As the Blades struggled, and with new manager Micky Adams seeking to re-build the team, Ward was loaned to fellow relegation-threatened Championship team Derby County in mid-February for three months, with a view to a permanent deal. Ward made his debut on 19 February, starting in a 0–0 draw with Scunthorpe United. He also started the next game, a 1–0 defeat to Hull City, but missed the third, a 1–0 win at his parent club Sheffield United, as he was ineligible under the terms of his loan. He started all of the next 10 games, helping the relegation-threatened side to two wins and four draws. His first goal for the club was a penalty in a 2–1 defeat against Middlesbrough on 8 March. He scored again on 19 March, a stunning 35-yard strike in a 2–2 draw against Crystal Palace. For his efforts, he was named in the Championship's "Team of the Week". He then won 2 penalties in 2 games, the first for a late consolation in a 4–1 defeat to Cardiff City on 2 April, and the second for Derby's equaliser in a 2–2 draw with Coventry City on 9 April.