Gareth: Deep down I know they really love me!
WEST Brom star Gareth Barry was moved by his Villa Park send-off after returning to inflict a painful defeat on his former employers.
The 37-year-old was unsure of the reception he would get from Villa fans who worshipped him like one of their own during his 12 seasons at the club.
He had returned to Villa Park last Saturday as Albion captain and helped to exact a defeat that left their floundering play-off tilt in tatters.
Despite all that, Barry was celebrated. His substitution five minutes from time was met with a standing ovation from a large section of the home support.
“It was a great feeling, to be honest,” he said. “I won’t forget the 12 years I spent here. To come here at 16 and spend that amount of time at a club is something you won’t forget.
“It is nice, you don’t know, I may never play at Villa Park again in front of the fans so I was happy I went off in that way.”
Barry made 441 appearances before leaving Villa to join Manchester City under something of a cloud in 2009. His first return to Villa Park with his new club was a little less savoury in October of the same year.
“But deep down I know they really love me!” he joked. “The bigger the player, the bigger the boos, my family tell me that.
“I had a great time here and know the fans respected me. You do get a few boos but I never took anything like that too personally.”
Barry was influential throughout on Saturday as the Baggies sealed a 2-0 win to keep pace with the Championship’s top two.
In the absence of injured club captain Chris Brunt, the armband was handed to Barry, who was happy to shoulder the responsibility, but admitted the role left him feeling “very odd.”
“I have come back a few times over the years but to come back here and lead West Brom in a derby game felt slightly strange, I must admit that,” he said. “But once that game kicks off you are getting on with your game.”
“It was always going to be a big game, any derby is. But the situation we are in, trying to hang on to the tails of the teams doing well above us, it was very important we picked up the three points.”