Teen Aston Villa fan gets to game after year in hospital

Jude has cerebral palsy and chronic pain syndrome and has spent a year in hospital

A teenage Aston Villa fan was able to see his first live match after a year in hospital.

Jude Aston, 17, has cerebral palsy and chronic pain syndrome and has been largely bed-bound for three years.

He has been an inpatient at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton since August 2021 but the aspiring sports journalist was able to watch his beloved team take on Everton on Saturday.

Jude, from Penn, said it was "great to get to a game after so long away".

"It was just good to be back and see so many people I knew from before," said the teenager, who last visited Villa Park in January 2020.

"Villa made hard work of it and I was still celebrating our second goal when Everton scored near the end which made it a nervous finish."

Jude attended the match with his friends Simon, Harvey and Max

The club agreed to move Jude's spot from the Holte End to the wheelchair user's section so he could watch the players in comfort with his friend and social carer, Harvey.

The football fan hopes to become a sports journalist and has interviewed the likes of Steven Gerrard, Steve Bruce and Tyson Fury.

On his way back to hospital after Saturday's match, he got a surprise call from Commonwealth boxing champion Delicious Orie who agreed to be interviewed on Jude's YouTube channel.

The teenager thanked staff at New Cross who he said have been "amazing" in his journey to recovery.

"I'm so thankful and grateful to all the staff for what they do for me," he said.