Phil Wall has been a lifelong Aston Villa fan, with memories of the club dating back to when he was just five years old. "I love good football. If it's competitive, I'll watch it," he shared. At 58, Wall was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease last year, which motivated him to expand his football horizons before the progression of his condition potentially limits his outings.
In his quest to experience football in the West Midlands, Wall has already ticked off a visit to Villa Park, where he attended a match against rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers. His outing in September was made possible when his carers reached out to clubs in the region, resulting in Wall enjoying the game from a sensory hospitality box, courtesy of Aston Villa. The match ended in a 3-1 victory for Villa, leaving Wall "ecstatic" with the electrifying atmosphere when his team scored.
BBC reported that Wall's first-ever Villa experience was over 40 years ago, and he has since been a dedicated season ticket holder. He fondly remembers many "special moments" at Villa Park and has amassed a range of Aston Villa memorabilia over the years. Wall's passion for football began early; as a child, he was known to strategically complete his school homework so that he could dedicate weekends to researching the sport.
Despite facing challenges after his diagnosis and moving into a care home run by Exemplar Health Care, Wall remains determined to reclaim some football experiences. His first request at the Blackmoor Care Home in Tile Cross was to have Sky Sports installed, an appeal that pleased his football enthusiast carers. Anna-Marie Hale, one of his carers, expressed her commitment to fulfilling his wish, stating she wanted to ensure he could attend more matches before his health declined further.
Wall's unwavering spirit shines through as he aims to visit Birmingham City, Coventry City, Walsall, and West Brom in the future. "I'm a big football fan; we love our football in the West Midlands and we want to make it happen," Hale said. Despite the progression of Parkinson's disease, Wall has stated he will continue to take "whatever life throws at me."