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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jed Macaulay Ward[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 20 May 2003[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Bristol, England | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Bristol Rovers | ||
| Number | 31 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2021 | Bristol Rovers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021– | Bristol Rovers | 38 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Swindon Supermarine (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Prescot Cables (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | → Hungerford Town (loan) | 24 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Wealdstone (loan) | 19 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → Forest Green Rovers (loan) | 28 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2024 | England U20 | 2 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:43, 3 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 08:26, 12 June 2024 (UTC) | |||
Jed Macauley Ward (born 20 May 2003) is an English footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL League Two club Bristol Rovers.
Ward joined local Bristol side Bradley Stoke United before being scouted at a local chess club and joining Bristol Rovers at the age of eight, joining the under-9 team.[2] On 5 February 2021, Ward signed his first professional contract with the club aged 17.[3]
On 9 May 2021, with Rovers already relegated, Ward made his professional debut on the final day of the season against Blackpool as they lost 1–0.[4]
On 21 January 2022, Ward joined Southern League Premier Division South club Swindon Supermarine on a one-month loan deal, joining fellow Rovers youngsters Kieran Phillips and Tom Mehew at the club.[5] Ward was recalled from his loan spell on 3 February.[6]
On 17 February he joined Prescot Cables on loan for a month.[7] He returned to his parent club in early March.
On 12 August 2022, Ward joined National League South club Hungerford Town on a one-month youth loan deal.[8] On 7 September 2022, this deal was extended until the end of the season.[9] Whilst on loan with the club suffering from a broken hand, Ward signed a new contract with his parent club that would keep him at Rovers until 2024 with the option for a further extension.[10] Despite Hungerford's relegation battle, he impressed with his manager referring to him as an "ultimate professional" and "a very good up-and-coming goalkeeper".[11] He was recalled from his loan with immediate effect on 7 April,[12] with manager Barton later promising to involve him at some point in the last five matches of the season.[13] On 22 April, he made his first performance since returning to the club, featuring in a 2–0 defeat to Port Vale, with manager Barton impressed by his performance despite the scoreline, tipping him to be a future first-choice goalkeeper for the club.[14]
On 25 July 2023, Ward signed for National League club Wealdstone on a season-long loan deal.[15] He was recalled by his parent club on 14 November 2023, featuring that night in an EFL Trophy tie with Newport County.[16]
On 27 January 2024, Ward made his home league debut for the club in a 3–1 victory over Oxford United, impressing with a man-of-the-match performance.[17] Having firmly established himself as first-choice goalkeeper, he signed a new four-year contract on 28 March 2024.[18] At the club's end of season awards ceremony, Ward was awarded the Young Player of the Year award.[19]
Following the loan signing of Josh Griffiths, Bristol Rovers' manager Matt Taylor revealed that the long-term plan was for Ward to be loaned out to continue his development.[20] On 31 July 2024, he joined National League side Forest Green Rovers on a season-long loan deal.[21][22] Ward was recalled on 3 February 2025 following Griffiths' recall by West Bromwich Albion.[23]
On 21 May 2021, the day after he turned 18, Ward was called up to the England U19 training camp, to be held at St George's Park.[24][25]
In March 2024, Ward received a first call-up for the England U20 squad.[26] On 7 June 2024, Ward made his U20 debut during a 2-1 win over Sweden at Stadion ŠRC Sesvete.[27]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bristol Rovers | 2020–21[28] | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021–22[29] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2022–23[30] | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023–24[31] | League One | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| 2024–25[32] | League One | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| Total | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 42 | 0 | ||
| Swindon Supermarine (loan) | 2021–22 | SL Premier Division South | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Prescot Cables (loan) | 2021–22[33] | NPL Division One West | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Hungerford Town (loan) | 2022–23[34] | National League South | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| Wealdstone (loan) | 2023–24[34] | National League | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| Forest Green Rovers (loan) | 2024–25[34] | National League | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 31 | 0 | |
| Career total | 115 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 126 | 0 | ||
Individual