Mark Delaney has seen Jacob Ramsey grow from a boy to a man at Aston Villa.
The Under-23s Lead Coach has worked at various age groups within the Academy, playing a part in the midfielder’s development as Ramsey worked his way towards the first team.
And after the 19-year-old signed a new four-and-a-half-year deal earlier this week, Delaney shared his delight at the news.
“I’m really, really pleased for him,” he said.
“I remember working with him when he was nine all those years ago. He’s earned that himself. He’s a boy who wants to improve all the time, he always came to training with a smile on his face.
“When you see someone like that and a character like that who goes on and achieves what he’s achieved, things like a new contract come along with it.
“All we’re concerned about is that he keeps on improving. I did speak to him and just said ‘keep your head down, keep improving’.
“He’s fully aware that this is just the beginning and that he’s got a long way to go.”
Ramsey’s progress through the ranks culminated in his Premier League debut earlier this season, as a substitute against Fulham, and his first top-flight start for the club vs Wolves in December.
The homegrown youngster, who joined the club at the age of seven, is the eldest of three brothers in the Villa Academy, with one of his siblings, Aaron, currently a part of Delaney’s Under-23 squad.
The coach believes it’s in the nature of all the Ramsey boys to keep pushing for bigger and better things in the future.
Delaney said: “They’re [Jacob and Aaron] both different players and different characters, and then there’s a younger one who’s different again.
“There are some good genes in that family. All I can say is that they’re good people and they’re good boys.
“Their development is down to them and they want to push each other every day.”
