At just 15 years old, Ellesmere Park High School pupil Emily Ramsey is already an FA Youth Cup finalist with Manchester United and has played for England against Germany.
As first-choice keeper for the United’s Under 17 Centre of Excellence team, it’s a remarkable CV for someone her age.
Not only that, she’s a strong supporter of gender equality sports charity ‘Just a Ball Game?’, which seeks to tackle homophobia in football and other sports.
So where does all this prowess come from?
Emily started out playing football at Deans Youth and Ladies FC in Eccles at just seven – the very same club where a certain Ryan Giggs started his own epic career.
She had aspirations to play for the boys Under 8s team, but says league rules at the time stopped her from playing in an outfield postiion.
It was then that she made her goalkeeping debut and she hasn’t looked back since.
The teenager, born and bred in Eccles, shows remarkable maturity for her age.
The key is in finding a balance between her beloved sport and keeping on top of the contstant pressure that comes with looking ahead to next year’s GCSEs.
She is currently an England U16 squad member and made her debut against Germany in November 2015 at St. George’s Park, but is not slouch elsewhere; she also holds a referee’s qualification too.
The young Lionness was snapped up by Manchester United’s women’s Centre of Excellence team at the age of just eight years old.
She was scouted and offered a place at the Theatre of Dreams.
Not yet out of primary school, she didn’t quite feel ready to step up to the elite level so captained her side at Deans for another year.
In this time she won the club’s Best Player award across all 24 squads – the Schofield Cup, which was also won by Ryan Giggs and again offered a place at Manchester United. This time she took it.
Liverpool save tops highlights so far
The goalkeeper’s favorite save for her club so far was against the old enemy, Liverpool.
“It was a free kick from around 20-25 yards out, and I could only see the ball as it came over the wall.
“I dived full length and managed to tip the ball onto the bar at the top left corner, I then caught the follow up cross.
“We drew the game 0-0 and stopped Liverpool winning the league title that day as a result; it’s stayed with me ever since”.
Although she’s “fulfilled a lifelong ambition”; playing for United, fitness training can be difficult because it doesn’t involve the game she loves: “I don’t mind fitness training when it’s goalkeeping drills around my position, but stuff like aerobic exercise I just find boring”.
Emily grew up idolizing Hope Solo, arguably the best goalkeeper (irrespective of gender) in recent football history.
The 34-year old American recently became the first football player to reach 100 career clean sheets at international level.
“If I could match that then it would be a remarkable achievement,” says Emily.
The goalkeeper despite her prospects in the game as a player, is keen to remain in football in any capacity whether that be ‘coaching or physiotherapy’; as well as being a qualified referee.
Brighter days ahead for women’s football?
Emily is part of the next generation of English female football players that are putting their male counterparts to shame.
While England’s disastrous campaign at Euro 2016 ended in a shocking defeat to minnows Iceland, the Lionesses are coming off the back of a World Cup semi-final appearance, and would be competing at this year’s Olympic games if it wasn’t for the fact they are called ‘England’ rather than ‘Team GB’.
England women were denied a place for a GB team due to opposition from the other home nations.
The best thing to come out of that tournament though is the hope for the future, and has lead to a culture shift in how many women perceive sport.
“It’s more widely practiced now, and more coached, specifically with girls being coached and coaches exclusively working with the women’s teams.
“Plus, there’s a lot more money, opportunities and interest. Obviously it’s nothing compared to the men’s (football) interest and support wise but it is growing”.
Dreams, aspirations and a future to look forward to
In terms of Emily’s future, it won’t be at Manchester United, due to the surprising fact that one of the biggest clubs in the world doesn’t have a senior women’s team.
Ramsey still harbors dreams of playing for The Red Devils one day. However, playing for any Women’s Super League team would be a ‘dream come true’ for Emily.
One of those teams though just so happens to be Manchester City, who have one of the strongest women’s team in the country.
Would she ever make the switch?: “It would depend on what opportunities I would get there. I’d be sad to leave United, because it’s been a massive part of my life”.
Internationals are a different story however, and Emily hopes that her generation could build on the success of the current one and finally see England lift the Women’s World Cup.
“I think we have a very good chance. The quality of people I have played with and people I know is always improving.
“The younger ones are getting stronger and stronger because they’re getting better quality coaching from a younger age.”
Watch this space and keep the red flag flying for Salford, Emily.
