Captain Jamie Rother has decided to call time on his nine season association with Ramsbottom United.
Rother played 193 times for the Rams scoring 17 goals along the way. He played a massive role within the dressing room and was a real leader on and off the pitch and has certainly etched his name onto the list of Ramsbottom United legends.
Jamie, who joined the club from Salford City when most of the Ramsbottom United side had gone the other way in early 2015, was a firm fan favourite at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium.
He told the club website, “I didn’t think I’d be writing this message and leaving a club so close to my heart. I’ve been at Rammy for eight years and had some of my best times in football so I’m gutted to be announcing that I’m leaving.”
He has enjoyed some of Rammy’s most memorable recent times, including the epic FA Trophy run to Weymouth and beyond and famously coming off the bench to score the 88th minute winner at Marine in what was to prove to be our final game before Covid took its hold on the nation.
The midfield maestro explained his reasoning for leaving, “At this stage of my career I feel the time was right to have a crack at winning a league before I hang my boots up!”
Manager Lee Donafee discussed the situation with our website saying, “It’s tough to write but unfortunately Jay is joining Avro on a dual registration for reasons I cannot control. It’s been a tough few days for us both but at the end of the day myself and Ramsbottom as a club cannot stand in Jay’s way.”
The gaffer also spoke to us about how he was feeling, “His reasons for leaving make sense and it’s nothing to do with Ramsbottom United, we have tried all we could to keep him here. It’s fair to say Jay is a top clubman and for eight years he has given his all to this club from the first game to his last. We wish him luck at Avro and he knows the door is always open at Ramsbottom.”
Finally Rother had a message for everyone involved with the club, “I can’t thank everyone at the club enough for how they’ve treated me during my time I’ll definitely be a fan and hoping the lads turn things around I have faith that Lee and his team will do that.
All the best, Jay.”
Rother will be joining North West Counties Premier Division team Avro with immediate affect. The Rams have retained his Northern Premier League registration.
All at the club wish Jamie the best of luck in his next chapter and we are sure that our paths will meet again.
