It's not everyday that a player gets a special mention in the Press for his birthday.
But in this case we here at Blog on the Tyne feel it is a worthy one.
For today is the 23rd birthday of Peter Ramage.
You wouldn't think that for one so young he had played in just 50 games.
Yet at the minute he is playing like a man above his years.
And going into the Celta Vigo game it's no bad thing with just three senior defenders available due to an injury crisis at St James' Park, and one of them is younger than Ramage in the shape of Steven Taylor.
Like every player making the grade at United, Ramage has made mistakes since making his debut 50 games ago but he doesn't let it bother him and gets on with his job of working for the team.
He didn't grumble too much after his mistake at Old Traffford last season and he didn't grumble when Glenn Roeder told him he needed a rest at the end of the 2005/06 season.
Instead Ramage rolled his sleeves up and got on with the job.
He even requested to play in the reserves against Blyth Spartans in the Northumberland Senior Cup final, with the Toon winning 2-1 against the non-leaguers.
And after joining in the celebrations he handed his winners medal to long-serving kitman George Ramshaw in a great gesture.
He started the season again in the reserves but has worked his way back to the first XI.
Perhaps his best moment this season came at centre-back at Upton Park during the 2-0 win - a performance that even Bobby Moore would have took his hat off to.
And despite being switched across the defence he keeps going.
Off the field Ramage is one of the first to turn up at supporters meetings, junior club presentation nights and he is one of the last off the field when clapping the away support.
In addition to that Ramage also faces up to the Press to get his point of view across to the fans no matter what the result even though other a minority of senior figures look the other way.
In truth United have never seen a similar player since the likes of Steve Watson and Lee Clark during the 1990s when two of the best local lads broke into the team.
He's still got some way to go if he wants to follow them - but he's certainly on the right road.
And it's also a triumph for the club's Academy when they produce a player that serves the senior side so well.
Leave your messages to Peter Ramage in the comments section
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