Aston Villa Cornwall Lions feeling optimistic following Villa’s recent success

Aston Villa fans will follow their beloved team from the Midlands to Athens with the hope of securing a place in the Europa Conference League final – but for some fans the four-hour journey is nothing new.

Cornwall Lions – a supporters group initially set up during the Covid lockdown regularly travel the length and breadth of the country to back their team.

The supporters club based in Cornwall is home to 250+ members who engage with Villa related topics, attend fundraiser events, arrange match day travel, and meet locally to watch games.

The idea involves meet-ups online and arranging zoom calls with ex-players, growing organically from here into a well-loved organisation.

While some might question why people living as far as Cornwall would be so committed to a club in Birmingham, member Tim Gabriel says Villa’s recent success has ‘consumed’ him.

“To watch a Villa game and be proud and optimistic is a novelty.

“Every game more than the last, just to be in Europe of any kind is insane.

“For me it’s more than wins and Europe.

“He [Unai Emery] has made me fall in love with the club all over again. It’s grown from a passion to an obsession.

“It’s consumed me. I’m obsessed with stats, odds on winning, chances of fourth place, other fixtures and what it means for us.

“The optimism and chance are genuinely changing my mood daily and making me happier.

“To take 80% of the same players from the form they had with Gerrard and transform them to a cup run and potential 4th place at the same time is nuts.”