Jed Ward says he "can't wait" to be back in action for Bristol Rovers again after the teenager impressed in just his second league start for the Gas on Saturday.
The 19-year-old goalkeeper has been at the club for more than a decade and Joey Barton and his coaching staff have high hopes that he will eventually become Rovers' first-choice keeper, and the manager was eager to cast his eye on the academy graduate in league action almost two years on from his debut for the club.
Ward learned on Thursday he was in contention for Saturday's trip to Port Vale and Barton confirmed the Bradley Stoke lad would start on Friday as the Gas travelled to the Potteries. Unfortunately, the afternoon ended in a 2-0 defeat for Rovers, but Ward acquitted himself well with an accomplished performance, claiming crosses confidently and looking at ease with the ball at his feet.
Ward made his Rovers debut at Blackpool in May 2021 and he has grown and learned plenty since, playing a smattering of EFL Trophy games and spending most of this season on loan with National League South side Hungerford Town. It remains to be seen when his next chance will come with James Belshaw due to return to the lineup for Tuesday's trip to Plymouth Argyle, but he relished the experience of being back in the starting XI.
"I’ve been here from the age of eight and any chance to get on the pitch is a good feeling," he said. "It was unfortunate to come out with a loss, but I felt good out there, I felt confident and I can’t wait to get out there again.
"Every time I step on the pitch is really special and the Gasheads behind the goal, I couldn’t fault them. They came out in their numbers and they were really loud."
Ward was intent on making an authoritative start to the contest and he was able to set the tone early, dealing confidently with a couple of early crosses to dismiss any notion Vale may have had that the youngster could be bullied.
"The first corner they put in, I thought if I tried to deal with it early it would send a message that I’m here to dominate and not just sit on my line and get dominated," Ward explained. "I came out for a few crosses and they stopped putting them on me then.
"As a goalkeeper, you need to do that in whatever game you play in, whether it was with Hungerford or whether it’s in League One. You’ve got to make your stamp early doors and if that doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. You’ve got to make your stamp when you make your stamp, but getting that in early fills you with a lot of confidence."
Ward's spell at Hungerford saw him nail down the number-one role in a team struggling at the wrong end of the table – their relegation was confirmed in Ward's absence on Saturday – but he says he learned a great deal from his 24 appearances with the Crusaders in the sixth tier.
"It was broken up a bit because I broke my hand for a few weeks, but I came back in and finished strong," he said. "Unfortunately, they’ve been relegated, but I was really happy with the way it went, getting loads of games and feeling confident.
"The physicality is a massive factor, but decision-making is a big thing because in training you don’t get that aspect of being pressed or having bodies around you. It’s just that match realism that you get out of it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think it’s been massive for me.
"On the ball, it was a tough time because the pitches weren’t great wherever you went, unless you were on astro, so it’s just learning whether you can take a touch or whether it’s got to go first time. Today, I was really grateful just to have a flat pitch."
Still in his teens, Ward knows he is well ahead of the curve in terms of first-team experiences. It is a cliche for a reason; goalkeepers generally take longer to develop and make the first-team grade than outfield players.
So this prospect is happy with where he is in his burgeoning career and he has full faith in the people guiding him – Barton, goalkeeping coach Anssi Jaakkola and head of goalkeeping David Coles among others – through his development at The Quarters.
"When do you ever see a goalkeeper in their teens playing in the first team?" he said. "Usually, you see them break through at 24 or 25, but the gaffer has got great ambitions for me and he has given me the chance to play.
"It’s given him the chance to look at me as well and decide what is going on in the future. He’s got my best interests.
"That’s what I’m here to do, that’s why I’m here today, to show him if I can compete with Belly next season or if it means I have to go on loan next season, maybe at a step higher and play some more games.
"It’s all about learning now so we can plan in advance for next season. We’ll see what happens in the next few weeks. If I get another chance, I get another chance."
In addition to the mentoring he receives from the coaching staff, Ward believes he is lucky to be part of a four-strong goalkeeping department alongside player-coach Jaakkola, number-one Belshaw and Brentford loanee Ellery Balcombe.
The Bristol-born keeper says their varied experiences and wisdom are proving invaluable as he matures.
"Belly has been massive with me," he explained. "All of last season, he was helping me and passing on his knowledge that I can learn from him.
"This season, Anssi has been great with me, passing on his experience from a coaching side of things. Belly has been more of a player thing, and even Ellery coming in has been fantastic in training.
"He’s really great to learn from; he’s at the top in the Premier League and that’s where I want to be, so it’s a case of picking things off all of them and putting them into my game.
"When Belly found out yesterday, he was really happy for me. He was supporting me and making sure if I needed anything, he was there for me. He’s a great lad."
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