Stephen Ward joins Brighton on season-long loan

Wolves' longest-serving first-teamer Stephen Ward today ended his six-and-a-half year stint at Molineux when he joined Brighton.

moreThe Ireland international left-back has signed for the Championship side on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent move.

He will make his debut at Birmingham tomorrow.

Ward replaces Wayne Bridge at the AMEX Stadium after the Manchester City full-back signed for Reading on a permanent basis this summer following a season-long loan at Brighton.

The second of the four transfer-listed players to leave after Karl Henry, Ward becomes the 14th signed player to leave Wolves since the end of last season, and 17th in all if departed loans are included.

The 28-year-old, who was earning £13,000-a-week at Molineux, had made 245 appearances for Wolves since signing from Bohemians for £100,000 in January 2007. He helped the club to the play-offs in 2006-07 then to the Championship title in 2008-09 and played three seasons in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, head coach Kenny Jackett today stressed Barcelona 'B' midfielder Albert Torras, 17, remains on trial.

"There are three trialists – one lad from Barcelona (Torras) and two Portuguese lads," said Jackett. "They are below the first team and looking to come into the under-21 group.

"If you take the 20 players in the first-team group, there will be a lot of them who were last year's under-21s, so there is space to be taken up."