Barry has to go back a decade to his debut season for the last time Villa qualified for the UEFA Cup via a top-six placing in the league.

Since then the only time time the midlands club have taken part in the competition was after winning the Intertoto Cup in 2001, and then they exited the at the first hurdle to Croatian side NK Varteks.

And the 27-year-old is keen to emulate the days when playing in Europe every season was almost taken for granted at Villa Park.

Barry said: "We last qualified for Europe via the league 10 years ago and it has been too long. Hopefully this year we will get back where we want to be.

"Aston Villa has got to be back up there getting automatic qualification and finishing top six or seven in the Premier League on a regular basis.

"European football should be part of this club again and it has been a long time since the club has been consistently up there challenging.

"It has been a case of one season up there competing, then back down again the following year, and we want to make sure Aston Villa is part of European football regularly."