Magpies turn to ex-defender for academy assistant role

FORMER Newcastle defender Peter Ramage has returned to the club as the new under-23s assistant manager.

Ramage broke through the club’s academy and played for United’s first team between 2004 and 2008 before moving on to QPR.

His playing career then also took him to Crystal Palace, Birmingham, Coventry, Leyton Orient and Kerala Blasters before ending his career with Phoenix Rising.

After a brief spell coaching at Newcastle’s academy, he returned to Arizona as the club’s assistant manager in 2018.

“I’m really excited and grateful to be given the opportunity by the football club to come home and work at the Academy with the Under-23s,” Ramage told the club’s website.

“I’m looking forward to working and learning from some incredible coaches and working with a talented group of players.

“My goal is to help give them the foundations to move into the first team and hopefully live the dream that I did in walking out at St James’ Park in front of 52,000 Geordies.”

Academy director Joe Joyce said: “We are delighted to bring Peter back to the club to support Chris Hogg in nurturing our Under-23s players.

“Peter knows the club extremely well and his experiences as a player and talent as a coach will be of great benefit to our young players as they continue to develop their game.

“On behalf of everyone at the club, I would like to thank Liam Bramley [whom Ramage is replacing] for the hard work and commitment he has displayed during his time with Newcastle United. We wish him every success in his future coaching career.”