Stephen Ward (footballer)

Stephen Ward

Ward playing for Ireland in the 2011 Nations Cup
Personal information
Full name Stephen Robert Ward[1]
Date of birth (1985-08-20) 20 August 1985[1]
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Playing position Left-back / Winger / Forward
Club information
Current team
 Burnley
Number 23
Youth career
Home Farm
Portmarnock
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2007 Bohemians 74 (11)
2007–2014 Wolverhampton Wanderers 222 (9)
2013–2014 → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 44 (4)
2014– Burnley 45 (1)
National team‡
2003–2004 Republic of Ireland U19 5 (3)
2005–2008 Republic of Ireland U21 13 (4)
2007 Republic of Ireland B 1 (0)
2011– Republic of Ireland 40 (3)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:52, 28 November 2016 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:29, 9 October 2016 (UTC)

Stephen Robert Ward (born 20 August 1985) is an Irish professional footballer who plays for English club Burnley. He is able to play in a variety of positions, primarily left-back, but also in left midfield and as a striker.

Ward began his senior career with Bohemians in his native Ireland, before moving to English Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2007. Featuring regularly, he was part of their promotion to the Premier League two years later and played over 230 times for the club. Following consecutive relegations though he was transfer listed,[3] eventually leaving to return to the Premier League with Burnley in 2014.

Since 2011 he has been a regular member of the Republic of Ireland's international squads, and has played at UEFA Euro 2012 and UEFA Euro 2016.

Club career

Bohemians

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Ward grew up in Portmarnock and played schoolboy football for Home Farm and Portmarnock.[4] Ward joined Dublin-based League of Ireland side Bohemians from Portmarnock in the summer of 2003. He scored twice on his debut as a substitute against Skerries Town in the FAI Cup on 15 August 2003. His form in Ireland attracted interest from various English sides. The 2006 season with Bohemians ended up being his last and he made a total of 93 appearances for the club, scoring 26 times.[4]

Wolverhampton Wanderers

After a successful trial, Ward joined English Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2007 on a two-and-a-half-year deal.[5] The fee, although undisclosed, was reported to be £100,000.

Ward had a bright start to English football scoring three times in his first six games, earning him the Championship Player of the Month Award for February 2007;[6] his first goal came against Plymouth Argyle on 3 February. He featured in all of Wolves remaining fixtures as they reached the promotion play-offs where they lost to local rivals West Bromwich Albion.

The next season was less successful for Ward as he was mostly used in an unfamiliar left midfield role, covering for the injured Matt Jarvis, but announced he was happy to play anywhere.[7] Later on in the season, Ward himself also suffered injury woes as he was struck down with patellar tendinitis that ruled him out for four months,[8] as the team narrowly missed a second successive play-off spot.

The 2008–09 season again saw Ward adopt a new position as he was converted to a makeshift left-back, after George Elokobi sustained knee damage in only the third game of the campaign. Despite the emergency purchase of natural full back Matt Hill, Ward was often preferred in the spot anyway, helping the side win promotion to the Premier League.

Ward began the club's return to the top flight in the left-back role, but he soon suffered a cartilage injury that kept him out of action for two months. Returning in December, he made a total of 22 league appearances as the club managed to avoid an immediate return to the second tier.

During the 2010–11 season, Ward filled a variety of roles, playing left-back, left midfield and as a striker. One game up front saw him net his first Premier League goal, when he scored the only goal of the game against Liverpool at Anfield on 29 December 2010.[9] He was part of the team that avoided relegation on the final day of the season.

Loan to Brighton

After Wolves suffered a second consecutive relegation to enter League One in 2013, Ward was one of a group of players made available for transfer by the club's new head coach Kenny Jackett.[3] On 16 August 2013 Ward was loaned to Brighton & Hove Albion for the 2013–14 season,[10] where he made 47 appearances as the club reached the play-offs but were defeated at the semi-final stage by Derby. Brighton then agreed a permanent deal with Wolves for Ward over the close season,[11] but interest from the Premier League halted the move.

Burnley

On 15 August 2014 Ward moved to newly promoted Premier League side Burnley, signing a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[12]

International career

Ward in action during Euro 2012.

Ward received his first full call-up to the Republic of Ireland national team squad on 4 May 2011, for friendlies against Northern Ireland and Scotland as well as a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier against Macedonia.[13][14] He made his national team debut on 24 May 2011 in a Nations Cup game against Northern Ireland, where he opened the scoring in a 5–0 victory.[15] Ward made his competitive debut for the Republic of Ireland against Slovakia in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match, during which he kept a clean sheet in a 0–0 draw. Ward scored his second international goal in the second leg of the play-off for UEFA Euro 2012 against Estonia, sealing Ireland's place in their first major tournament since 2002 with an unprecedented 5–1 aggregate win.[16]

Ward was picked in Trapattoni's 23-man squad for the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine,[17] going on to play in all three of their matches in the tournament before their group stage elimination.

