League One nightmare could turn into League Two glory for Aston Villa teen Louie Barry
An eventful season for Aston Villa teenager Louie Barry could end in League Two promotion with Swindon Town ahead of the end of the regular season.
The 18-year-old attacker has been a big part of the push in the second half of the season that sees the side clinging to the final playoff spot by a point going into the final weekend of the league.
Six goals and an assist in 13 league appearances for The Robins represents a solid return, and has rescued his season personally following a nightmare stay in East Anglia with Ipswich Town earlier in the season.
Barry struggled for game time with the Tractor Boys, as the club themselves endured a poor season which saw manager Paul Cook sacked.
With only the odd substitute appearance to his name come the January transfer window he was brought back to Villa to reassess, and as the Birmingham Mail explains, he took fellow youth Villain Kesler Hayden’s spot at Swindon.
While the 19-year-old wing-back took strong League Two involvement and made a step up to League One MK Dons, it took a step back for Barry to establish himself this year.
Levels
Having proven a capable performer in the fourth tier after getting the chance, the season could yet end on a much more positive note than he would have envisaged during the months of relative inactivity earlier in the year.
Ben Garner’s team travel to 15th-placed Walsall on Saturday with everything still up for grabs.
With just five points separating third and ninth in League Two a win could conceivably put them in final automatic promotion spot, while anything less could see them miss out on the playoffs entirely.
Big things are expected of Barry in Birmingham as a member of last season’s FA Youth Cup winning side.
Another player from that side Carney Chukwuemeka has already broken into Steven Gerrard’s first team, having made nine Premier League appearances this year to add to two from last term.
Tim Iroegbunam is an old friend of Barry’s from their time together at West Brom, and was part of the Baggies side beaten in the semi-final last year.
He has also featured for the Villa first team this season, having made the switch in the summer.
While Gerrard has been no stranger to big-money transfer market moves in his short time at the club, there is also a distinct focus on bringing youth through.
If Barry can step up to a more successful stint in League One or even the Championship next season his own club debut may not be too far off.
And a promotion in his first professional season would be a satisfying spring board onto better things if he can secure that between now and the summer.
In other Aston Villa news, the manager is recruiting for places in the starting XI in what is expected to be a busy summer.