Ward spent 13 seasons playing for Palace in the Premier League after helping the Eagles win promotion from the Championship in 2012-13, his first year at the club after he joined from Portsmouth. He made 364 appearances for Palace, scoring six goals, but played on only three occasions last season. Ward described the cup triumph as a "fairytale ending" to his Palace playing career. "It has been an incredible journey with so many fond memories, so many incredible moments – moments that will live on in my mind for the rest of my life," he said in a statement last May. Hampshire-born Ward played 96 senior games for Portsmouth after coming through the Pompey academy, while he also played 25 times for Bournemouth while on loan as a youngster.

Source: BBC January 08, 2026 16:14 UTC