Joel Ward

Joel Edward Philip Ward (born 29 October 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender. He is currently a free agent. A versatile defender who can play anywhere across the back-line, Ward was an academy graduate of Portsmouth. He made his senior debut in 2009 following a loan to AFC Bournemouth, and made 96 appearances for the club. In 2012, Ward was signed by Crystal Palace, and helped the side achieve promotion to the Premier League in his first season. He has since gone on to make the most top-flight appearances of any player in the club's history, as well as serving a season as club captain and winning the FA Cup in 2025.