Stephen Ward (footballer)

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, 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.

Bohemians

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Ward grew up in Portmarnock and played schoolboy football for Home Farm and Portmarnock. 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.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

After a successful trial, Ward joined English Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2007 on a two-and-a-half-year deal. 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; 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. 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, 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. 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. On 16 August 2013 Ward was loaned to Brighton & Hove Albion for the 2013–14 season, 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, 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.

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. 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. 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.

Ward was picked in Trapattoni's 23-man squad for the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine, 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.

Club

International

International goals

International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref
1	24 May 2011	Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland	1	Northern Ireland	1–0	5–0	2011 Nations Cup
2	15 November 2011	Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland	9	Estonia	1–0	1–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying play-offs
3	31 May 2016	Turners Cross, Cork, Ireland	33	Belarus	1–2	1–2	Friendly

Club

• Football League Championship (1): 2008–09

• Football League Championship (1): 2015–16

International

• Nations Cup (1): 2011

Individual

• Football League Championship Player of The Month Award (1): February 2007