Gareth Barry

Gareth Barry (born 23 February 1981) is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national team.

Barry moved to Aston Villa from Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster, and spent 12 years at the club. He captained Aston Villa, and, at the end of his career with the club, lay eighth in their all-time list of appearances. In June 2009, he joined Manchester City.

Barry is also an England international, having won his first full cap in 2000 and captained the side in 2010 in a friendly against Egypt.

Early life

Barry was born in Hastings, East Sussex. He attended William Parker Sports College in the town at the same time as Sussex cricketer Michael Yardy.

Club career

Aston Villa

Barry joined Aston Villa from Brighton and Hove Albion as a trainee in 1997 along with Michael Standing. The move was controversial as the Brighton board demanded £2.5 million for the two players; the Football Association's transfer tribunal panel came up with a deal which would have seen Brighton make £2.4 million in the event of Barry and Standing making international appearances for England, as well as sell-on clauses. He played his first match for Villa on 2 May 1998 against Sheffield Wednesday. Initially, he played as a central defender, on the left-hand side of a back three alongside Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu. Barry became a highly versatile player and captain first as a centre-back, then a left-back. He then moved to left-midfield, before establishing...
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