Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Jed Macaulay Ward[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 20 May 2003||
Place of birth | Bristol, England | ||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Team information | |||
Current team |
Forest Green Rovers (on loan from Bristol Rovers) | ||
Number | 1 | ||
Youth career | |||
2011–2021 | Bristol Rovers | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2021– | Bristol Rovers | 20 | (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– | → Forest Green Rovers (loan) | 17 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2024 | England U20 | 2 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:56, 28 April 2024 (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 National League side Forest Green Rovers, on loan from EFL League One 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]
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.[23][24]
In March 2024, Ward received a first call-up for the England U20 squad.[25] On 7 June 2024, Ward made his U20 debut during a 2-1 win over Sweden at Stadion ŠRC Sesvete.[26]
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Bristol Rovers | 2020–21[27] | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
2021–22[28] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
2022–23[29] | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
2023–24[30] | League One | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
Total | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
Swindon Supermarine (loan) | 2021–22 | SL Premier Division South | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
Prescot Cables (loan) | 2021–22[31] | NPL Division One West | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
Hungerford Town (loan) | 2022–23[32] | National League South | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
Wealdstone (loan) | 2023–24[32] | National League | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
Career Total | 69 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 77 | 0 |
Individual