Aside from the cards on the mantelpiece and the wrapping paper off his presents, there is very little to suggest that Calvin Ramsay has only just turned 18.
His frame, demeanour and self-assurance are those of someone who entered adulthood long before this weekend, and allying those qualities to his uncommon talents in both defence and attack already seems to have him confirmed as Aberdeen’s first choice right back.
It is a swift elevation, but richly deserved. From the moment he stepped into the fray at the tail end of last season Ramsay immediately looked the part, the only question mark being the durability of young legs which had yet to prove good for the full 90 minutes.
Given the carousel of ill-fitting options who latterly played the role prior to the summer, that no significant resource was expended on upgrading the right back position indicated the belief that the long-term solution was under construction, and the gradual building of Ramsay’s game time over the first three matches of this term looks like the final tempering of the raw materials.
As usual, he gave many assured touches here, but the best of them all was the one he did not.
The dummy with which he shook the experienced Mark Reynolds showed extraordinary presence of mind, and enabled him to serve up the game-clinching moment by way of a typically well-measured cross for Christian Ramirez.
For his part, the American is making as strong an impression on Aberdeen as it appears to be having on him.
The enthusiasm and excitement with which Ramirez is embracing the first overseas posting of a not-inconsequential career speaks highly of a Scottish game which tends to talk itself down.
If Ramsay can continue to present him with opportunities like this, that smile will only get wider as the season unfolds.
💬 "It was brilliant. It was great to have the fans back and to get the win."
🔴 Our Central Coaches Man of the Match, Calvin Ramsay, gives his thoughts on today's victory at Pittodrie. pic.twitter.com/nyECS4cF4m
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) August 1, 2021
