Former Sunderland goalkeeper Darren Ward praises supporters and reflects on the club’s rise back to where it belongs

Sunderland’s matchday programme for the visit of Nottingham Forest featured a detailed Q&A with former Black Cats, Nottingham Forest and Wales goalkeeper Darren Ward, conducted by Rob Mason.

Ward reflected on his time on Wearside, his wider career and Sunderland’s recent progress during a wide-ranging chat with Sunderland’s club historian before the game against Forest at the Stadium of Light.

Q: You played 30 games as Sunderland won the Championship in 2006-07. You must have many great memories of that season?

“Of course. Ben Alnwick started the season in goal but was then transferred to Spurs, and Marton Fulop came in. There was hot competition. I started the season as understudy, trying to support Ben. We had a ropey start and soon a new manager with Roy Keane. That in itself was an exciting time. The buzz around the city with the new manager and an influx of new signings made it a great time to be at the club.

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“I’d been around the block a bit in the lower leagues and had had a couple of surgeries to my spine, so I was wondering what the future held for me. I had just joined Sunderland after being on trial at various clubs, trying to find an opportunity and to try and prove things to myself. To get the chance to represent the football club was beyond my wildest dreams. I always looked towards the north east as a hotbed of football, and it didn’t disappoint.”

Q: One of your best games was against a Southampton side including Gareth Bale in November 2006. Your save from Pedro Pele that day is one of the very best ever seen at the SoL. Does that moment live in your memory?

“I got an award that season from the local press. With Shay Given playing for Newcastle at that time, it was a superb honour even to be mentioned in those circles. Danny Collins claims half of the award as he cleared it off the line after I pushed it onto the post. When you consider it was a bullet header from Pele, I’ll take that!”

Q: Who were the biggest characters in the dressing room in your time at Sunderland?

“When Dwight Yorke came in, he commanded incredible respect. We had Graham Kavanagh and Dean Whitehead as captain. There was Nugsy [Nyron Nosworthy], Kenwyne Jones, Dave Connolly, Daryl Murphy. There were so many, including Grant Leadbitter and Chris Brown who had Sunderland running through their blood.”

Q: You’ve probably come across Simon Moore who does a similarly great job as part of the goalkeeping group, passing on his experience?

“I signed Simon for Sheffield United, from Cardiff. We had success at Sheffield United, going from League One to Premier League. Simon was an enormous part of that and is still held in very high regard in Sheffield. He always will be, he’s a great person.”

Q: After being on the bench to Craig for half a season you played in the Premier League against Derby, Chelsea and Villa, although the 1-1 with Villa was the last appearance of your career after you later picked up an injury. Looking back, it hopefully feels good to have gone out at the top.

“If when I’d left school, you’d have told me I’d go on an upward curve to represent whatever clubs and reach the pinnacle of the domestic game, I’d have snapped your hand off for it. I’m very proud of the record I had and the way I went about it. At Chelsea, Liam Miller got sent off, and I was beaten by a Frank Lampard penalty and a goal from Andriy Shevchenko, but I got a clean sheet against Derby. It was an amazing time. Super memories.”

Q: You’ve been in international football again for the last five years as goalkeeping coach with the Lionesses. How much do you enjoy that, and how good was it to return to the Stadium of Light when the Lionesses played here?

“Sarina Weigman’s first game was my first game, so we’ve worked together since then. It was brilliant to come back to Sunderland and train at the Academy of Light and play at the Stadium of Light. Even coming into the entrance and going down the stairs to the tunnel got the juices flowing.

“England have an incredibly talented group of individuals, and we’ve managed to have some success, in terms of back-to-back European champions and a World Cup final in Australia. We’re super excited for what’s hopefully around the corner in terms of hoping to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil. It would be amazing.”

Q: Presumably, you keep an eye on how all of your former clubs are doing. You’ll want Forest to stay up, but what do you make of how Sunderland have done this season?

“I absolutely want Forest to stay up. For Sunderland, rewind to the play-off final, and everyone had Sheffield United as favourites to go up. Oh my goodness. Talk about grabbing an opportunity. Wow! It’s been amazing, and I’m just so glad for the supporters. Sunderland’s fanbase deserves it. I watched the game against Newcastle on TV recently - and how good was that! Like all things, we all recognise that in the second season it's about building on sustaining what you’ve got. It’s massive, but what an opportunity to re-establish this amazing football club where it belongs.”

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