| Matt Ward | |
| Fullname: | Matthew James Ward |
| Birth Date: | 16 August 2003[1] |
| Position: | Forward |
| Currentclub: | Woking |
| Clubnumber: | 17 |
| Youthclubs1: | Wroxham |
| Years1: | 2020–2021 |
| Clubs1: | Wroxham |
| Caps1: | 5 |
| Goals1: | 3 |
| Years2: | 2021–2024 |
| Clubs2: | Ipswich Town |
| Caps2: | 0 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2023 |
| Clubs3: | → Derry City (loan) |
| Caps3: | 3 |
| Goals3: | 1 |
| Years4: | 2023–2024 |
| Clubs4: | → Braintree Town (loan) |
| Caps4: | 13 |
| Goals4: | 3 |
| Years5: | 2024– |
| Clubs5: | Woking |
| Caps5: | 2 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 19:39, 21 August 2024 (UTC) |
Matthew James Ward (born 16 August 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Woking.
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]
On 17 August 2024, Ward signed for National League club Woking following his departure from Ipswich Town.[10]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Wroxham | 2020–21[11] | Eastern Counties League Premier Division | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | ||
| Ipswich Town | 2021–22[12] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | League One | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| Derry City (loan) | 2023 | LOI Premier Division | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[13] | 0 | 4 | 1 | ||
| Braintree Town (loan) | 2023–24 | National League South | 13 | 3 | — | — | 1[14] | 0 | 14 | 3 | |||
| Woking | 2024–25 | National League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 23 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 7 | |||