Matt Ward (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Matthew James Ward[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 16 August 2003[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Ipswich Town | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Wroxham | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2021 | Wroxham | 5 | (3) |
| 2021– | Ipswich Town | 0 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Derry City (loan) | 3 | (1) |
| 2023–2024 | → Braintree Town (loan) | 13 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:40, 4 February 2024 (UTC) | |||
Matthew James Ward (born 16 August 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Ipswich Town.
Career[edit]
Ward joined the Academy at Ipswich Town from Wroxham in 2020.[2] He had scored three goals in five games for Wroxham in the Eastern Counties Football League during the abandoned 2020–21 season.[3] In March 2021, a deal was agreed "in principle" for him to sign his first professional contract with Ipswich Town the following season.[4][5] He made his first-team debut on 27 November 2022, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute for Gassan Ahadme in a 4–0 win over Buxton in the FA Cup.[6]
Following a loan spell with Irish side, Derry City in early 2023,[7] Ward joined National League South side, Braintree Town in November that same year.[8] On 9 February 2024, Ward was recalled from his loan a month earlier than originally expected.[9]
Career statistics[edit]
- As of match played 3 February 2024
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Wroxham | 2020–21[10] | Eastern Counties League Premier Division | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | |
| Ipswich Town | 2021–22[11] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022–23[11] | League One | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023–24[11] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Derry City (loan) | 2023[11] | LOI Premier Division | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| Braintree Town (loan) | 2023–24[11] | National League South | 13 | 3 | — | — | 1[b] | 0 | 14 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 21 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 7 | ||
- ^ Appearance in the President of Ireland's Cup
- ^ Appearance in the FA Trophy
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Tim's ITFC Player A-Z". www.prideofanglia.com. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ Henderson, Jacob (23 March 2021). "MATT WARD AGREES DEAL IN PRINCIPLE". www.itfc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ Claydon, Russell (23 March 2021). "Matt Ward set to become an Ipswich Town professional after former Wroxham player impressed in under-18s team". Suffolk News. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ Heath, Mark (23 March 2021). "Town agree deal with promising young attacker". Ipswich Star. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ "Youngster Ward Agrees to Sign Deal - Ipswich Town News". TWTD.co.uk. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ "Chaplin double leads Ipswich to win over Buxton". BBC Sport. 27 November 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ Corcoran, Paul (13 February 2023). "Ipswich Town's Matt Ward joins Derry City on loan". Extra Time. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ "Braintree Town FC on X". Braintree Town F.C. 4 November 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ "Braintree Town FC on X". Braintree Town F.C. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "Matthew James Ward Player Stats". The FA. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "M. Ward". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 November 2023.