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March 28 2024 9.17am

Joel Ward

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View TheBigToePunt's Profile TheBigToePunt Flag 16 Jul 21 11.53am Send a Private Message to TheBigToePunt Add TheBigToePunt as a friend

Ward signing a new contract has been covered in other threads, but I feel the span, nature and story of his career with us deserves a thread of its own.

Most top-flight apperances?

Initially, I dismissed reports that Ward had made more Premier League appearances for Palace than any other player as typical of the media trend to discount anything that took place in the old first division. For me, the real accolade is how many top-flight appearances a player makes, not how many he makes after an arbitrary rebranding, and Ward just about gets in the top 30 for all time Palace appearances

That said, it occurs to me that he may in fact have played more top-flight games for us than anyone else. Most of our longest-serving players plied their trade across the top two divisions, or largely in the second and third tiers.

If Ward has indeed played the highest number of top-flight games, then it's a notable achievement - more so than playing one or two hundred more at a lower standard, in my opinion.


Longevity (and value)

Few play ten consecutive years with us. Zaha has clocked up more appearances overall, but not consecutively as he left and came back. Speroni was on the books for 15 years and made over 400 appearances, but also spent years at a time as the sub keeper, especially in the top flight. Outside of losing his place to AWB one year, Ward has played between 26 and 48 of our league games every year. He may not have been vital or irreplaceable, but he has been far more than just 'on the books' for all those years. To get (nearly) 10 years of top-flight football from a player for £400k is fantastic.

Quality

We talk often about his flaws, but whilst Ward may not walk into an all-time XI, you don't play ten years in the top flight if you're no good, even for Palace. AWB ousted Ward, but Cylne and Kelly couldn't. He's decent.

Journey

Not many players get to go on (and help take their club on) such a journey over the course of their employment. It must be great to get towards the end and be able to say that you have helped take a club so very far, and keep them there. A few of the promotion team can make that claim, and whilst Wilf trumps everyone on that front, this modern Palace is built on guys like Ward too.

Pragmatism

Finally, I think Ward is symptomatic of sensible, pragmatic management. One of the reasons Ward has played so often is that whilst we surely could have signed a more eye-catching young right back over the years, we were rarely able to do that whilst also signing players that we needed more. I doubt Parish and Freedman ever thought Ward was such a gem that we couldn't possibly do better, but they (correctly) assessed that he was good enough that the priorities for a limited budget lay elsewhere. That's not much of a compliment perhaps, but it is nonetheless a testament to Ward, and to the judgement of the club management.


All in all, he's been a great signing (I don't like the word 'servant - he has been paid well for his labour), seems a good lad, has given his all and played his part in what may be the best period on the club's history.

Cheers Joel.

 

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View silvertop's Profile silvertop Flag Portishead 16 Jul 21 12.17pm Send a Private Message to silvertop Add silvertop as a friend

Has he ever had a serious injury? I think he may be shatter proof.

Dull as dishwater - I would not like to be trapped in a lift with him - but very reliable and incredible value (at today's prices) for his fee, wage and performance level.

An exasperation for the club, I suspect, that they would love to replace him but somehow never can. There seems an element of luck in his long playing record.

Nevertheless, will well deserve his testimonial.

And I bet he starts against Chelsea!

 

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View thai-eagle's Profile thai-eagle Flag chiang mai 16 Jul 21 12.26pm Send a Private Message to thai-eagle Add thai-eagle as a friend

Seems a genuinely decent human being and an honest pro, but really hope he will not be our main man on right-back this season. If so, some of the fast left-wingers in PL will have a ball.

 

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View Painter's Profile Painter Flag Croydon 16 Jul 21 12.28pm Send a Private Message to Painter Add Painter as a friend

Originally posted by silvertop

Has he ever had a serious injury? I think he may be shatter proof.

Dull as dishwater - I would not like to be trapped in a lift with him - but very reliable and incredible value (at today's prices) for his fee, wage and performance level.

An exasperation for the club, I suspect, that they would love to replace him but somehow never can. There seems an element of luck in his long playing record.

Nevertheless, will well deserve his testimonial.

And I bet he starts against Chelsea!

Have you ever had a conversation with him, if not how can you comment on his personality.

You think it’s luck he has played 8 seasons in the Premier, a bit condescending.

 

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View Omph's Profile Omph Flag Liverpool 16 Jul 21 12.33pm Send a Private Message to Omph Add Omph as a friend

Did he not come in as our Clyne replacement all those years back? If not directly it must have been a close run thing - memories of back then are slightly hazy.

In any event there feels to be a neat symmetry that they have intersected again.

No complaints from me at the new contract and he has done us proud over the years. There will have been bad ones in there but my memory Is of someone who was just really consistent - no real stinkers and nothing exceptional. Given Palace that isn't the worst outcome.

Two more steady years perfectly foreseeable even if pitch time may be reduced.

Originally posted by TheBigToePunt

Ward signing a new contract has been covered in other threads, but I feel the span, nature and story of his career with us deserves a thread of its own.

Most top-flight apperances?

Initially, I dismissed reports that Ward had made more Premier League appearances for Palace than any other player as typical of the media trend to discount anything that took place in the old first division. For me, the real accolade is how many top-flight appearances a player makes, not how many he makes after an arbitrary rebranding, and Ward just about gets in the top 30 for all time Palace appearances

That said, it occurs to me that he may in fact have played more top-flight games for us than anyone else. Most of our longest-serving players plied their trade across the top two divisions, or largely in the second and third tiers.

If Ward has indeed played the highest number of top-flight games, then it's a notable achievement - more so than playing one or two hundred more at a lower standard, in my opinion.


