Legendary football commentator Clive Tyldesley has affirmed that the Prince of Wales's support for Aston Villa is entirely genuine, with "nothing manufactured" about his allegiance to the Premier League club. Speaking at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, Tyldesley described William's dedication as "clearly a passion of his" and a "genuine link between the (Royal) family and the national sport."
Tyldesley's Praise for the Prince
Tyldesley, who was made a CBE for services to sports broadcasting and charity, said: "There's nothing manufactured about his love for his football team. He is not a supporter of the most famous club in the country. He's a supporter of a team that's had its highs and lows and is just about to enjoy, hopefully, a wonderful high next week." The prince was seen punching the air in delight as Aston Villa secured a resounding 4-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at Villa Park, propelling the club into their first major European final since 1982. They are scheduled to face German side Freiburg on May 20.
Personal Reflections on the Honour
Tyldesley expressed feeling "very proud, very humbled" at receiving the honour from the Prince of Wales. He said: "It is genuinely the job that I always wanted to do and I got an opportunity straight from university to join a radio station, as a runner. The first thing that I did was host a late-night rock show but I always wanted to work in and around football." He noted that William spoke to him about Aston Villa during the ceremony, adding: "You would be surprised if he didn't."
VAR and the Game
When asked about VAR, Tyldesley commented that commentators' problems are "first world problems" and that VAR does not make the job any less enjoyable. However, he criticised changing the laws of the game to accommodate VAR, calling it "a little blinkered." He said: "Here we are, stressing over the minutiae of handball decisions at an elite level and forgetting the fact that the beauty of the game is that everybody plays it."
Other Honourees at the Investiture
Also in attendance was Kerry Davis, the first black woman to play for the England women's football team, who received an MBE for services to football and diversity in sport. She noted that women's football is "probably 100 years behind the men's game" in opportunities and spoke to the Prince about Princess Charlotte playing football. England rugby player Zoe Stratford, who captained the Red Roses to Rugby World Cup victory last year, was awarded an OBE. She highlighted the importance of the World Cup in building connections with young fans and boosting participation.
