Shropshire Star

Eric Ramsay leaves Shrewsbury Town to become assistant coach of Chelsea under-23s

Highly-rated first-team coach Eric Ramsay has left Shrewsbury Town to become assistant coach at Chelsea's under-23s.

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The Welshman has been at Shrewsbury since 2017, where he originally joined as head of coaching in the club's academy.

He joined Danny Coyne as Town joint-caretaker manager last November after the club sacked John Askey.

Former Swansea academy coach Ramsay, who is also a coach educator for FA Wales, impressed new boss Sam Ricketts and was kept on as first-team coach.

He revealed he is leaving Salop with a heavy heart but the opportunity is one he was unable to turn down.

Loughborough University graduate Ramsay told the club's website: “It was a really difficult decision because I’ve got a strong connection with Shrewsbury and the Town itself. It was my club as a kid and it’s a club I’ve always followed.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time working here. I’ve taken a lot from all of the staff that I’ve worked with and each of the experiences I’ve been lucky enough to have here have hopefully stood me in good stead for my next step which is a really exciting one.

"It’s a club that are doing really good things in terms of youth development and it’s something I unfortunately felt I couldn’t turn down.

“I’ve known Sam only about 18 months now, slightly before he came in here. I feel like I’ve clicked with him really well and I feel like the management staff that are there at the moment all compliment each other with their different skill sets.

“I think there’s a lot of good work that's been done from what’s been a really good start to pre-season so again it’s with a really heavy heart that I leave the current set up because I felt like I was taking a lot from them and hopefully giving a lot back as well.

“It’s disappointing but at this point in my life and my career, I felt like it was the right decision to make.

“The work that I’ve done with the first team in the last however many months has been challenging and has definitely developed me as a coach.

"However the chance to go and work in one of the most renowned academies in Europe, it was a chance I couldn’t turn down and I think it’s something that will help me develop professionally and personally and I hope can   add to what I’ve taken from my time at Shrewsbury."

Ramsay, who lives across the mid-Wales border in Llanfyllin, feels that Shrewsbury's academy is in a positive position under David Longwell, who took over at the beginning of this year.

Academy graduates James Rowland and Ryan Barnett have caught the eye over pre-season, while Ryan Sears has already made the breakthrough, as Town continue to promote from within.

Ramsay revealed a chat with chairman Roland Wycherley made his decision to leave easier.

“I like to think across first-team and the academy I’ve done some work that has contributed to the club moving forward," he added.

"I’ve left the academy in a good place under David Longwell with plenty of players knocking on the first-team door.

“That’s not my work, of course, that’s thanks to a lot of people behind the scenes as well.

“Also the very intense nine months or so I’ve had working with the first-team. It’s had its ups and downs but it’s a time I’ll look at really favourably.

“It’s difficult to say goodbye to some of the people in the first-team and people at the club who have given me some really good opportunities and lots of people who I feel some really strong connections with.

“I was pleased this week when I spoke to the chairman, he said he’d always welcome me back and the door is always open to return at some point which is exactly what you want to hear when you leave somewhere.”