Ex-Portsmouth favourite and Emsworth lad secures Premier League stay beyond age of 35

A popular ex-Pompey player will remain in the Premier League next season after extending his stay.

Joel Ward has been handed a 13th consecutive campaign at Crystal Palace after agreeing a fresh 12-month deal.

Since joining the Eagles from Pompey in May 2012, he has become their eighth-highest appearance maker of all time with 361 outings.

The right-back, who hails from Emsworth, has started 23 Premier League matches this term, while featured as an 88th-minute substitute in Saturday’s 3-1 victory at Wolves.

Now Ward, along with Jeffrey Schlupp and Will Hughes, has signed deals until the summer of 2025 for Oliver Glasner’s side.

And it will take the former south-coast derby hero beyond his 35th birthday at Selhurst Park.

In a club statement, chairman Steve Parish said: ‘In any Premier League squad, it remains vitally important to strike the right balance between youth and experience, with a squad of players all capable of driving the club forwards on and off the pitch.

‘As well as playing a pivotal role on the pitch, Will, Jeff and Joel are natural leaders in the dressing room who embody the Crystal Palace DNA and who help set a culture of the highest standards at the training ground.

‘We are delighted that they will be with us next season to help further our exciting early progress under Oliver Glasner.’

Ward made his Pompey debut at centre-half in a League Cup clash with Hereford United in August 2009.

He had emerged through the Fratton Park youth ranks along with Matt Ritchie, with Marlon Park in the age group below.

The defender would subsequently make four appearances in the 2009-10 campaign, including a maiden Premier League start in a goalless draw at Wigan in April 2010.

Yet following relegation to the Championship, he established himself as a regular, totalling 96 appearances and six goals by the age of 22.

He memorably scored a late headed equaliser against Southampton at Fratton Park in a 1-1 draw in December 2011.

However, with administrator Trevor Birch required to remove all Pompey’s first-team squad from the wage bill to prevent the club’s liquidation in the summer of 2012, Ward was among the firesale.

He was the third to depart, following the sales of Jason Pearce (Leeds) and Stephen Henderson (Nottingham Forest) as 14 players left the Blues.

Almost 12 years later, Ward is still at Palace, with 361 appearances and six goals, having also served as club captain for periods.