Barry Bannan

Barry Ryan Bannan (born 1 December 1989) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for and captains EFL Championship club Sheffield Wednesday.

Bannan began his career at Albion Rovers before moving to the Celtic Academy and later the Aston Villa Academy. After four years in their youth and reserve sides he made his senior debut for Aston Villa in 2008, and was subsequently loaned to Derby County, Blackpool and Leeds United in the Championship to gain experience. In 2013, he signed for Crystal Palace for an undisclosed fee, and after a brief loan to Bolton Wanderers, moved on to Sheffield Wednesday. A full international since 2010, Bannan has earned 27 caps for Scotland.

Born in Airdrie, Bannan began playing at local youth team Lenzie Youth Club. In 1999, as a nine-year-old ball boy for Albion Rovers, he came to prominence during a match against Montrose, when after fetching the ball, he began juggling it and then flicked it over the head of a Montrose player running towards him. The bit of skill sent the crowd wild and Albion Rovers chairman Davie Shanks was impressed, saying "He's the best player out there".

Bannan joined Celtic's youth academy in 2002; he was 14 when he chose to accept a trial offer from Aston Villa. While on trial at the Academy of the English club, he took part in the Ergenzingen Tournament in Germany. The Villa youth outfit won the tournament courtesy of a 1–0 final victory over FSV Mainz, with Bannan being named player of the tournament. Shortly after, the young Scot was offered a two-year contract with the club.

In the 2007–08 season, he scored 13 goals in 32 matches for Villa's academy team as they won the Premier Academy league title, as well as playing for the reserve team as they won the Premier Reserve League South. Following the season's end he signed a two-year professional contract with the club.

In November 2008, Bannan was named "Young Player of the Month" by local radio station BBC Radio WM, the first Villa player to win the award twice. His first team debut came on 17 December, as a 61st-minute substitute for Craig Gardner in a 1–3 UEFA Cup group stage defeat to German side Hamburger SV at the Volksparkstadion, and made his full début in the same competition's Round of 32, a 0–2 defeat away to Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow on 26 February 2009.

Bannan joined Championship side Derby County on loan for one month in March 2009. He scored on his Rams debut, his first competitive league goal, in a 2–4 defeat to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane and his loan was extended to the end of the season, making a total of ten appearances and scoring once. Bannan was able to return to the Aston Villa reserve side that were champions of the Premier Reserve League South, and played in their 3–1 win over Premier Reserve League North winners Sunderland reserves in the play-off final.

In November 2009, Bannan joined Championship side Blackpool on loan, making his debut as an 87th-minute substitute in the 1–1 West Lancashire derby with Preston North End at Bloomfield Road.