Bristol Rovers goalkeeper Jed Ward has signed a new contract, the club announced on Friday. Ward was in the final year of his contract, but he has agreed to extend his stay with his boyhood club until at least 2024.
The 19-year-old is currently on a season-long loan at Hungerford Town in the National League South, although he still trains with Rovers and suffered a broken hand at The Quarters last week. He could be ruled out for six weeks but beyond that, Rovers have high hopes for the future.
He was just 17 when he made his debut for the Gas, impressing in a 1-0 defeat at Blackpool on the final day of the 2020/21 season and soon after he was called up to be part of an England under-19 training camp alongside starlets mainly from Premier League clubs.
Ward, from Bradley Stoke, has been with the club since the under-9s and he has made four senior appearances for Rovers so far.
The club believe he is ready to take a step forward in his development by playing week in, week out in senior football with Hungerford. He has kept two clean sheets in six appearances for the Crusaders, and when he returns from injury he will continue to work with head of goalkeeping David Coles and Rovers' first-team keepers James Belshaw and Anssi Jaakkola at The Quarters.
“I’m very pleased to agree to extend my stay at Rovers," Ward said. "I'm really looking forward to what the next few years could bring and being a part of this special group of lads.”
Manager Joey Barton added: "We are really pleased that Jed has signed a new contract with Bristol Rovers. Since I’ve been at Rovers, Jed’s daily application has been superb and he has continued to improve. His new contract is a reward for that.
"For a young player, he obtained great experience being part of the group that got promoted last season and being out on loan this season will allow him to get vital game time, which will only further his development.
"He will continue to train at The Quarters as part of our first team group and the goalkeeping department at Rovers will collectively support and mentor him along that journey in order to help him challenge for the number one position at Rovers. Congratulations, Jed."
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