BARRY JIBE WAS 'A BIT OF BANTER'.

ASTON VILLA fan Trevor Blake, pictured waving fake bank notes at Gareth Barry during Wednesday's clash with Manchester City, has revealed his reasons for taunting his former hero.

Blake, from Milton Keynes, was snapped heckling Villa's former captain during his first return to the club since the midfielder's pounds 12million summer move to Eastlands.

And the 30-year-old chef insisted it was all 'a bit of banter'.

He explained: "I was on a Villa blog before the game and they were saying that if everybody at Villa Park gave Barry pounds 50, we could afford to keep him at the club.

"So as a bit of joke we thought it would be a good idea to print some bank notes off with his head on it.

"I had tickets to the game and was lucky enough to get a seat by the corner flag where Barry would be if he took a set-piece.

"So when he came over I couldn't resist giving him some banter. I asked him if he wanted any more money because I had some with me with his face on.

"I didn't want to boo him because he had been a good servant to the club for 12 years and always gave his best. But I certainly wanted to give him a bit of stick.

"There wasn't anything nasty or malicious about it - it was just a bit of a laugh."

Blake believes his heckling didn't fall on deaf ears as Barry was only average by his standards during the 1-1 draw.

"I think it got to him because he is a very clean-cut and quiet guy who always seemed very pleasant," he added.

"It's not like he's a player like Ronaldo who expects to be booed. I think it got to him.

"It seemed to work because he didn't have the best of games. And he was outjumped by Dunne for the goal so that made it a bit sweeter.

"But despite the stick he still had the decency to clap the whole ground at the end. He'll end up a Villa legend."

CAPTION(S):

WAD A LAUGH Trevor with his fake cash