Prince William enjoys a pint with Villa fans in New Street Wetherspoons
The Prince of Wales bought a round for fellow supporters in the London and North Western pub
Stunned drinkers thought they had enjoyed one too many when the Prince of Wales popped in for a pint at New Street station's Wetherspoons pub. William even reportedly bought a round as he spent half-an-hour talking with Aston Villa fans heading to Liverpool for tonight's match against Everton.
He was said to have enjoyed a Bulmer's cider as he chatted about the team's prospects for the rest of the season with a group of friends in the London and North Western. One of them, student Daniel Jones, aged 18 and from Burntwood, near Lichfield, said: âHe was a lovely guy, proper down-to-earth and he loves Villa and the passion we all share. I think if he didnât have other commitments he would have loved to have been at the match.â
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John McEvoy, 64, from Solihull, who runs a catering equipment business, said: âWilliam said a family friend took him to his first game â Villa against Bolton â and heâs loved the team ever since.
âHe said he would be watching the match on TV tonight. He was just a really nice, genuine bloke who really loves Villa. He contacted the club and they contacted some of us to arrange this, we knew he was coming, but itâs the first time weâve met him.
âWilliam thought it would be a tough game tonight as (Everton) have got their old manager David Moyes back and teams get a bounce when they have a change of manager.â
The Prince of Wales meeting Aston Villa supporters in a Wetherspoons pub in the centre of Birmingham. (Image: PA)
William had earlier attended the College of Paramedics inaugural emergency and critical care conference in Birmingham. He had been named the collegeâs patron earlier and in his speech paid tribute to the nationâs paramedics working in âhighly stressful and often distressing circumstancesâ.
He told them: âSaving lives is not the only challenge you face. In your role, you are there for people in the most critical and emotional moments. Working alongside you in Wales and East Anglia, I know the team effort that is required to provide emergency health care, but I also know that at the beginning it is sometimes a lone paramedic â in a car, on a bike, in a helicopter, in an ambulance, on foot.
âYour ability to calm the patient, to listen to their fears, to reassure them that help has arrived, is as important as the subsequent medical intervention.â
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