Aston Villa released the current Newcastle United number one when he was just 16.
Goalkeeping errors have cost Aston Villa 11 points this season, according to the Birmingham Mail. Furthermore, when you consider that Pierluigi Gollini, Mark Bunn and Sam Johnstone have all failed to impress when given a chance between the sticks, you wonder what could have been had Villa started the campaign with an established, reliable number one.
There certainly would not be a cavernous 22-point gap between themselves and the final play-off place.
Therefore, notwithstanding his oft-retweeted howler in the midweek draw with Norwich City, Villa fans could be forgiven for wishing they possessed a shot-stopper of Karl Darlow’s talent. It does not help, then, to remind them that the club released him without handing him an ounce of an opportunity.
Darlow spent eight years in Villa’s academy system before being let go at the age of 16 and, a decade later, his Newcastle United side welcome his former club to St James’ Park on Monday night, 15 places and 30 points ahead.
In fact, thanks to a sublime run of form over the festive period, The Magpies’ mini blip may have progressed into a full blown calamity with major repercussions for their automatic promotion hopes. The prolific finishing of Dwight Gayle and sublime performances of Jonjo Shelvey will dominate the headlines but Darlow’s often virtuoso displays have reinforced the healthy gap between second and third.
Meanwhile, Villa are facing up to the prospect of beginning the summer with no idea about the identity of their number one.
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