Aaron Ramsey is desperate to help his Arsenal side to win a second successive FA Cup title and repeat the heroics of his last appearance at Wembley, when he scored the winning goal against Hull City to hand the Gunners their first trophy in nine years.
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Why? Because he wants to dedicate the victory to his dead grandmother. Eileen, or ‘Nanny Leany’ as the 24-year-old knew here, was one of his biggest supporters, even convincing her grandson to buy her Sky Sports so that she could watch him on a regular basis.
According to The Guardian, Ramsey will dedicate any potential success to her memory, after the 84-year-old passed on last month. His quest to do so will start later today when his side face Championship strugglers Reading in their Wembley semi-final.
Victory will see them book a meeting against either Liverpool or Aston Villa, who play in London on Sunday.
Speaking about his nan, Ramsey told reporters: “She was an incredible woman, who meant an awful lot to me. She lost her husband early in her life and she had to raise seven kids on her own.
“In those days, it was an incredibly difficult thing to do but she managed to do that. She was always happy, making jokes, and she had that sort of outlook on life. She always believed in me and gave me reassurance. It has just been a difficult time.
“We go into the game against Reading as big favourites and we have to be switched on and start well, which we have been doing lately. We have to focus on ourselves and, if we manage ourselves correctly, we will go through.”
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