Bannan Can’t Wait For Baggies Clash

West Brom and Aston Villa are big rivals, so it is perhaps unsurprising to learn that Blackpool midfielder Barry Bannan, on loan from Villa, cannot wait to face the Baggies tonight.

‘There’s no doubt it’s a big game for me because of the Villa connection,’ said Bannan in an interview with The Gazette.

‘Saturday at Coventry was big. All my family were there watching me, which made really proud.

‘But tonight is even bigger and I’m really looking forward to it.’

Bannan is expected to start tonight’s game after his virtuoso display against Coventry, and will be looking to follow up his wonder goal in the aforementioned game with another tonight.

‘I scored a lot of goals for the reserve and youth teams at Villa but since I came to Blackpool I’ve not really had many chances to score.

‘My dad has been telling me I had to add a goal to my game because that is what midfielders get noticed for.

‘On top of that I’d been getting stick all last week from the boys in training who were asking me when I was going to score.

‘So I went out on Saturday and that’s probably why I got a few more shots off than usual.’

Like several others, Bannan thought that his first shot of the game, which came down off the underside off the bar, had in fact gone in:

‘I was just trying my best to score but when that the first shot hit the bar and bounced away, I thought it wasn’t going to be my day. I was sure it was in, so much so that I actually span away to celebrate!

‘Luckily enough I got another chance and I took it, and it’s nice to get off the mark.

‘I don’t know if I’ll be able to do that every week mind… I’ve put pressure on myself now!

‘I just want to keep playing well, stay fit and hopefully I will get a few more goals before the end of the season.’