Gareth Barry: Retired

[Villa Lew]

Getting back to Gareth Barry without doubt one of my favourite Villa players of all time. A legend.

[Mister E]

Getting back to Gareth Barry without doubt one of my favourite Villa players of all time. A legend.

As I always say in these discussions, GazzaBazza gave us the best years of his career and played in a declining squad over several years. He was a fantastic servant in tough times.

[West Derby Villan]

Great honest servant to our great club

[ChicagoLion]

Decent player but don't think he gives us even a passing thought.

[Olof's Beard]

Decent player but don't think he gives us even a passing thought.

I saw an interview with him about breaking the record and he named Villa Park as his favourite ground because of how special it is to him. He also mentioned how he has loads of Villa supporting mates who have been giving him stick about the Stripeys. He was with us for over a decade, I'm sure that he will give us much more than a passing thought when he finally packs in playing.

[saunders_heroes]

Decent player but don't think he gives us even a passing thought.

Well I know that isn’t true because I know some mates of his and he often talks of us. He was also open to coming back to Villa later in his career but obviously that hasn’t happened.
His wife is from Bournville as well, so it’s not like he cut off all links with the area once he left.

[saunders_heroes]

Decent player but don't think he gives us even a passing thought.

I saw an interview with him about breaking the record and he named Villa Park as his favourite ground because of how special it is to him. He also mentioned how he has loads of Villa supporting mates who have been giving him stick about the Stripeys. He was with us for over a decade, I'm sure that he will give us much more than a passing thought when he finally packs in playing.

He made 445 Villa appearances as well. Not many players in our history have played more for us than Barry so I doubt if he never gives us a second thought these days.

[stuart445]

Decent player but don't think he gives us even a passing thought.

That isn't true as in an interview he was asked what is his biggest regret in his career and he answered immediately that it was not winning a trophy with Villa.

[john2710]

In 50 years of watching football I've never seen any other Villa player at 17 years of age look so completely in place as Barry did when Gregory introduced him.

A Rolls Royce of a footballer if ever there was one, who, but for the lack of natural pace, would have been a top class international too.

[aj2k77]

Is this the former Man City and Everton player Gareth Barry?

[saunders_heroes]

Is this the former Man City and Everton player Gareth Barry?

Yeah the same Barry that played 440 games for Aston Villa.

[Lastfootstamper]

I can't find it, but I recall earlier in this thread someone (apologies) saying about a dip in form, I think? It wasn't a dip. It was after he'd first been picked for England, and it was like he'd forgotten how to play. For a fan from the first time I saw him, it was heartbreaking to witness. He was, almost always, brilliant. He had that gift of all the greats; he could find time. He won nothing with us, which is disappointing, to say the least, for all parties. From the moment he set foot on Villa Park, we should've built teams around him.

And dipping a toe into the Platt debate, one of his greatest attributes was his total professionalism (his heading was his best). It's something he still demonstrates. True, he never bigs us up, but I've never heard him do otherwise for anyone other than his concurrent employers. To try to compare him to Ian Taylor is ridiculous, they're utterly different animals. A true Saunders 110%er*.

*in no way saying that Ian Taylor wasn't.

[Damo70]

I can't find it, but I recall earlier in this thread someone (apologies) saying about a dip in form, I think? It wasn't a dip. It was after he'd first been picked for England, and it was like he'd forgotten how to play. For a fan from the first time I saw him, it was heartbreaking to witness. He was, almost always, brilliant. He had that gift of all the greats; he could find time. He won nothing with us, which is disappointing, to say the least, for all parties. From the moment he set foot on Villa Park, we should've built teams around him.

And dipping a toe into the Platt debate, one of his greatest attributes was his total professionalism (his heading was his best). It's something he still demonstrates. True, he never bigs us up, but I've never heard him do otherwise for anyone other than his concurrent employers. To try to compare him to Ian Taylor is ridiculous, they're utterly different animals. A true Saunders 110%er*.

*in no way saying that Ian Taylor wasn't.

I would agree with that. Football was a job for Platt and I don't think he fell in love with any club he was at.

[Risso]

The way that slap-headed moron SGE treated Barry was nothing short of scandalous.  He was easily one of the best midfielders in the league at the time, and I was away at Old Trafford when he completely and utterly outplayed David bloody Beckham.

[dcdavecollett]

John 2710, you read my mind!!