Crocked Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov is delighted seeing youngster Barry Bannan win praise in recent weeks.
The claret and blue skipper insists Bannan has "great potential" and a "fantastic football brain".
He told Villa's website: "The national press has suddenly become aware of just how good Barry. But for those of us who know Barry well, his superb performances have come as no surprise at all.
"I've known him for more than four years, ever since I came to Villa from Celtic, and we have always got on well - possibly because he's a keen fan of the Scottish giants!
"But it's not just the banter we enjoy that makes me regard him so highly.
"I could see from the start that he had tremendous potential and I've said many times that he's going to be a great player. Now other people are starting to agree with me.
"Barry has an excellent football brain. He's comfortable in possession and knows exactly what he is doing.
"And what an amazing pass he made to set up Marc Albrighton's goal - to deliver a ball over such a long distance with such great accuracy is a wonderful attribute."
