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Peter Ramage pictured at the Baseball Ground

We recently received an enquiry from the grandson of Peter Ramage - a former Derby County footballer - asking if we had any information about his forebear's career. Always happy to help where we can, our football correspondent writes the following:

Scotsman Peter Ramage played in two Derby County teams that finished runners-up in the First Division, in 1929-30 and 1935-36. In a ten year period when the Rams were often challenging for the championship - and considered one of the best and most entertaining sides in the country - Ramage was a consistent performer at inside-forward.

Hard-working and unselfish, he was the type of player who brought others into the game by ball-winning and judicious passing, and it was said of him that he 'made others look good' while often being undervalued himself, at least by the fans.

He was born Peter Martin Fairgrieve Ramage in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, Scotland, on 26 March 1908. He played his earliest competitive football north of the border, first with Tranant Juniors and then Newtongrange Star.

But like many Scots with a talent for the game, he was 'spotted' and tempted South into England, signing in June 1927 for Coventry City. He played 26 Football League games for the Sky Blues, and scored 5 goals, before being signed by George Jobey for Derby County in August 1928.

By the time he left the Rams in August 1937, Peter Ramage had made 255 appearances for them, and scored 60 goals. It is a record that stands close scrutiny, although the most critical elements of Derby County's supporters felt he should have scored more - indeed Ramage was sometimes a target for what was then termed 'barracking' from the terrace 'boo boys'.

Those who played with him, though, knew Ramage's value all too well. England winger Sammy Crooks said: "He was a great forager, a glutton for work, and one of the best clubmen Derby County have ever possessed. He was always there to help you out of trouble, and his positional play and ball distribution were second to none."

When Ramage left Derby County he stayed in Derbyshire, signing for Chesterfield. He remained there from August 1937 to May 1939, notching up 71 League games and 4 goals.

He then signed for non-league Chelmsford City, before his serious footballing days were abruptly interrupted by the Second World War. After hostilities ceased he signed for Atherstone Town in July 1945, by then aged 37, and wound up his career back in Derbyshire, with a one-year spell at Ilkeston Town between September 1947 and October 1948.

Peter Ramage decided not to enter management on the grand scale, but instead ran sides in the local leagues in Derby, sometimes turning out himself in his early forties. The Derby County favourite Tommy Powell, then a youngster in a local side, remembered Ramage from those days: "He was still brilliant even then. He made the ball talk. And he was such a nice bloke as well."

Peter Ramage's career as a professional spanned 1927 to 1939 - he played 330 League games and scored 64 goals.

He died in Ballyclare, Ireland, on 17 December 1982, at the age of 74. This short piece deservedly puts on record his football credentials, in particular his contribution to Derby County, for alas, there are few who can remember first hand the days when Peter Ramage 'made the ball talk'.

                                                 R. I. P. PETER RAMAGE - 1908 - 1982.
  

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County:  Derbyshire

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