Calum Ward initially joined Motherwell in early February 2025, in the midst of an injury crisis in the goalkeeping department. With Aston Oxborough out injured due to a hand injury, new signing Archie Mair out injured, backup goalkeeper Krisztián Hegyi back at his parent club West Ham and academy graduate Matty Connelly out on loan at East Kilbride, it felt that Ward’s arrival signalled some much-needed competition for the only fit goalkeeper at the time, Ellery Balcombe.
However, with Oxborough only out for a short period of time and due to return in a few weeks, the assumption was Ward would be there as backup and wouldn’t feature in the first-team. That assumption would be an accurate one, as Ward would play 0 minutes between February and the end of the season.
The biggest positive for the English shot-stopper was that his hard work in training was enough to convince the coaching staff to extend his short-term deal into the following season. And from that point onwards, everything has gone well for the 24-year-old, as he has secured his spot on the team sheet at the start of the 2025/26 Premiership season, keeping three clean sheets in all competitions and making the save that won Motherwell bonus point in the penalty shootout victory over Clyde.
“I wasn’t expecting all this, to be honest,” Calum Ward said.
“There was no doubt that I backed myself to do it, but coming in last season as second/third choice, I just kept my head down. I got rewarded for that in the end, and it’s all worked out well in pre-season for me. It’s kind of suited me how the manager wants to play, and it’s going well.
“You read the room when you arrive, and I was smart enough to work out that Ellery was brought in on loan, and when players are brought in on loan from top teams, there’s going to be something in that contract for him to play. Which is fair enough. Training with Aston, Ellery and Matty when I came in was really good. We all got on really well and pushed each other in training.
“Nobody tells you what number you are in the pecking order, but you can work it out for yourself. You just try and do your best and try to make each other better. Help the outfield players in training if they need a goalkeeper for shooting, so that’s your job too!
“I’m not oblivious to this way of playing. In Finland, they try to play a similar style of football. Playing how we are here, to the point we’re at now, is a lot easier because the boys have got used to it. We’re building each week. At the start, it was something to get used to.
“When the manager came in and was showing us clips of how he wants the team and goalkeepers to play, it was a ‘step back and go wow’ moment because the keepers are playing high and smashing passes into the midfield. It’s really good when it comes off, but when it doesn’t, it’s not a good look. The fans weren’t used to it, and in the game against Clyde when we lose the ball and I’m high up the pitch and get lobbed, people are asking what’s going on.
“But since that first cup game, the fans have really bought into it. It’s getting better, and it’s something I’m enjoying. The manager hasn’t really said anything specific to me, just keeps praising me and told me to take my chance, which I’ve tried to do. I was comfortable playing out from the back, but this is a bit more extreme. Standing and playing higher, but I’m enjoying it.”
There is no doubt there is a new style being implemented by manager Jens Berthel Askou at Motherwell. Short, sharp passes with very few long balls; goalkeepers are encouraged to be brave and patient in equal measure. Ward has gotten comfortable with the ball being at his feet for large spells during matches, but he isn’t starting from scratch with this approach.
During his youth days at Bournemouth, a place he called home since the age of 11, he was coached to pass out from the back, which is something that gave him a good grounding for this new era at Fir Park.
“Bournemouth was one of those teams where they moved up the leagues very quickly,” Ward explained.
“The manager had a way of wanting to play out, so that went down from the first-team to the Academy, so I was used to the basic playing out. But we’ll take more risks here, standing on the ball waiting for someone to come towards you, and then you play around them. That takes bravery and mental strength to do because you know you can make mistakes.
“The Gaffer has said mistakes will happen, but he’s fine with them occurring as long as they come from doing the right things. I have got that background of playing out in previous teams, but this is the next level.
“The goalkeeping training since I came in at the start of the year to now has changed, yes. But it’s hard to replicate bravery in goalkeeping sessions. We do a lot more with our feet; the warm-up is more passing-based.”
It’s almost a different culture in ML1 at present, with the manager bringing his range of experiences in his career to the fold. But he’s not the only one who’s had an interesting career path.
Ward himself grew up within the elite environment of Bournemouth, where he represented the Cherries at various levels, but then his path would take him to a different country, somewhere he probably never expected he would live for four years.
“From age 11 until 20, I was at Bournemouth, which was a long time,” he stated.
