AFC Totton
AFC TOTTON BOSS JIMMY BALL has strengthened his squad ahead of the 2025/26 National League South campaign with the signing of 21-year-old former Wycombe Wanderers player Christie Ward.
Originally involved in the youth set-up at Yeovil Town, the Dorset-born midfielder went on to graduate through the Pro:Direct Academy while playing for Hamworthy United before joining Brockenhurst in the Wessex League. He scored 19 goals in 47 appearances for The Badgers while still a teenager in the 2021/22 season, including the FA Vase’s Goal of the Tournament in a Second Round tie against Brimscombe & Thrupp.
He caught the eye of League One club Wycombe Wanderers and signed for them in July 2022, making his professional debut as a late substitute in an EFL Trophy tie at home to Peterborough United three months later. Ward was then loaned out to Hungerford Town, for whom he made 15 appearances and scored two goals in the National League South before being recalled to Adams Park. He made his EFL debut for Wycombe against Ipswich Town in April 2023.
Ward represented both Slough Town and Banbury United on loan during the 2023/24 season then, after beginning the 2024/25 campaign with a short loan at Braintree Town, he played for Weymouth over the Christmas and New Year period before joining Tonbridge Angels in February 2025. By the end of the season, he had made 16 appearances for The Angels in the National League South, helping to steer them clear of the relegation dogfight to finish 17th in the table.
Christie’s older brother Calum Ward is also a professional footballer, playing as a goalkeeper in the Scottish Premiership for Motherwell, where his contract was recently extended. Calum kept goal for both Totton & Eling and Bashley in 2018, while on loan from AFC Bournemouth.
AFC Totton manager Jimmy Ball said of his new signing:
“Christie is a young, energetic box-to-box or attacking midfielder who has plenty of experience of Step 2 football. He’ll bring extra quality to our play in the attacking third, as well as offering a significant goal threat of his own.
“He got a big move to Wycombe Wanderers early on in his career, and although that ultimately didn’t work out quite as he may have liked, he’s still young enough and hungry enough to use this opportunity with AFC Totton to really show what he’s capable of and maybe earn himself another bite of the cherry at professional level. That’s what I want for him – as with all our young players – and that’s what we as a coaching team will be trying to help him to achieve during his time with us.”
AFC Totton would like to thank Ali McGivney for his help in securing the deal and for his continued mentorship of Christie since Ali was Head of Recruitment at Yeovil Town Football Club.
To enquire about sponsoring Christie Ward for the 2025/26 season, please email [email protected]
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of PRIME Media Images
