Ward first joined Palace at the start of the club’s successful promotion-winning season from the Championship back in 2012/13 - and is now preparing for his Selhurst Park swansong against Wolves.
363 games later, he has played a vital role in stabilising the team in the top-flight, captained the side and was part of FA Cup-winning squad.
Fans will have the chance to bid farewell to the club captain, after 13 years’ exemplary service following Tuesday night's final home game.
Reflecting on the last few days, Ward said the inner belief across the entire club was a crucial ingredient to securing a first ever major trophy.
"Something special in this club was building from the moment I've joined," he told Premier League Productions. "There's always been a vision and a trajectory where this club has been on the up.
"But to do what we did at the weekend was just incredible. It was written in the stars I think. Everyone at the club believed that we could do it.
"This group of players are a special group and they're history makers. From the Chairman to the manager to the backroom staff to the players, everyone's been on the same page this season. The icing on the cake was coming away with the first major silverware in the club's history.
