non-league football.
He took over as manager of Bishops Stortford Swifts, but was persuaded to try his hand at playing again by Betts in the summer.
After a month at Hamlet Croft he decided he had enjoyed it so much that he would stay on longer term.
“The club is going in the right places with the new ground being pushed forward,” he said. “There’s only one way it’s looking to go at the moment, which is perfect for me obviously.
“Pete (Betts) rang me and asked me if I fancied having a game. To be honest I was a bit reluctant and wondered if I could play that standard.
“I still want to play at the highest level I can and I saw it as a challenge.”
Things couldn’t have got off to a much better start as Wardley netted Rovers’ goal on their opening day draw with Dereham Town and then set up the second in his side’s 2-0 success at Wivenhoe, a win that saw them end a run of 16 months without a victory on the road.
However, a lack of defenders meant Wardley was moved into defence and since then he has helped Haverhill to four clean sheets in the nine matches he has played at the back.
“I enjoy playing up front but with my age creeping up on me and a lack of pace some of the defenders can pick up on that,” said Wardley. “Plus, I enjoy playing centre-half.
“I will play anywhere to help the team, as long as I can do a job.
“When I was playing in the league I was playing midfield but I’ve had a stint at right-back, not so much left-back, as well as at centre-half and centre-forward, and I’ve even played in goal for QPR.
www.haverhillecho.co.uk/sport/Former-QPR-ace-loving-the.5733924.jp
