Aston Villa
Born in Airdrie, Bannan began his career at local youth team Lenzie Youth Club managed by Sir Ian Stevenson and soon played for the under-14's at Celtic. As a 14-year-old, Bannan was offered the chance to join Celtic's youth academy, but instead chose to accept a trial offer from Aston Villa.[1] Whilst on trial at the Academy of the English club, he took part in the 2008 Ergenzingen Tournament in Germany. The Villa youth outfit won the tournament courtesy of a 1–0 final victory over FSV Mainz, with Bannan being named player of the tournament. Shortly after, the young Scot was offered a two-year contract with the club.[1]
In the 2007–08 season, he scored 13 goals in 32 matches for Villa's' academy team as they won the Premier Academy league title, as well as playing for the reserve team as they won the Premier Reserve League South.[2] Following the season's end he signed a two-year professional contract with the club.[3] In November he was named "Young Player of the Month" by local radio station BBC WM, the first Villa player to win the award twice.[2] His first team début came on 17 December, as a substitute in a 1–3 UEFA Cup group stage defeat to German side Hamburger SV at the Volksparkstadion,[4] and made his full début in the same competition's Round of 32, a 0–2 defeat away to Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow on 26 February 2009.[5]
[edit] Derby County (loan)
Bannan joined Championship side Derby County on loan for one month in March 2009.[6] He scored on his Rams début, his first competitive league goal, in a 2–4 defeat to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane[7] and his loan was extended to the end of the season, making a total of ten appearances and scoring once. Bannan was able to return to the Aston Villa reserve side that were champions of the Premier Reserve League South, and played in their 3–1 win over Premier Reserve League North winners Sunderland reserves in the play-off final.[8]
[edit] Blackpool (loan)
In November 2009 Bannan joined Championship side Blackpool on loan,[9] making his début as an 87th-minute substitute in the 1–1 West Lancashire derby with Preston North End at Bloomfield Road.[10] His full début came in a 3–0 win away to Middlesbrough on 8 December. In January 2010 the loan was extended to the end of the season,[11] and two days later Bannan scored his first goal for the club, with a 30-yard lob, in a 1–1 draw away to Coventry City.[12] In February 2010, Bannan was one of three players, along with Ishmel Demontagnac and Neal Eardley, disciplined by Ian Holloway, when they were seen out at a nightclub two days previously in Blackpool following the home defeat to Leicester City.[13] Bannan came on for the final two minutes at Wembley as Blackpool won the Championship play-off final against Cardiff City and secured promotion to the Premier League.
[edit] First-team breakthrough at Aston Villa
Bannan returned to Villa for the 2010–11 season, and made his Premier League debut on the opening day of the season, coming on as an 89th minute substitute against West Ham United.[14] He scored his first goal for Villa in a Europa league qualifying match against Rapid Vienna. On 6 November, Bannan was handed his first start of the season against Fulham and started the following two games against Blackpool and Manchester United. He was given a run of games in the first team by manager Gérard Houllier due to the absence of many first-team players through injury. Bannan scored his first goal in the Premier League for Villa with a 57th minute penalty against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on the 25 September 2011.
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