NIGEL Reo-Coker has advised Villa’s young stars to put this season down to experience after hailing them as the silver lining in a cloudy campaign.

Reo-Coker’s return to West Ham this afternoon has reminded him of the tough football upbringing he experienced during his formative years at Upton Park.

He knows how difficult it is to learn your trade in a relegation-threatened team, having narrowly escaped the drop as a young player with the Hammers.

Reo-Coker has watched Marc Albrighton, Ciaran Clark and Barry Bannan try to find their feet in similarly testing circumstances at Villa this term.

And he believes the youngsters should take great confidence from the way they have coped with a character-building campaign.

“The last time I experienced something like this was for West Ham when we won a host of games at the end of the season to stay up,” he said.

“It is a great learning curve for the younger players this season.

“They are in the first team because they deserve to be and this is sometimes what you have to go through.

“These are the type of situations and experiences you have to go through. I believe it will make them better players.

“The emergence of the younger players has been brilliant this season – the likes of Marc, Ciaran, Barry. It’s great to see.”

Now 26, Reo-Coker is one of the elder statesman at Villa and is happy to share his wisdom with the younger players as a dressing-room father figure.

“It’s fantastic to see all the players coming through the system here,” he said.

“Villa produce so many players for the first team. I am sure there are more to come.

“It’s great for the fans and it’s tremendous for those younger lads to come through and play at a big club like Villa and be able to test themselves in the Premier League.

“I like to give them advice if they ask me.

‘‘I try to help them like senior players did with me, passing on things that will help.”

Meanwhile, Reo-Coker has warned his Villa team-mates – young and old – to brace themselves for an intense atmosphere at Upton Park this afternoon.

“Upton Park can be a very intimidating place to go, especially when you consider what’s at stake,’’ he said.

“I believe the fans will get right behind the team. It will be a very difficult game but, then again, we don’t really have to worry about our opponents. It’s about us preparing and being mentally right for the job.’’

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