He played in three of Ireland's four matches at Euro 2016 as the Boys in Green made the knockout stages, losing to France in the Round of 16.[18][19]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 26 November 2016.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bohemians 2003[20] LOI Premier Division 60 ? ?
2004[20] LOI Premier Division 162 ? ?
2005[20] LOI Premier Division 297 ? ?
2006[20] LOI Premier Division 232 ? ?
Total 7411 9326
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2006–07[21] Championship 18310—2[lower-alpha 1]0213
2007–08[22] Championship 2901010—310
2008–09[23] Championship 4201010—440
2009–10[24] Premier League 2202000—240
2010–11[25] Premier League 3413000—371
2011–12[26] Premier League 3832010—413
2012–13[27] Championship 3921010—412
Total 222911040202399
Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 2013–14[28] Championship 44410002[lower-alpha 1]0474
Burnley 2014–15[29] Premier League 900010—100
2015–16[30] Championship 2412110—272
2016–17[31] Premier League 1200000—120
Total 4512120—492
Career total 38525141604042841
  1. 1 2 Appearances in Football League Championship play-offs

International

As of match played 9 October 2016.[20]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Republic of Ireland 201192
201290
201320
201490
201520
201691
Total403

International goals

As of match played 9 October 2016. Republic of Ireland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Ward goal.[20]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition Ref
1 24 May 2011Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland1 Northern Ireland1–05–02011 Nations Cup[32]
2 15 November 2011Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland9 Estonia1–01–1UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying play-offs[33]
3 31 May 2016Turners Cross, Cork, Ireland33 Belarus1–21–2Friendly[34]

Honours

Club

Wolverhampton Wanderers

International

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 Hugman, Barry J. (ed) (2008). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09. Mainstream. ISBN 978-1-84596-324-8.
  2. ↑ The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Mainstream Publishing. p. 429.
  3. 1 2 "Four players transfer listed". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 24 June 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Stephen Ward on homesickness, beating Germany & the frustration of not playing". The42. TheJournal.ie. 23 January 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "Ward ready to sign". wolves.co.uk. 15 January 2007.
  6. ↑ "Wolves star earns February honour". BBC Sport. 4 March 2007.
  7. ↑ "Ward happy with his Molineux role". BBC Sport. 10 July 2008.
  8. ↑ "Ward glad at lucky escape". Birmingham Mail. 8 March 2008.
  9. ↑ "Mick McCarthy praises Wolves' match-winner Stephen Ward". BBC Sport. 30 December 2010.
  10. ↑ "Stephen Ward joins Brighton as Gordon Greer signs new deal". BBC Sport. 16 August 2013.
  11. ↑ "Brighton agree deal for Stephen Ward". Birmingham Mail. 14 August 2014.
  12. ↑ "Stephen Ward: Burnley sign long-serving Wolves defender". BBC Sport. 15 August 2014.
  13. ↑ "Ireland call up Ward". Setanta Sports. 4 May 2011. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  14. ↑ "Ward gets Ireland nod for FYROM game". UEFA. 4 May 2011.
  15. ↑ "Rep of Ireland 5–0 N Ireland". BBC Sport. 24 May 2011.
  16. ↑ Mason, Glenn (15 November 2011). "Ireland 1–1 Estonia". RTÉ Sport.
  17. ↑ "EURO 2012 squad named". Football Association of Ireland. 7 May 2012.
  18. ↑ "Euro 2016: Stephen Ward's fitness hopes improve for Republic's France game". BBC Sport. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "France 2–1 Republic of Ireland". BBC Sport. 26 June 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Stephen Ward". National Football Teams. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  21. ↑ "Games played by Stephen Ward in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  22. ↑ "Games played by Stephen Ward in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  23. ↑ "Games played by Stephen Ward in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  24. ↑ "Games played by Stephen Ward in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  25. ↑ "Games played by Stephen Ward in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  26. ↑ "Games played by Stephen Ward in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  27. ↑ "Games played by Stephen Ward in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  28. ↑ "Games played by Stephen Ward in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  29. ↑ "Games played by Stephen Ward in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  30. ↑ "Games played by Stephen Ward in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  31. ↑ "Games played by Stephen Ward in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  32. ↑ "Rep of Ireland 5–0 N Ireland". BBC Sport. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  33. ↑ "Republic of Ireland 1–1 Estonia (5–1 agg)". BBC Sport. 14 November 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  34. ↑ "Republic of Ireland 1–2 Belarus". BBC. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.

External links

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