Premier League legend Gareth Barry makes shock come back at 43
UPDATE: 15:50, 22/07/2024 GMT+1
PUBLISHED: 15:49, 22/07/2024 GMT+1
In a shocking decision, former Manchester City and Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry has announced a surprise comeback to football at 43 years old. The Premier League great has signed with Hurstpierpoint FC, an eleventh-tier team in Sussex. This move comes after Barry’s retirement in 2020, when he hang up his boots after an 11-year stint with West Brom.
The revelation was made on X (Twitter) by Hurstpierpoint FC, who confirmed in a statement: "We’re beyond delighted to announce that former-England international and all-time Premier League record appearance holder, Gareth Barry, has signed for Hurstpierpoint Football Club."
Barry has a long association with the village through his friendship with teammate Michael Standing, who also now represents the club as a coach. His friend and coach praised his remarkable quality in training, stating, "[Barry] has a unicorn-like ability to still look utterly at ease on the pitch!"
The 43-year-old enjoyed an illustrious career in English football with 653 appearances, also earning 53 caps for the Three Lions. He played for clubs, which include Aston Villa, Manchester City and Everton, before finishing with two seasons at West Brom in the EFL Championship.
Barry capped off his career with a bang (pun intended) by holding up the Premier League trophy with Manchester City’s 2011-2012 team coached by Roberto Mancini – a season that also involved winning the FA Cup.
Will there be more to come from the record-setter? Only time can tell, but for now, the soccer world is buzzing with this surprising u-turn. Stay tuned for continued updates on this story!
Follow 90min on all social media platforms (@90min) for more breaking Premier League news and updates!