---
title: "Profit Players: Stephen Ward proved to be a snip at just £567,000 for Burnley"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/profit-players-stephen-ward-burnley-bargain-signing/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Burnley"
published: "2020-07-18T15:00:25Z"
modified: "2020-07-18T15:00:25Z"
---

# Profit Players: Stephen Ward proved to be a snip at just £567,000 for Burnley

**This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.**

[On the eve of their return to the Premier League](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/28814177) six years ago, Burnley added to their defensive ranks with an experienced yet cut-price acquisition. Stephen Ward, who already had [three seasons in the top flight](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/stephen-ward/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/34691) with Wolves, joined from Molineux for a knockdown fee of just £567,000 (as per [TransferMarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/stephen-ward/transfers/spieler/34691)).

Initially the move didn’t go to well for the [50-cap](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/stephen-ward/nationalmannschaft/spieler/34691/verein_id/3509) Republic of Ireland international, who started just [seven league games](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/15764/History/Stephen-Ward) in an [injury-hit campaign](https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/burnley_fc/news/11738901.injured-defender-stephen-ward-targeting-return-to-burnley-first-team/) as the Clarets were relegated at the end of the 2014/15 season – the second time that Ward had suffered that fate, having also been in the Wolves side that [finished bottom of the Premier League](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/tabelle/wettbewerb/GB1/saison_id/2011) three years previously.

However, he managed to carve out a more regular place in Sean Dyche’s first team the following season, [starting 23 Championship games](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/15764/History/Stephen-Ward) as Burnley made an [immediate return to the top flight](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36176219). The Irish left-back showed his strengths in both a defensive an attacking sense during that campaign, averaging [2.2 interceptions per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/15764/History/Stephen-Ward) as well as providing [four assists](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/15764/History/Stephen-Ward).

After his abortive first year at Turf Moor, Ward made up for lost time when the Clarets were back in the Premier League in 2016/17, [starting all but one match](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/15764/History/Stephen-Ward) and posting impressive match averages of [1.9 successful tackles and two interceptions](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/15764/History/Stephen-Ward). August 2017 was a month to remember for him, as he [scored in an opening day win](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40835426) at then-champions Chelsea and [signed a new deal](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40927356) at Turf Moor.

Ward [started 28 league games](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/15764/History/Stephen-Ward) that season as Burnley finished seventh to [qualify for the Europa League](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44018738), giving him a first foray into European football since [playing in the Intertoto Cup for Bohemians](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/stephen-ward/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/34691) in his homeland as a teenager.

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However, the Clarets failed to make the group stage and the Irishman [lost his place in the side to Charlie Taylor](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/burnley-fc/leistungsdaten/verein/1132/plus/0?reldata=%262018) during 2018/19, making just [three league appearances](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/15764/History/Stephen-Ward) all season. He ended his five-year association with the club last summer when he [joined Stoke](https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/ward-is-the-latest-new-arrival), where he has [struggled for game-time in recent months](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/stephen-ward/leistungsdaten/spieler/34691).

Ward left Burnley after making [113 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/stephen-ward/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/34691/verein/1132) for the club – considering that he cost them a mere £567,000, that works out at a very economical £5,017.70 per game, a bargain for a player who for three years was a firm favourite of Dyche and who helped the Clarets to qualify for Europe.

***Burnley fans, were you pleasantly surprised by Ward’s impact at Turf Moor? Comment below with your views!***