Aaron Ramsey returned to action after a lengthy injury layoff, only to be met with hostility from the stands from some familiar trolls.
Aaron Ramsey’s long-awaited return from injury should have been a routine comeback, but at the bet365 Stadium, the past is never far away as they seem to live in it.
The Cardiff City captain, making his first start in five months, was met with relentless boos from Stoke City supporters, reigniting a bitter narrative that has persisted since Ryan Shawcross shattered his leg over 13 years ago.
Omer Riza, Ramsey’s manager, was unequivocal in his response, calling his captain a “national treasure” and expressing disappointment in the reception he received. “It was disappointing. Things happen in football. He’s a national treasure in Wales,” Riza said. “It’s never nice but on the flip side Aaron has had a very good career and I’m sure he has dealt with a lot of things in the past. His character is robust enough to deal with it and it probably spurs him on to be even better.”
The hostility from the stands stems from Ramsey’s reported refusal to engage with Shawcross’ apology following the horrific 2010 tackle that left him with a double leg break while playing for Arsenal.
Though over a decade has passed, the animosity remains, and the Cardiff midfielder was targeted from his first touch, with the jeers reaching their peak as he was substituted after 63 minutes.
Adding to the tension, Shawcross – now retired – was present in the Stoke dugout as part of Mark Robins’ coaching staff.
On the pitch, the drama was just as intense.
Cardiff raced into a 2-0 lead within 19 minutes through Rubin Colwill and Yousef Salech, only for Stoke to mount a comeback, with Lewis Koumas scoring twice and Lewis Baker converting a penalty to put the hosts 3-2 up before the hour mark.
With 22 minutes remaining, Colwill struck again to send the game into extra time before holding his nerve in the penalty shootout to help Cardiff progress 4-2.
Calum Chambers and Chris Willock, both former Arsenal players, were among those to convert their penalties for teh Bluebirds as Stoke suffered another painful FA Cup exit.
For Ramsey, the focus now returns to the Championship, where Cardiff will face Portsmouth on February 11.
But in Stoke, memories of 2010 still linger, and the boos that followed him off the pitch prove that, for some, time does not heal all wounds, particularly imagined ones.
After the final whistle, Ramsey gave the home fans a little wave.
That no doubt infuriated them more.
Ramsey has only faced three teams more than he has Stoke, winning nine of 16 games, losing only four. He has scored three and assisted two in those 16 games and never once picked up so much as a single booking.
Shawcross, on the other hand, lost nine times to Arsenal.