Ramsey playing for Arsenal |
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Aaron James Ramsey | ||
| Date of birth | 26 December 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Caerphilly, Wales | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Arsenal | ||
| Number | 16 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2007 | Cardiff City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2007–2008 | Cardiff City | 16 | (1) |
| 2008– | Arsenal | 53 | (5) |
| 2010–2011 | → Nottingham Forest (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2011 | → Cardiff City (loan) | 6 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2005–2008 | Wales U17 | 15 | (2) |
| 2007– | Wales U21 | 12 | (2) |
| 2008– | Wales | 20 | (5) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:47, 2 January 2012 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
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Aaron James Ramsey (born 26 December 1990) is a Welsh footballer who plays for Arsenal and is the captain of the Wales national team. A box-to-box midfielder with a tireless workrate and wide range of passing, he established himself as the playmaker for Arsenal following the departure of Cesc Fàbregas.
Ramsey played for Cardiff City as a schoolboy where he spent eight years in youth football before making 16 appearances for the senior team. Ramsey moved to Arsenal in 2008 in a £5 million deal, where he quickly gained first team experience.
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As a child Ramsey attended Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni in the Caerphilly County Borough.[1] Before turning to football, he 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[2] but had already been signed by Cardiff City's youth academy. He lived with his parents, Marlene and Kevin, and his brother, Josh until moving to London where he was housemate with former Cardiff City teammate, Chris Gunter,[3] who was then playing for Tottenham Hotspur before moving to Nottingham Forest. Ramsey is bilingual, speaking both Welsh and English.[4]
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,[5] 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.[6] 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.
Ramsey 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[7] and went on to make his first full professional start for Cardiff on 5 January in the FA Cup against 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.[8] Due to his performance against Chasetown, Ramsey was nominated for the Player of the Round award, eventually losing out to Coventry's Michael Mifsud.[9] On 26 April, he scored his first league goal in a 3–3 draw against Burnley.[10] 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.[11]
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.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14] 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.[14]
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.[15] 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.[16] Wenger described Ramsey as "a player with a fantastic engine, good build, good technique and good vision".[17]
Ramsey made his competitive debut for Arsenal in the 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 Fenerbahçe in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League[18] 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.[19] On 1 July 2009, he signed a new long-term contract at Arsenal.[20]
On 22 August, Ramsey scored his first league goal in a one-on-one against goalkeeper David James as Arsenal beat Portsmouth 4–1[21] at Emirates Stadium and then set up Andrei Arshavin in a 3–1 home win over Celtic in the Champions League play-offs.[22] In the 28 October Carling Cup fourth round win against Liverpool, he produced an impressive performance and set up Nicklas Bendtner that earned him the Man of the Match award.
Ramsey made his first Premier League start of the season on November 7, 2009 as Arsenal beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–1 at Molineux with Ramsey completing 90-minutes for the first time in the top-flight. Four days after the game, he was awarded the Welsh Young Player of the Year award.[23] On 6 December 2009, Ramsey scored his second league goal of the season in a comfortable 2–0 victory over Stoke City. On 30 December, Ramsey went on to score his third goal of the season, along with an assist in the 4–1 victory against Portsmouth. On 3 January 2010, Ramsey scored a 78th minute equaliser in the F.A. Cup third round tie against West Ham United at Upton Park. Arsenal went on to win the tie 2–1, with Eduardo scoring a 83rd minute header. Ramsey went on to be named E.ON Man of the Match. Ramsey has been described by manager Arsène Wenger as: "An offence-minded Roy Keane" and "an all-round player, with a fantastic ability to cover distances."[24]
On 27 February 2010, Arsenal played Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium, where a tackle by Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross caused a double fracture in Ramsey's lower right leg.[25] Ramsey was hospitalised, and it was later confirmed that he had broken his tibia and fibula.[26] No return date was initially given,[27][28] but it was announced on March 20 that he started walking without his crutches. Ramsey signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal on 1 June 2010.[29] He returned to training in October 2010.[30] On 23 November 2010, Ramsey made his return to competitive football for the Arsenal reserve team against the Wolverhampton Wanderers reserve team at Arsenal's London Colney training ground.[31]
Ramsey was loaned out to Nottingham Forest on 25 November 2010 until 3 January 2011. The move was to allow Ramsey to gain match fitness.[32] Ramsey made his Forest debut on 29 November 2010 as a 61st minute substitute against Leicester City.[33] He made his first start against Derby County in the East Midlands derby where he played 60 minutes. The match ended 5–2 to Nottingham Forest. Due to adverse weather conditions, Ramsey was limited to just five appearances for Forest before returning to Arsenal in January, 2011.[34][35] Ramsey returned to Arsenal on 5 January before the club's FA Cup clash with Leeds United FC[36] in which he was an unused substitute.[37] Ramsey was also an unused substitute at Portman Road on 12 January for the Carling Cup semi-final clash with Ipswich Town.[38]
Ramsey returned to Cardiff City in a one month loan move in order to gain match fitness,[39] joining fellow Arsenal youngster Jay Emmanuel-Thomas who also joined Cardiff City on loan in January 2011.[40] Ramsey was handed his first start for Cardiff against Reading.[41] Ramsey again started for Cardiff City in the South Wales derby against Swansea City A.F.C. where he provided an assist for Craig Bellamy in the game ending 1–0.[42] Ramsey again completed 90 minutes for Cardiff in the game against Scunthorpe [43] and Burnley. A minor thigh strain ruled Ramsey out of the match against Nottingham Forest.[44] He made his come back against Leicester, scoring in a 2–0 victory.[45]
On 25 February, Cardiff asked for a loan extension until the end of the season with a 24 hour call back option; however, Arsenal turned this offer down and Ramsey returned to Arsenal.[46]
Ramsey made his Arsenal return as a 72nd minute substitute against Manchester United in the FA Cup which Arsenal lost 2–0. He made his first start since his injury for Arsenal on 19 March against West Bromwich Albion. On 1 May Ramsey scored his first goal of the season against Manchester United, winning the Man of the Match award. The midfielder ended the season with seven league appearances.
