The 26 year old striker was the subject of plenty of intrest during the January transfer window, but Warne refused to sell and now is set to evoke a clause in Ward's contract to extend it by a further 12 months.
Ward missed a couple of gilt edged chances against Wolves on Saturday, but backed the striker who hasn't netted since the FA Cup defeat to Oxford in early January.
“I am full of praise for Wardy, He played for weeks with a broken wrist, He has had all that contract speculation and through my choice he has stayed at the club. He gives his all to the team every week. Some days it’s your day and some days it isn’t. Unfortunately for Wardy, today wasn’t his." Warne said after the Wolves game.
“In football, you can’t get a better chance than a one-on-one. He is hugely disappointed and I have got to pick him up because he feels like he has let his teammates down, which he hasn’t. He is devastated in there." he added.
“The first one, I think he tried to nutmeg him, The second one, I think the first one played on his mind. I don’t think it is a lack of confidence because if you see him in training and before the game he is banging them in.”