Longevity (and value)

Few play ten consecutive years with us. Zaha has clocked up more appearances overall, but not consecutively as he left and came back. Speroni was on the books for 15 years and made over 400 appearances, but also spent years at a time as the sub keeper, especially in the top flight. Outside of losing his place to AWB one year, Ward has played between 26 and 48 of our league games every year. He may not have been vital or irreplaceable, but he has been far more than just 'on the books' for all those years. To get (nearly) 10 years of top-flight football from a player for £400k is fantastic.

Quality

We talk often about his flaws, but whilst Ward may not walk into an all-time XI, you don't play ten years in the top flight if you're no good, even for Palace. AWB ousted Ward, but Cylne and Kelly couldn't. He's decent.

Journey

Not many players get to go on (and help take their club on) such a journey over the course of their employment. It must be great to get towards the end and be able to say that you have helped take a club so very far, and keep them there. A few of the promotion team can make that claim, and whilst Wilf trumps everyone on that front, this modern Palace is built on guys like Ward too.

Pragmatism

Finally, I think Ward is symptomatic of sensible, pragmatic management. One of the reasons Ward has played so often is that whilst we surely could have signed a more eye-catching young right back over the years, we were rarely able to do that whilst also signing players that we needed more. I doubt Parish and Freedman ever thought Ward was such a gem that we couldn't possibly do better, but they (correctly) assessed that he was good enough that the priorities for a limited budget lay elsewhere. That's not much of a compliment perhaps, but it is nonetheless a testament to Ward, and to the judgement of the club management.


All in all, he's been a great signing (I don't like the word 'servant - he has been paid well for his labour), seems a good lad, has given his all and played his part in what may be the best period on the club's history.

Cheers Joel.

 

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View Omph's Profile Omph Flag Liverpool 16 Jul 21 12.43pm Send a Private Message to Omph Add Omph as a friend

Thing is you could ditto that for last season and the season before.

Yes he has been shown up on occasion but - could be wrong here - I'm not remembering too many times when he has been taken apart in a way that made him look a complete liability. Some forwards can be unplayable on their day - see Zaha.

Is Ferguson a better option? Possibly. But no one has seen him play yet. There's quite a lot to be said for experience and positional sense.

There are

Originally posted by thai-eagle

Seems a genuinely decent human being and an honest pro, but really hope he will not be our main man on right-back this season. If so, some of the fast left-wingers in PL will have a ball.

 

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View Palace in the Blood's Profile Palace in the Blood Flag 16 Jul 21 1.58pm Send a Private Message to Palace in the Blood Add Palace in the Blood as a friend

Over the years various managers have tried to replace Ward on a number of occasions but other than AWB he has kept the replacement on subs bench. eg Hunt, Kelly and many names i forget. He is not flashy but always gives 100%

 

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View Pikester's Profile Pikester Flag Worthing 16 Jul 21 2.12pm Send a Private Message to Pikester Add Pikester as a friend

Love the man - always reminds me of big Johnny Pemberton.

 


You fed me, you bred me, I'll remember your name.

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View timmyb's Profile timmyb Flag Banstead 16 Jul 21 2.23pm Send a Private Message to timmyb Add timmyb as a friend

Originally posted by silvertop

Has he ever had a serious injury? I think he may be shatter proof.

Dull as dishwater - I would not like to be trapped in a lift with him - but very reliable and incredible value (at today's prices) for his fee, wage and performance level.

An exasperation for the club, I suspect, that they would love to replace him but somehow never can. There seems an element of luck in his long playing record.

Nevertheless, will well deserve his testimonial.

And I bet he starts against Chelsea!

I would suggest dependability was a more reliable personality trait in a defender than flamboyancy.
Phil Neal probably wasn't a whizz at parties but he didn't miss a game for Liverpool in 8 years and won stacks of trophies.
Lots to be said for stable guys in your team rather than emotional rollercoasters.

Oh look, I guess I'm biased.
He's a solid Christian lad and my son, born 4 days after his clearance off the line in the play-off final, just happens to be called Joel.

Given the paucity of our squad, I fail to see how this is bad news. I plan on cheering our entire starting eleven come opening day, new faces and old.

 

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View silvertop's Profile silvertop Flag Portishead 16 Jul 21 2.25pm Send a Private Message to silvertop Add silvertop as a friend

Originally posted by Painter

Have you ever had a conversation with him, if not how can you comment on his personality.

You think it’s luck he has played 8 seasons in the Premier, a bit condescending.

Ooh touchy!

Seen interviews which seems to correlste with my experience of devout born again types.

Which he is.

As to condescending odd word. Great team player very hard worker and has maintained the right level of fitness which justifies his contract extension. However would not have got a start if eg ferguson had been fit.

 

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View silvertop's Profile silvertop Flag Portishead 16 Jul 21 2.28pm Send a Private Message to silvertop Add silvertop as a friend

Originally posted by timmyb

I would suggest dependability was a more reliable personality trait in a defender than flamboyancy.
Phil Neal probably wasn't a whizz at parties but he didn't miss a game for Liverpool in 8 years and won stacks of trophies.
Lots to be said for stable guys in your team rather than emotional rollercoasters.

Oh look, I guess I'm biased.
He's a solid Christian lad and my son, born 4 days after his clearance off the line in the play-off final, just happens to be called Joel.

Given the paucity of our squad, I fail to see how this is bad news. I plan on cheering our entire starting eleven come opening day, new faces and old.

Not you too!

Pretty obvious from my post I was more than happy with him staying.

 

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View timmyb's Profile timmyb Flag Banstead 16 Jul 21 2.33pm Send a Private Message to timmyb Add timmyb as a friend

An exasperation for the club, I suspect, that they would love to replace him but somehow never can. There seems an element of luck in his long playing record.

Insane positivity!

 

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