“I was there when they were in League One and the Premier League, so I got to experience the rise. Once I got a scholarship and a professional contract for two years, they started to put me out on loan. I went into the non-leagues in England, where I started to build up, and I had a good loan in the National League South.
“We won the playoffs that season. After that, I felt like I was flying. Went back to Bournemouth, but they didn’t send me out on loan again, and I could feel myself going down the way due to lack of game time. I was fighting for a loan to play, and this is where Finland comes about. Yes, it’s a bit random.
“It’s not even me knowing anyone; it’s just people knowing other people. At the time, the first-team keeper at Bournemouth was Asmir Begovic, and he knew the goalkeeping coach at HIFK Fotboll in Finland. The manager there knew a squad player at Bournemouth too.
“So I went out on loan there. Didn’t play when I joined because I got injured in pre-season. The seasons run differently out there; they go from April to October. Went out there in January, and Bournemouth were saying they weren’t seeing any progress. It got to a point that they needed to decide if they were keeping me or releasing me.
“I got the phone call from them to say I was going to be released shortly after that, which was fine. My options were to come back to England, where they would help me find a new team or stay where I am permanently. Easiest choice ever, I said I would stay!
“Bournemouth had offered for me to come back and train, and they would put together clips that they could share with clubs. This was March time, so the Finnish season starts in a couple weeks, and my contract is finished in May in England. So, I just stayed. I was enjoying it even though I wasn’t playing.
“I was 20 at the time, didn’t know what was going on and chose to remain. One of the best decisions I’ve made. Got into the team there and played well that season, where I split game time with the other keeper there. I think it was 14 games and eight clean sheets. Another team from the same league came in with interest after that season, and I joined there, where I stayed for three years.
“Because the season runs differently, it’s very difficult to get out and come back. At the end of the season in October last year, I moved on, which wasn’t the worst. Spent a couple of months training, went on trial in Sweden and then ended up in Scotland.”
His time in Finland taught him many life lessons. Playing a multitude of games and living in a different part of the world brought so much experience to the fold for Ward. And it’s a part of his journey he would never change.
“The football is very technical and tactical out there,” Ward added.
“HJK Helsinki are the biggest team in the country, and they play in Europe most years. I find it hard to compare leagues. There are four or five top teams at a decent level, and then it goes down in quality down the table. It was a culture change, a different football and life change for me. Living abroad by myself, but I got lucky with the teammates I had because there are a lot of foreign boys I got on with, and then in the last two seasons, I met one of my best mates now, Ashley Coffey. He plays in China now.
“We’ve both had odd careers. He signed last minute and just got on like a house on fire. We kind of struggled on the pitch, but away from the pitch was amazing; the social side was so good. Overall, it was a really good experience, and I don’t regret any of it. If I didn’t stay out there when I could have come home, I don’t know where I would be now.
“But what I will say is, for four years I was there, I couldn’t speak the language. Not a word. If you search it up, it’s the most random language ever. I know a bit of context, but it’s near enough impossible. Thankfully English is the second language out there, so that helps massively.”
With all that life experience in the bag, Ward can now use that to offer advice to those who need it. His younger brother Christie Ward is also a professional footballer and plays with AFC Totton in England.
Christie chose a slightly different path to the one Calum took, but ultimately, he hopes his brother can achieve and experience some of the things he has.
“I try to help when I can,” Ward laughed.
“He doesn’t listen a lot! He has had a random career too, but he’s now in the National League South playing, which is great. He’s been unfortunate the last couple of years, but he’s now in the league I got promotion from and where my career kind of changed.
“They’ve started really well this season. He started in non-league whilst I was coming through the academy system. He did think about doing something similar, but in the end, he wanted to play football with his mates. At 18, he started lower leagues in England and had some scouts from the likes of Preston coming to watch him.
“He ended up going to League One with Wycombe and played there for three years. He was a bit unfortunate because every pre-season he would get a little niggle that would set him back, and he wouldn’t get in the team. He made his debut and stuff, and last season thought he might break through, but it didn’t work out.
“So, he’s now looking to push on down there, so I’ll help when I can. It’s different because he’s an outfield player, although maybe I can offer more advice on this now with where I play on the pitch in this new system. He can help me with that too!
“Football is really random; I went one way, which he didn’t fancy doing, but we can still end up in a similar position. If the right people are watching at the right time, you can end up in Finland, for example! I’m just excited for what’s to come here. I’m playing but want to try and stay in the team for as long as I can.”
