Louie Barry: Aston Villa loanee lighting up League One with Stockport County

Louie Barry has quickly become a standout player in League One, living up to the early promise that led him to make a move to Barcelona, as discussed by the panel on the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast.

The Stockport County forward came to attention in 2019 when he became the first English player to join La Masia - Barca's famous academy - as a 16-year-old.

Not long afterwards he returned to England and Aston Villa, where he also made headlines for scoring against Liverpool in the FA Cup in a 2021 fixture where most of their first team were unavailable to play due to testing positive for Covid-19.

Multiple loan spells followed - with mixed results - but now the 21-year-old forward seems to have found his home on loan at Stockport in League One.

Last season he started brilliantly in their promotion campaign, but missed the second half of the campaign with injury. This season he is currently top scorer in the third tier, with 11 goals in 16 games - the latest of which was a stunner in a 1-0 win over Wrexham.

Give the Essential EFL podcast a follow

"We spoke to him on one of the Saturday shows and asked him about the environment at Stockport and what it is about the club that gets the best out of him," Curtis Davies told the League One and Two review on the Essential EFL podcast. "He just said he feels at home and that he's able to express himself there.

"This is a kid that signed for Barcelona at 16 or so, and he comes back and signs for Villa and everyone expects him to kick on and be the next Lee Hendrie or Gareth Barry. But it didn't quite happen for him like that.

"While he's a very good player he needed to go and prove it, and this platform that Stockport has given him has been fantastic for both him and the club. He's starting to show what he can do, and show the doubters that he's a very good player.

"And if he keeps scoring goals [like the one against Wrexham] then you're definitely going to catch attention."

EFL Editor Simeon Gholam, meanwhile, believes it is the consistency of his return to Stockport that has brought the best out of Barry.

"The one thing I'm very pleased he did, and I would always advise young players to do, is that if you're playing well somewhere, and you're embedded there on loan, just go back there and play," Gholam said.

"There's always the temptation to go up to the next level, and sometimes it doesn't work out. If you're at a club and it suits you, just go back there if you have the chance.

"Stockport did go up a level, so that did provide him with the natural next step. But there could have been that temptation to try and go up to the Championship.

"We've seen players who have ended up getting a bit lost when they've end up at a different club. So I'm so pleased for him with how well he's doing there."

Stockport currently find themselves fourth in League One. They may have played more games than the sides around them, but commentator David Stowell believes the Hatters can continue their rise, having already won three promotions in six years.

"I think they could really push this season," Stowell said. "They are clearly very well run, and in a good place as a group mentally and physically.

"For Stockport it is a win that just keeps the momentum going. It's interesting that when you talk about teams in League One with momentum, Stockport are one of those among the likes of Birmingham and Wrexham who have it.

"With someone like Barry and the ability he has, and with Ollie Norwood - who is a real coup for any League One side - pulling the strings in midfield. I don't see any reason why that momentum will slow down.

"He has found somewhere that really works well for him. They've found a player who suits how they play and it seems like the perfect marriage."