Joel Ward (footballer)
|
Ward playing for Crystal Palace in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joel Edward Philip Ward | ||
| Date of birth | 29 October 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Emsworth, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Right-back, centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Free agent | ||
| Number | N/A | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2006 | East Lodge | ||
| 2006–2008 | Portsmouth | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2012 | Portsmouth | 89 | (6) |
| 2008–2009 | → Bournemouth (loan) | 21 | (1) |
| 2012–2025 | Crystal Palace | 330 | (5) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:17, 20 May 2025 (UTC) | |||
Joel Edward Philip Ward (born 29 October 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender. He is currently a free agent. Usually deployed as a right-back, he can also play as a centre-back.
A versatile defender who can play anywhere across the back-line, Ward was an academy graduate of Portsmouth. He made his senior debut in 2009 following a loan to AFC Bournemouth, and made 96 appearances for the club.
In 2012, Ward was signed by Crystal Palace, and helped the side achieve promotion to the Premier League in his first season. He has since gone on to make the most top-flight appearances of any player in the club's history, as well as serving a season as club captain and winning the FA Cup in 2025 in his last season at the club.