Aston Villa v Newcastle United: In-form Jacob Ramsey will make his return to Villa Park in the FA Cup this weekend.
The 24-year-old summer signing from Aston Villa scored his first goal for The Magpies to secure a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur.
On Saturday, he will return to Villa Park for the first time since leaving the club for £41million in August as Newcastle face Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round (5:45pm kick-off). Ramsey graduated from Villa’s academy and went on to make 167 first-team appearances for the club.
But Villa’s pressure to sell and comply with UEFA and Premier League financial rules, paired with the incentive of academy graduates being booked as ‘pure profit’, saw them reluctantly cash in on Ramsey last summer.
And after a slow start to his Newcastle career, hampered by a six-week absence due to an ankle injury, Ramsey has started to prove his worth to the side as he returns to Villa on the back of a Player of the Match match-winning display at Spurs.
Six months after his departure, he remains a popular figure with the Villa squad.
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Aston Villa stars frustrated with Jacob Ramsey exit
Aston Villa captain John McGinn publicly hit out at the transfer when it was agreed back in August.
“A perfect example of how an academy player should handle the transition to the first-team,” he posted on social media. “Always humble, respectful and willing to learn.
“It’s been a privilege to share the dressing room with you and enjoy some special moments together on the pitch. A sad day losing a top player and person and one of our own but it seems to be the way football is set up these days! All the best JJ.”
Villa defender Tyrone Mings also issued a more cryptic response when sharing news of Ramsey’s move.
Mings posted on Instagram: “Don’t wanna hear any bad words or anything negative on this name. You don’t know the half.”
Clubs rightly feel some degree of connection with players who have progressed through the academy and gone on to become first-team stars. Newcastle feel the same with Elliot Anderson even after his move to Nottingham Forest.
Jacob Ramsey ‘a Newcastle United player’
But football moves on and, as much as Villa won’t want to hear it, Ramsey is very much a Newcastle player.
A sentiment echoed by Howe ahead of the trip to Villa Park.
“I do,” Howe said when asked if I think Ramsey feels like a Newcastle player now. “It can never be underestimated how difficult it is for any player to leave a club you have been associated with for so long.
“You have got to feel that new identity with your new team and sometimes that takes longer for some people than others. I’m not saying that was the case with Jacob because I don’t know how he felt deep down but, certainly, in the first few weeks, the first few games you play can be difficult for a new team, especially a slightly different way of play of playing and a slightly different position.
“I’ve got to say he’s done it all with real professionalism. I’ve had no issues with him. He’s worked really hard at his game. He’s been very conscientious, really good around the training ground.
“He’s settling in really well with his team-mates. He has really good friendship groups and looks really happy.
“But there’s nothing better than actually contributing and helping the team win games. There’s no better way to feel part of the Newcastle family than that and I think that will be a big turning point for him.”
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