Jordan Graham has been superb for Wolves this season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Jordan Graham has told the Football League Paper that he understood why he didn’t get a chance at Aston Villa.

Graham, 20, was born in Coventry and was snapped up by Aston Villa at the age of just seven, making his way up through the ranks like many other players.

The likes of Gareth Barry, Gary Cahill, Marc Albrighton, Boaz Myhill, Craig Gardner, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Daniel Sturridge all passed through the Aston Villa academy, with Villa developing young players well during the 2000’s.

In recent years, the conveyor belt appears to have slowed down somewhat, but some young players have left Villa and enjoyed success elsewhere.

Midfielder Samir Carruthers helped MK Dons win promotion to the Championship last season with some impressive displays, whilst Daniel Johnson has been sensational for Preston since leaving Villa for Deepdale almost a year ago.

However, the biggest talent to have slipped through Villa’s net appears to be winger Jordan Graham, who has been one of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ star players this season.

The 20-year-old wide man, who signed for Wolves in January 2015, has hit one goal and five assists last season, producing a number of outstanding displays on the flanks for Kenny Jackett’s men.

Now, Graham has been asked about just why he left Villa, and told The Football League Paper that after doing everything he could to earn a first-team place, he simply decided it was time to go – but given Villa’s recent struggles, understands why they didn’t throw him into Premier League action.

“When me and Sammy and DJ were there, I don’t think they believed in us enough to throw us in the deep end,” said Graham. “It’s not been easy for them. For the last five years or so, Villa have been down there at the bottom of the table, so putting young kids in isn’t what the fans really want and not the first thing on the manager’s mind.”

“We got to the stage where we realised we couldn’t do any more than we had been doing and that the best thing for all of us was to move on – and we’ve all reaped the benefits,” he added.

Have Villa made a mistake over Jordan Graham?

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