The defender joined in May 2012, so is fully aware of what it means to represent the south Londoners as he approaches 10 years in SE25.
One side he knows less well, however, is Millwall – despite their proximity and history with their rivals in Croydon.
Ward has faced the Lions competitively in Palace colours just twice, both times in the 2012/13 promotion season. Before Saturday’s FA Cup tie, that will be the sum of his record against them – with Saturday’s fixture providing a third opportunity only through the quirks of tournament football.
But this is a competition Ward knows thoroughly. He’s represented the club in 15 FA Cup matches, after all, and played the full 120 in the 2016 final against Manchester United.
So, while he can’t draw upon “a huge amount of memories” against Millwall, he can talk at length about the competition taking him to Bermondsey.
“We all know how special the FA Cup is and how special a cup run is,” he told local press before Saturday’s game. “We’re going about it in the manner that we want to make sure we progress through to the next round.