Allan Evans: Gareth Barry was right to leave Aston Villa
Jun 16 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail
ASTON Villa legend Allan Evans has backed Gareth Barry’s decision to call time on his Villa career and says it is wrong of supporters to throw the “loyalty” card at him.
Evans, like Barry, enjoyed 12 seasons at the club and, like the England midfielder, was held in lofty esteem by the supporters after holding down his first-team shirt for over a decade.
Barry has been criticised for choosing money over ambition but Evans can empathise with the former Brighton apprentice.
And the Dunfermline-born Scot actually admits that his one footballing regret was not calling time on his Villa career sooner.
Evans got to know Barry when the trainee arrived as a 17-year-old in 1997 and Evans was Brian Little’s assistant.
“Losing Barry is a blow to the club,” he said.
“I knew Gareth when I was at the club as assistant manager.
“He is one of the best pros that I have known.
“I can understand him moving in a lot of ways because he had been there that long.
“Sometimes a change is nice for you. I was at the club for 12 years as a professional and probably one of the regrets I have was in not moving.
“Not because I wanted to move but there are always other things to try.
“I think it was probably just that with Gareth. Okay, financially he will probably now be far better off, and people will want to see that as the be-all-and-end-all as why he left.
