Towards the end of the 2012/13 season, Barry Bannan found his first-team opportunities limited at Aston Villa and a move away from the club looked increasingly likely.

Paul Lambert’s men had just finished 15th in the Premier League and made it to the League Cup semi-final the year before with the club looking to push on and move away from the lower reaches of the Premier League.

And with chances in the first-team limited towards the end of the previous year, Bannan would play his last match for the Villans in a 2-1 defeat at home to Liverpool on the final day of the season.

Come to the start of the 2013/14 campaign; changes were afoot at the club over the summer with players coming in and out.

One such player who left was indeed Bannan.

On September 2, 2013, Aston Villa confirmed his departure, much to the delight of plenty of the club’s supporters.

Bannan failed to score during his final season at the club before moving to Crystal Palace on a three-year deal.

During his time at Villa Park, he made 83 appearances and scored just two goals before his move to the capital.

Without Bannan in their side, Villa would finish the season 15th again in the division as they failed to progress.

The midfielder would not have the best of times at Palace, lasting six months before being loaned out.

He would eventually move to Sheffield Wednesday in 2015 and started slowly before becoming one of the mainstays in the Owls team.

As has been his form for Sheffield Wednesday since his arrival, there have been reports that Aston Villa are interested in the winger with a sensational return to Villa Park on the cards. 

And this report has been received by a mixed response by the Villa faithful who are unsure if the signing would be a good move by Dean Smith and the club.

Despite the positive reaction to his departure, it’s ironic some fans are calling to have him back after being pleased with departure five years ago.

Time has passed, and the player has developed since leaving the club, and his career has been on the up in recent seasons while Villa have been in decline - more irony that leaving the club has seen his career improve.

There is a case that can be made for his return to the club, and there are certainly fans who would eat humble pie and be pleased with the signing of the midfielder, should it happen.

Bannan has gone from strength to strength since leaving the Midlands, and that puts the comments of his departure firmly on the back burner as he continues to be a success at Sheffield Wednesday.