The first step towards another European adventure! Die-hard Aston Villa fan Prince William sends his best wishes ahead of their Champions League clash with Young Boys
Prince William sent his best wishes to his beloved Aston Villa ahead of their Champions League clash with Swiss team Young Boys.
Prince William sent his best wishes to his beloved Aston Villa ahead of their Champions League clash with Swiss team Young Boys.
The Prince of Wales - who has repeatedly been spotted watching the Birmingham side from the stands alongside Prince George - excitedly looked forward to a storming success in the European competition.
He also paid tribute to club legend Gary Shaw - one of the teams 1982 European Cup winners, who died yesterday aged 63.
He is regarded as one of Villas best forwards in the clubs 150-year history, and made 213 appearances for his boyhood side scoring 79 goals.
Aston Villa are currently leading Young Boys 1-0, after a superb corner routine was driven into the back of the net by Youri Tielemans.
Posting on social media, William said: The last time Aston Villa won in the top European competition, it was the month before I was born.
Let’s hope tonight is the first step towards another European adventure!
Prince William cheers and applauds during the Europa Conference League semi-final first leg between Aston Villa and Olympiakos at Villa Park on May 2, 2024. Villa lost the match 4-2
The heir to the British throne has long been a passionate supporter of Villa - and has even brought his son Prince George along to games at Villa Park (pictured in March 2023)
Prince William and Prince George look on alongside Aston Villa player Tyrone Mings (right) during the Europa Conference League quarter-final against Lille at Villa Park on April 11, 2024
The Prince is a lifelong fan of Villa and has watched several matches this season, sometimes also taking along George (pictured in a Villa scarf)
Prince George and Prince William look enraptured as they watch Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest EPL match, at Villa Park in March 2023
Famous fan Prince William celebrated Aston Villas achievement on social media in May
Aston Villa are currently leading Young Boys 1-0, after a superb corner routine was driven into the back of the net by Youri Tielemans
My thoughts this evening are also with Villa legend Gary Shaw’s friends and family following his passing yesterday.
#UTV, W
UTV stands for Up The Villa, while the W is for William and denotes that it was a personal message written by the Prince, who shares the account with Kate.
The Prince is a lifelong fan of Villa and has watched several matches this season, sometimes also taking along George.
On May 2, William was spotted cheering on Villa against Olympiakos in the Europa Conference League semi-final first leg.
He was also seen talking to friends in a private seating area before the game before reacting and gesturing throughout the first half of the match.
One picture showed him enthusiastically celebrating a Villa goal which was later disallowed for a foul in the build-up.
The previous month on April 11, William and George attended Villas 2-1 win against Lille in the first leg of the Europa Conference League quarter-final.
Prince William and former Aston Villa player John Carew cheer at Villa Park on April 10, 2018
AstonVilla legend Gary Shaw passed away at the age of 63 yesterday after suffering a head injury
Shaw (left) began his career with Aston Villa and went on to win three trophies with the club
Shaw (left) is an icon at Villa after he won the European Cup with the club back in 1982
This was their first public outing since Kates cancer announcement in March.
William has supported Villa since he was at school, and in 2006 became president of the FA. He also regularly attends England matches and FA Cup finals.
Speaking about his love of Villa to the BBCs Gary Lineker in May 2015, William said: A long time ago at school I got into football big time. I was looking around for clubs.
All my friends at school were either Man United fans or Chelsea fans and I didnt want to follow the run of the mill teams.
I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments. Aston Villas always had a great history.
The Prince said he has friends who support Villa and one of his first FA Cup games was against Bolton Wanderers in 2000, which Villa won but went on to lose to Chelsea in the final.
He added: It was fantastic, I sat with all the fans with my red beanie on, and I was sat with all the Brummie fans and had a great time.
It was the atmosphere, the camaraderie and I really felt that there was something I could connect with.
Prince William and mini-me Prince George look tense as they watch Aston Villa play from the stands in 2023
Prince George and Prince William celebrate a Villa goal at Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest in 2023
Speaking in February 2020, William also said: People like Paul Merson were playing and I thought if people like him can play as well as he does, knowing the struggles he was under at the time... this is a club I can support.
I was also born in 82, the year we won the (European) Cup, so I feel the history and pedigree around Villa has always been quite close to me.
Shaw, who was one of the heroes of their 1982 triumph, had been hospitalised on September 9 due to a head injury from a fall.
Born in Kingshurst, Birmingham, in January 1961, became an apprentice at Villa in 1977 and went on to make his debut for the club the following year.
He quickly established himself as one of the top forwards in England and was crowned PFA Young Player of the Year in 1981 after a season in which he scored 18 goals en route to Villa winning the League Championship.
Shaw also scored the first of Villas three goals in their 3-1 victory over Barcelona to win the 1982 European Super Cup.
Announcing the news on social media, Aston Villa said: Gary was one of our own, a talented striker who delighted supporters with his goalscoring exploits which helped fire Villa to success in the 1980s.
Individual accolades would also follow for a player who was idolised by many on the terraces. He passed away peacefully earlier today surrounded by his family, who asked Aston Villa to release a statement on their behalf.
Shaw became an apprentice at Villa in 1977 and won the PFA Young Player of the Year award four years later
Shaw departed Villa in 1988 after his final years at the club were ruined by various injuries
The European Cup winner would be a regular visitor at Villa Park in the years after retirement
The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Gary’s family and loved ones at this extremely difficult time.
Tributes from Villa fans and former players have flowed in on social media.
Club legend Brian Little wrote on X: Gave Shawsy my number 8 shirt when I retired.. he took it to another level.... R.I.P. xx.
Former Villa striker Stan Collymore said Shaw was his inspiration for playing football and the reason he supports the club.
You made a little boy dream big, fall in love with you, our club and the beautiful game, Collymore posted on X.
You were my hero on the pitch but most importantly my hero off it. The loveliest of men.
Rest in peace, ledge.
Sadly Shaws time at Villa Park was curtailed due to injury issues and he eventually departed his boyhood club in 1988, going on to play in Denmark, Austria and Hong Kong.
After he retired in 1992, Shaw returned to Villa where he became a youth coach.
In recent years, Shaw was a constant presence at Villa Park where he entertained corporate guests with Q&A sessions.