On 16 August 2011, Ramsey made his first Champions League appearance of the season at home against Udinese. In the fourth minute of the match he assisted on Theo Walcott's goal that gave Arsenal the 1–0 advantage in the first leg of the match. Four days later he played a league game at the Emirates against Liverpool where on the 78th minute of play, Ignasi Miquel's attempted clearance hit Ramsey and looped into the back of the net past Wojciech Szczęsny for an own goal. The game finished 2–0 to Liverpool.
On 17 September 2011, Ramsey assisted on Mikel Arteta for Arsenal's second goal as the team lost 4–3 away to Blackburn Rovers in a Premier League game. He was widely criticised for his performance lately for slowing down the tempo of the game and being indecisive in passing. However, he had a solid game during a convincing 3–0 Premier League win against Bolton Wanderers on 24 September 2011. He provided an assist for the Arsenal captain Robin van Persie by a through ball in less than one minute after the half-time break. He made another important through pass to Theo Walcott on the 54th minute that saw David Wheater sent off for pulling Walcott from the back.
On 19 October 2011, he scored a dramatic last minute winner against Olympique Marseille in an important group stage match of the UEFA Champions League. On 23 October 2011, he produced a chipped ball over the Stoke City defense to assist Gervinho for the first goal in a 3–1 win for the Gunners.
On 5 November 2011, he aided Arsenal to open the score against West Bromwich Albion in a Premier League in the Emirates Stadium with an exquisite pass that allowed Theo Walcott to shoot. The ball was then parried by the West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster and tapped in the back of the net by Robin van Persie.
Ramsey had his first taste of international action when he was called up for the Wales U17s in 2005. A part of the new wave of young talents to emerge from the Wales youth teams, he debuted for the U21 side on 21 August 2007 in a 4–3 away win over Sweden U21s several months shy of his seventeenth birthday, breaking former club mate Chris Gunter's record.[47][48] Youth coach Brian Flynn revealed that Ramsey had been purposely held back in the U21s to help qualify for the 2009 U21 European Championships but they lost a close contest to England U21s in the play-offs, where Ramsey himself scored a wonderful volley with his weaker foot in the second leg at Villa Park.[49]
Ramsey made his debut for the Wales national football team on 19 November 2008 versus Denmark in a friendly, aged 17, breaking the record set by Chris Gunter as the youngest Welsh international[50][51] On 14 October 2009, he scored his first senior goal in the 2010 World Cup qualifier away at Liechtenstein from a free kick awarded for a trip on Gareth Bale.[52] As the World Cup qualification campaign came to an end, he and 11 other senior internationals were recalled to Flynn's preliminary U21 squad on 30 October for a qualifier but later withdrew.[53] On 6 November, Toshack also called him up for the 14 November friendly against Scotland.[54] Wales won 3–0 and Ramsey was involved in all of them – assisting David Edwards' opener, setting up Joe Ledley to assist the second and then scoring a solo effort.[55] Ramsey was awarded the FAW's Young Player of the Year award that same month.[56][57]
Wales team manager Gary Speed appointed Ramsey as permanent captain of Wales, beginning with the match versus England on 26 March 2011. This made him the youngest ever Wales captain at the age of 20 years 90 days, beating the record set by Mike England in 1964.[58] He scored his first goal as captain in Wales' final Carling Nations Cup match against Northern Ireland on 27 May 2011.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 14 October 2009 | Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein | Liechtenstein | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying |
| 2. | 14 November 2009 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | Scotland | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 3. | 27 May 2011 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland | Northern Ireland | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2011 Nations Cup |
| 4. | 2 September 2011 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | Montenegro | 2–0 | 2–1 | Euro 2012 Qualifying |
| 5. | 7 October 2011 | Liberty Stadium, Swansea, Wales | Switzerland | 1–0 | 2–0 | Euro 2012 Qualifying |
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | 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 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 3 | |
| Cardiff City total | 16 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 3 | |
| Arsenal | 2008–09 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 3 |
| 2009–10 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 4 | 3 | |
| 2010–11 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | |
| Nottingham Forest (loan) | 2010–11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Cardiff City (loan) | 2010–11 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Arsenal | 2011–12 | 19 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 6 |
| Arsenal total | 53 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 85 | 8 | 11 | |
| Career total | 90 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 118 | 10 | 14 | |
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