Aaron Ramsey

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Aaron Ramsey
Ramsey (centre) with the Wales Under-21 side
Personal information
Date of birth	26 December 1990 (1990-12-26) (age 18)
Place of birth	Caerphilly, Wales
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Arsenal
Number	16
Youth career
1999–2007	Cardiff City
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
2007–2008 2008–	Cardiff City Arsenal	16 (1) 09 (0)
National team2
2005–2008 2007– 2008–	Wales U17 Wales U21 Wales	15 (2) 11 (1) 06 (0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:09, 25 May 2009 (UTC). 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 09:58, 7 June 2009 (UTC). * Appearances (Goals)

Aaron James Ramsey (born 26 December 1990 in Caerphilly)^[2] is a Welsh international footballer, who plays as a central midfielder for Arsenal, but can also play on either wing or at fullback. At Cardiff City he was nicknamed Rambo by the fans.

Contents 1 Career 1.1 Cardiff City 1.2 Arsenal 1.3 International 2 Personal life 3 Honours 4 Club career statistics 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Career

[edit] Cardiff City

After impressing in an Urdd tournament as a youngster he signed for Cardiff City, who beat off competition from Newcastle United, as a schoolboy at the age of eight, working his way through the club's youth system. After a few more years he eventually made his Cardiff City debut in the last home game of the 2006–07 Championship season, coming on to replace Paul Parry in the final minute of the 1–0 defeat to Hull City on 28 April 2007. In doing so, Ramsey became the youngest player to ever play for Cardiff City, aged just 16 years and 124 days,^[3] beating the previous record holder John Toshack. In June 2007, Cardiff City turned down a bid of over £1m for Ramsey from a London-based Premier League club.^[4] The club was not named, but it was widely believed that they continued to watch Ramsey at every available opportunity during the 2007–08 season. Cardiff also turned down a £1m offer, although the deal was to start with a payment of £200,000 and rise depending on his future achievements, from Everton.

He made his first league appearance of the 2007–08 season on 6 October, when he came on as a late substitute for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in the 2–1 home win over Burnley. Ramsey signed his first professional contract in December 2007^[5] and went on to make his first full professional start for Cardiff on 5 January in the FA Cup against non-league side Chasetown replacing the suspended Stephen McPhail. An impressive performance from Ramsey saw him head in the second Cardiff goal as they went on to win 3–1.^[6] Due to his performance against Chasetown Ramsey was nominated for the Player Of The Round award, eventually losing out to Coventry's Michael Mifsud.^[7] He went on to make his first career league start three weeks later in a 3–1 win over Queens Park Rangers and began to establish himself in the first team making several more starts in the Cardiff side. He made a total of 22 appearances during the season, his first full season of professional football, and played in five of the club's six FA Cup matches, including the final, becoming the second youngest player to play in an FA cup final after Curtis Weston, who played in the 2004 FA Cup Final for Millwall.^[8]

Following Ramsey's impressive performance in the 2–0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Middlesbrough it was revealed that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had talked to Cardiff boss Dave Jones to inquire about Ramsey, who were later joined by Arsenal and Everton in following his progress.^[9] Ramsey grew up a Manchester United fan as he looked up to fellow Welshman Ryan Giggs as well as Roy Keane. Cardiff Chairman Peter Ridsdale told the BBC that Arsenal's bid of £5 million up front had been accepted. Arsenal's bid did not include a loan clause that would allow Ramsey to stay at Cardiff for another season.^[10] Cardiff City assistant manager and former Arsenal player and coach Terry Burton, who was credited for having brought through Ramsey, also helped recommend him to Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, having retained a longstanding connection to the club.^[11] During the transfer negotiations, Burton also advised that Ramsey join Arsenal, citing the similarity between the player and the club's overall style of play.^[11]

[edit] Arsenal

On 10 June 2008 it was confirmed that after meeting officials from Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton, Ramsey had decided to join Arsenal, who paid Cardiff City a total of £4.8 million for the player.^[12] The move was completed on 13 June 2008 on what is said to be a long-term contract. The main reason he chose Arsenal ahead of the other clubs that pursued his signature was the approach of Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, who flew him and his family to Switzerland to talk about the plans Wenger had for him and his potential future with Arsenal.^[13] Wenger described Ramsey as "a player with a fantastic engine, good build, good technique and good vision".^[14]

Ramsey made his competitive debut for Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round against FC Twente on 13 August 2008 and his league debut a month later against Blackburn Rovers on 13 September 2008, marking it with an assist to Emmanuel Adebayor for Arsenal's fourth and Adebayor's third. On 23 September 2008 he completed 90 minutes in Arsenal's third round Carling Cup game against Sheffield United where he added two more assists to his season's tally, setting up Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela, which Arsenal won 6–0. He scored his first goal for the club in their 5–2 victory away against Fenerbahce in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League^[15] by shooting a long range shot which hit the left post and went in, becoming the fifth youngest scorer in Champions League history, and only the second player born in the 1990s to score a Champions League goal.

Ramsey was named amongst host of young players poised to shine in 2009 by Fifa.com.^[16] On 1 July 2009, Ramsey signed a new long-term contract at Arsenal.^[17]

[edit] International

Ramsey made 11 appearances for the Welsh Under-21 side, from 2007-2008. On 19 November 2008 Ramsey was given his debut start with the senior Welsh side, in a friendly against Denmark.^[18]

[edit] Personal life

As a child he attended Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni in the Caerphilly County Borough. Before turning to football, Ramsey was a keen rugby player and as a schoolboy he played as a winger for Caerphilly R.F.C.s youth development programme, where he was approached by scouts from Rugby league side St Helens RLFC after playing in a youth match against them.^[19] He lived with his parents, Marlene and Kevin, and his brother, Josh, until moving to London. Ramsey is bilingual, fluent in both Welsh and English.

[edit] Honours

Cardiff

• Runner-up
  • FA Cup: 2008

Arsenal

• Winner:
  • Amsterdam Tournament: 2008

[edit] Club career statistics

(correct as of 23 June 2009)^[20]

Club	Season	League			Cup			Europe			Total
		Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
Cardiff City	2006–07	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
	2007–08	15	1	0	7	1	0	0	0	0	22	2	0
Arsenal F.C	2008–09	9	0	1	7	0	3	6	1	0	22	1	4
Career total		25	1	1	14	1	3	6	1	0	45	3	4

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Aaron Ramsey photos - Wales U21 v France U21
• Aaron Ramsey career stats at Soccerbase
• Aaron Ramsey profile at Cardiffcityfc.co.uk
• Aaron Ramsey profile at Arsenal.com
• Goal.com profile

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