Stephen Ward (footballer)

Stephen Ward
Ward playing for the Republic of Ireland at the 2011 Nations Cup
Personal information
Full name Stephen Robert Ward[1]
Date of birth (1985-08-20) 20 August 1985 (age 39)[2]
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[3]
Position(s) Left-back, Winger
Team information
Current team
Solihull Moors (Director of Football)
Youth career
Home Farm
Portmarnock
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2007 Bohemians 74 (11)
2007–2014 Wolverhampton Wanderers 222 (9)
2013–2014Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 44 (4)
2014–2019 Burnley 101 (3)
2019–2020 Stoke City 15 (0)
2020–2021 Ipswich Town 30 (0)
2021–2022 Walsall 27 (0)
Total 513 (27)
International career
2003–2004 Republic of Ireland U19 5 (3)
2005–2008 Republic of Ireland U21 13 (4)
2007 Republic of Ireland B 1 (0)
2011–2018 Republic of Ireland 50 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Stephen Robert Ward (born 20 August 1985) is a retired Irish professional footballer who played as a left-back who is currently Director of Football at Solihull Moors.

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 relegation's though he was transfer listed and after spending the 2013–14 season on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion he eventually left to return to the Premier League with Burnley in 2014. He spent five seasons at Turf Moor making 113 appearances for the Clarets before joining Stoke City in June 2019. Following the end of his contract at Stoke City, Ward signed for Ipswich Town in August 2020. He spent one season at Ipswich before being released and joining Walsall in July 2021.

From 2011 until his retirement from international football in March 2019, he had been a regular member of the Republic of Ireland's international squads, and played at UEFA Euro 2012 and UEFA Euro 2016.

  1. ^ "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  2. ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2008). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09. Mainstream. ISBN 978-1-84596-324-8.
  3. ^ The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Mainstream Publishing. p. 429. ASIN 1845966015.