Former fans’ favourite Danny Ward has thanked Aberdeen for helping him earn starts for both Liverpool and Wales.

Little more than a year on from his time at Pittodrie, the keeper has appeared in the Premier League and at the European Championships.

The 23-year-old is now on loan at Huddersfield Town in the English Championship.

But Ward has credited the Dons for giving him the opportunity to prove himself.

“It was absolutely massive for me, I can’t stress how important those six months were,” he said.

Ward’s spell in Aberdeen was as impressive as it was brief.

“It was a bit of a punt from the club to take on a boy like me who had maybe had a handful of games in League Two on loan the season before.

“It was quite brave from the club and the manager showed a lot of faith in me – hopefully over the six months I repaid that.

“Aberdeen are a huge club so you’ve always got that bit of pressure and you’ve got to perform.”

As one era ended for Ward, another, more high profile one was about to begin.

Last year was a whirlwind one for the 23-year-old. A year that started with a loss at Tynecastle was to be remembered for what came next.

Premier League opportunity and the grandeur of the European Championships awaited. Not that it was clear to Ward last January.

Back then, his stint at Pittodrie was brought to a sudden halt.

Recalled by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, the former Wrexham keeper was on his way back to Anfield.

“I remember getting the phone call from Derek McInnes, it was after we had just played Hearts in the cup on the Saturday,” he said.

“Derek rang me up and said listen, how do you feel about the game and stuff, then he thanked me for what I had done and told me I was going back down to Liverpool.

“It was a real mix of emotions because my first thought was I was really enjoying my time in Aberdeen and playing every week but then I thought ‘being recalled, that’s surely a good thing’.

“On that initial day, it was a strange one.”

Ward speaks with genuine affection about his time in Aberdeen, whether it be for his “well-documented bromance with Ash Taylor”, or his opinion of the city.

The goalkeeper stays in touch with various members of the squad via social media but he also speaks very fondly of McInnes.

“I couldn’t thank the manager enough, the faith he had in me was huge,” Ward said.

“The one thing with working with Derek, there was never any stone left unturned, he was very thorough in his preparation.

“He played at a high level in England and he knows the thoughts that go through people’s heads sometimes and he understands.

“On a personal level, his man management was brilliant.”

The 23-year-old has already worked under a number of the most reputable and regarded coaches in the British game.

As well as Klopp and McInnes, he has also served under Brendan Rodgers during the Northern Irishman’s time with Liverpool and is now playing for David Wagner at Huddersfield.

“You try to bounce ideas off each other but ultimately, Derek is like Brendan, Jurgen and David – they’re their own men regardless if people compare them to others,” he said, refusing to draw any real comparisons between the group.

The Welshman only played 29 times for the Dons in all competitions, a footnote in the history of the club.

But he earned his spot in the record books as part of the side that got off to the club’s best-ever start to a season.

He laughs when the voyage to Kazakhstan in the Europa League is mentioned but he also holds fond memories of helping the club surpass the points mark set by Sir Alex Ferguson’s great side of the 1980s.

“As soon as the final whistle went in after Paul Quinn’s goal, it was just utter elation,” follows a vivid recollection of the 2-1 victory of Celtic, his highlight within a highlight.

Ward has since performed admirably for Liverpool, Huddersfield and Wales.

He started for the Merseyside giants against both Bournemouth and Swansea last season before getting called up by his country.

And he was a surprise starter in Wales’ first game at a major tournament in 58 years when he featured against Slovakia – quite an occasion for a full debut.

“It was quite emotional at the end of the game with it being my first start,” he said.

“It was actually the only game my family couldn’t make it out to, the first game, which was a bit of a shame.

“They watched it on the telly with a few pints I’m sure but it was amazing – it’s the first game in the Euros, which was historic in its own right, but it means that extra bit more special to me the fact that I played and we won.”

The keeper is keen to come back to Scotland – in an observational capacity.

Ward has twice had to postpone trips to see the Dons in action – including at the League Cup final at Hampden – due to club commitments.

But it’s clear the Welshman, despite having no previous link to the area, has developed an attachment to the city.

“I tried to arrange to come up with my old man but we had a game on Monday night so it wasn’t possible. But I am hoping to get up there at some point this year, it would be nice to see some familiar faces.”

Ward rounded off his stint in Aberdeen with a heartfelt post on social media, addressing the club’s fans for taking so quickly to him.

In it, he thanked them for their support “from Kilmarnock to Kazakhstan”.

The Welshman is still hoping to get more game time to boost his chances of featuring more prominently for Liverpool and Wales in future.

“For a goalkeeper, 23 isn’t too old. It might sound a bit of a cliché but it’s just trying to learn every day,” he said.

What’s clear is that Ward holds his time in Scotland with high regard.

He was gracious about his stint at Pittodrie and believes that without it, his future would not have the same complexion it does now.

“If people enjoyed my time up there as much as I enjoyed being around them then that’s fantastic,” he said.

“I could never say a bad word about Aberdeen as a club or Aberdeen as a place.”