A group of Villa fans will never have a pre-match drink like this one - when the future King of England joined them in a Birmingham pub

Prince William has a peculiar way of staying up to date with his beloved Aston Villa after using a secret name online.

The 42-year-old royal is a huge fan of the Premier League club and met up with a group of supporters in a pub in Birmingham before their match against Everton on Wednesday night

The Prince of Wales surprised football fans as he popped into a local Wetherspoons in Birmingham ahead of Aston Villa's away clash with Everton on Wednesday evening. Prince William, 42, stopped for a pint of Bulmers cider at the pub in New Street Station as he prepared to take the train back down to London.

For the Prince of Wales, an avid Aston Villa fan, it was pure luck that an official engagement in Birmingham coincided with a Premier League clash for his team...

The Prince of Wales surprised pub-goers today with an impromptu visit to a Wetherspoons in Birmingham, where he shared drinks with fellow Aston Villa supporters. Prince William, 42, enjoyed a Bulmers cider at the New Street station pub before buying a round of beers for eight football fans.

Prince William reportedly organized a meetup of Aston Villa fans while in Birmingham for his first royal event of the year! All about William's upbeat stop at a pub.

The Prince of Wales has visited a Wetherspoon pub to enjoy a pint with fellow Aston Villa fans, chatting about the club ahead of their upcoming match. Prince William joined eight supporters around a group of tables at the Birmingham pub, before the fans, all season ticket holders, made the trip to the club's away match at Everton on Wednesday.

The Prince of Wales enjoyed a pint of cider with fellow Aston Villa fans when the footie fanatics met up before a mid-week match.

The Prince of Wales asked his club to arrange the gathering with some die-hard supporters while he was in the city

One supporter said the future king was a "lovely guy" and "proper down to earth" when they chatted in the West Midlands pub for 30 minutes before tonight's game.