One of many latter day City midfielders also utilised extensively as a full back, Paul Ramsey developed his ball-winning skills during the club’s Second Division stint of the early 80s. Wearing the no.2 shirt throughout the 1982-83 promotion campaign.
He timed his his first goal – in a crucial victory at Oldham – to perfection. He won the first of his 14 Northern Ireland caps in September 1983, though injuries and spells of in and out occasionally left him sidelined from both domestic and international action.
Probably strongest in a man marking role, and least effective as the fulcrum of a passing game, Paul nonetheless claimed the City Supporters ‘Goal of the Season’ award for a precise piece of opportunism against QPR in 1986-87. He was handed the team captaincy on the arrival of manager David Pleat. Also granted a testimonial in 1989 (with Spurs as opposition), yet City were ready to offload him in a mooted exchange deal with Walsall’s Craig Shakespeare befoe that year’s transfer deadline. Paul opted to stay and fight for his place, and indeed reaseerted himself as a millde-line grafter as City turned around their disastrous start to the 1989-90 Second division campaign, when his two-goal ‘super sub’ intervention in a 4-3 win over Leeds marked a vital turning point.
Two dismissals somewhat marred his final season at Filbert Street, and he moved on when it became clear there would be no regular role for him in Brian Little’s selections, to rejoin his one time City reserve coach Eddie May at Cardiff City. Two Welsh Cup medals and a Third Division championship gong (as skipper) accured from his initial spell at Ninian Park. He would have returned to Wales in October 1993 after failing to settle (under the management of former Irish team-mate John McClelland) in Scotland, had not the Football League invoked a rule forbidding a transfer back with twelve months. Rules tripped him up again when a further year on, he rejoined the Bluebirds on loan, for he was ineligible to turn out against Ebbw Yale in the Welsh Cup, and his team was unceremoniously ejected from the 1994-95 competition (through legal arguments eventually won them a reinstatement).
Paul Ramsey later played for Barry Town, Torquay United and in Finland with KPV. Ramsey was among the spectators when Leicester lifted the Premier League trophy in 2015-16. He has been in various roles at Leicester in the years since.
FACTFILE:
- Full Name: Paul Christopher Ramsey
- Position: Defender / Midfielder
- Date of Birth: 03.09.1962
- Birthplace: Derry
- Nation: Northern Ireland
- Caps / Goals: 14 / 0
- Major League Career:
- 1980-91, Leicester City (322/13)
- 1991-94, Cardiff City (80/7)
- 1993-95, St Johnstone (22/0)
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