Joe Ward

Ward's current-season form is level with last season (Season 40→40), while his Rating climbed 37→41. His peak season for form remains 2025/26 (Season 40).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Derby · 16th	1	0	0	6.7	41	40
2025/26	Derby · 8th	38	1	8	7.02	37	40
2024/25	Derby · 19th	17	0	0	6.53	35	1
2023/24	Derby · 2nd	29	2	3	6.91	36	11
2022/23	Peterborough · 6th	41	7	9	7.06	47	34

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 9 earlier seasons and 3 youth-team spells in the full career.

Scout report

Experienced headFull-back

J. Ward is a 31-year-old full-back at Derby, rated 37.2 overall by Field Insider's model. A seasoned veteran, he has been a regular starter this season (70.9% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.76 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Ward.

On the season, Ward graded 30 for current form (age-blind), on 9 clean sheets and 2.758 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 40 → 40). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2025/26.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 37. At 31 Ward is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 10.2 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

A career still climbing — Ward is at his peak right now, and the curve hasn't flattened.

Peak: 2025/26Trending upBreakout: 2025/26Stepped up 2021/22

37.2

Ratingi

developing / rotation level

29.6

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

70.9%

Minutes

a regular starter

2.76

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Derby finished 8th of 24 · an upper-table side

Apps

2.76

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.76 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 9 clean sheets across 38 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (8th of 24) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 8 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 70.9% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.28 goal involvements per 90, useful for a full-back.

Watch points

Age curve. At 31, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 37.2 overall — developing / rotation level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.76 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90), with a bit more on the ball than most in the role. Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.9× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %70.9%

Available fixtures46 of 46

Goals / 900.031

Assists / 900.245

Goal contribution / 900.276

Defensive actions / 902.758

Player flow

Goal involvements9

Cards / 900.092

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~23), then tapers with age. At 31, Ward sits on 10.2, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Ward's projected Rating — 37.2 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among full-backs in the Championship with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Passing

Assists8

Defending

Tackles47

Interceptions32

Blocks11

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards3

Red cards0

Transfer history

DerbyJul 2023 – nowFree

PeterboroughJan 2018 – Jul 2023

WWokingJun 2017 – Jan 2018Free

Lincoln(on loan)Jan 2017 – Jun 2017

Brightonuntil Jan 2017

About J. Ward

Joe Ward is a 31-year-old full-back who plays for Derby, born on August 22, 1995 in Chelmsford, standing 167 cm tall. He is from England. Derby currently sit 16th of 24 in the Championship.

This season

In the current season, J. Ward has made 1 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 84 minutes.

J. Ward's next match is on August 29, 2026, when Derby face Swansea at home in the Championship.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Ward at 37.2 with a Season form score of 29.6. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Career

Across 14 recorded seasons, J. Ward has totalled 389 club appearances with 40 goals and 36 assists for 7 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2018/19, with 43 appearances for Peterborough.

J. Ward's career has also included time at Peterborough, WWoking, Lincoln and Brighton.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.