STEPHEN WARD HAS signed up for the 19th season of his professional career by penning a one-year deal with Walsall.
Ward joins the League Two club after spending last season at Ipswich Town, for whom he made 30 appearances in League One.
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“It’s exciting,” Ward said of his move to a club who are managed by his former Burnley team-mate Matthew Taylor.
“I have been in with the lads training for a couple of days now, having a look at the place and I am really impressed with how the head coach is trying to go about his business and his ambition for the season…. I am really excited to get going this year.”
The Dubliner, who turns 36 next month, won 50 senior caps for the Republic of Ireland before retiring from international football in 2019.
“Stephen is someone who I have played with and has huge experience in the game,” Taylor said of Ward, who has played his club football in England since his January 2007 transfer from Bohemians to Wolves.
“He’s a player that has played at the top and for him to have a leadership role within the group in terms of what he can offer with his experience and more importantly, what he can offer on the pitch, we’re extremely happy to have someone of Stephen’s quality joining the club.
“The biggest thing for him is he wants to be part of the journey that we’re on at this football club, so from my perspective I’ve always spoken about good people first, followed by a good player, and Stephen fits the mould.
“It will be great for other players in the group to learn from him because he’s a fantastic professional and somebody that has got huge experience domestically and internationally but, more importantly, he still wants to be successful and we hope he can help us to do that here.”
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League Two switch for Stephen Ward following Ipswich Town exit
STEPHEN WARD HAS signed up for the 19th season of his professional career by penning a one-year deal with Walsall.
Ward joins the League Two club after spending last season at Ipswich Town, for whom he made 30 appearances in League One.
“It’s exciting,” Ward said of his move to a club who are managed by his former Burnley team-mate Matthew Taylor.
“I have been in with the lads training for a couple of days now, having a look at the place and I am really impressed with how the head coach is trying to go about his business and his ambition for the season…. I am really excited to get going this year.”
The Dubliner, who turns 36 next month, won 50 senior caps for the Republic of Ireland before retiring from international football in 2019.
“Stephen is someone who I have played with and has huge experience in the game,” Taylor said of Ward, who has played his club football in England since his January 2007 transfer from Bohemians to Wolves.
“He’s a player that has played at the top and for him to have a leadership role within the group in terms of what he can offer with his experience and more importantly, what he can offer on the pitch, we’re extremely happy to have someone of Stephen’s quality joining the club.
“The biggest thing for him is he wants to be part of the journey that we’re on at this football club, so from my perspective I’ve always spoken about good people first, followed by a good player, and Stephen fits the mould.
“It will be great for other players in the group to learn from him because he’s a fantastic professional and somebody that has got huge experience domestically and internationally but, more importantly, he still wants to be successful and we hope he can help us to do that here.”
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