Quick Facts
SagittariusBiography
Peter Iain Ramage (born 22 November 1983) is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Phoenix Rising FC.
Ramage began his career with Newcastle United as an academy player before progressing to the first team. In the summer of 2008, he moved to London side Queens Park Rangers, thus ending his twelve-year association with Newcastle United. In 2011–12, Ramage spent time on loan at Championship clubs Crystal Palace and Birmingham City before joining Crystal Palace on a permanent contract in 2012. After Palace were promoted to the Premier League, Ramage joined Championship club Barnsley on loan in September 2013. On 3 October 2014 Ramage again joined Barnsley on a three-month loan. In May 2015, Ramage was released by Crystal Palace. He spent the 2015 Indian Super League season with Kerala Blasters before returning to England where he signed for Coventry City.
Early life
Born in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, Ramage is the son of Iain Ramage, a former semi-professional rugby union player and international RFU referee, who was Scotland's representative at the 2003 World Cup. Ramage grew up in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England, but moved to the Newcastle area at the age of twelve and attended Valley Gardens Middle School and Whitley Bay High School. As a youngster, he was with Cramlington Juniors, the local boys' club, and then joined the Newcastle United academy, playing alongside his Valley Gardens schoolmate Steven Taylor.
Club career
Newcastle United
Ramage played in the same youth team as Taylor, Michael Chopra and Adam Rundle under Alan Irvine, before later being coached by former Newcastle players Kenny Wharton and Peter Beardsley. He would later partner Taylor in central defence when they broke into the first team. In the reserve team he was coached by another former United player, Tommy Craig. In March 2003, Ramage won the Jackie Milburn Trophy, given each year to the rising star of north-east football. He worked his way through Newcastle's youth system and captained the Newcastle reserve side before making his breakthrough to the first team squad. Ramage made his first team debut as a substitute in Newcastle's UEFA Cup round-of-16 match second leg against Olympiacos on 16 March 2005.
His first league start at Old Trafford in the 2–1 defeat to Manchester United on 24 April 2005. He followed this up with several first team starts due to injuries to other defenders in the Newcastle squad.
Ramage was a first team regular in the 2005–06 season, appearing in twenty-nine games. The injury to team-mate Stephen Carr allowed him to play a larger amount of games for the Magpies, as he made a good impression on both Graeme Souness and Glenn Roeder, who replaced Souness as manager in early 2006. As a result of these performances he allegedly caught the eye of former Scotland manager Walter Smith. Ramage is eligible to play for Scotland or England.
Ramage only made two appearances in the 2007–08 season, when he was hampered by injury, but also losing out to the new defensive recruits made by the then new manager Sam Allardyce. He was also not to be a first choice of the next manager Kevin Keegan, who replaced Allardyce in the middle of the season.
Ramage's Newcastle contract expired at the end of the season, and despite Keegan's stated desire to retain Ramage, he was unable to guarantee first team football, therefore Ramage made the decision to move on.
Queens Park Rangers
He subsequently signed a three-year contract with Championship side Queens Park Rangers on a free transfer. On the opening day of the 2009–10 season, Ramage scored his first professional goal, against Blackpool; he also won the Man of the Match Award.
Loan spells
In June 2011, Ramage signed a new one-year deal at Queens Park Rangers, however in August, he went out on a month-long loan at Crystal Palace, later extended until 15 January 2012.
On 29 February, Ramage signed for Championship club Birmingham City on an emergency loan until the end of the season. He made his debut against Leicester City, the team he played on his last appearance for Crystal Palace a few weeks earlier. At the end of the season, Ramage was one of eight players to be released.
Crystal Palace
Ramage signed for Crystal Palace on a one-year contract in August 2012. He scored goals against Leicester City, Leeds United, Watford and Middlesbrough. Ramage was a regular member of the Palace starting eleven over the season, forming a centre back partnership with Damien Delaney, and helped them to promotion to the Premier League. He was given a two-year contract extension, but in September 2013, was allowed to join Championship club Barnsley on loan for the season. On 3 October 2014 Ramage again signed for Barnsley on a three-month loan deal. On 22 May 2015, it was announced that Ramage would not be offered a new contract by Palace at the end of the 2014-15 season.
Kerala Blasters
On 24 August 2015, Ramage joined ISL side Kerala Blasters FC for the 2015 tournament.
Coventry City
On 7 January 2016, Ramage signed for League One club Coventry City until the end of the season.
On 17 March 2016, Ramage joined Leyton Orient on a 28-day loan.
Arizona United SC
On 3 August 2016, United Soccer League club Arizona United SC announced that it had signed Ramage.
Career statistics
- As of 8 May 2016
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Newcastle United | 2004–05 | Premier League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 23 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | |
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 32 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 51 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 69 | 0 | ||
| Queens Park Rangers | 2008–09 | Championship | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 34 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | Championship | 33 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 36 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 | Championship | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 68 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 74 | 2 | |||
| Crystal Palace (loan) | 2012–13 | Championship | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | |
| Birmingham City (loan) | 2011–12 | Championship | 14 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Crystal Palace | 2011–12 | Championship | 40 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 43 | 4 | |
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 40 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 44 | 4 | |||
| Barnsley (loan) | 2013–14 | Championship | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | League One | 19 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 3 | |||
| Total | 43 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 48 | 3 | ||||
| Kerala Blasters | 2015 | Indian Super League | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| Coventry City | 2015–16 | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| Leyton Orient (loan) | 2015–16 | League Two | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 259 | 9 | 16 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 300 | 9 | ||
Honours
Club
- Queens Park Rangers
- Football League Championship: 2010–11
