Tom Hanks responded to Aston Villa takeover question with Wrexham admission:

Saving Private Ryan and Forrest Gump actor Hanks has been supporting Villa from afar for several years, and he has become an occasional visitor to Villa Park in recent times. He was in the Midlands for last season’s epic 4-2 Premier League defeat to Arsenal, with the Gunners coming from behind before scoring twice in stoppage time to claim the three points.

Hanks first appeared to show his allegiance to the Villains at the premiere of Charlie Wilson’s War in Leicester Square in 2008, walking out onto the red carpet holding a scarf aloft before placing it around his neck.

The 67-year-old explained his fandom in an appearance on James Corden’s Late Late Show in 2019, revealing he was first attracted to the club when hearing its name in the scores roundup.

“And I thought ‘Aston Villa’, what a lovely vacation spot! Aston Villa… It’s a beautiful villa, you throw open the French doors, there’s the beautiful port of Aston down below you,” Hanks told Corden.

“And it turns out it’s in Birmingham. There’s nothing wrong with that, nothing wrong with Birmingham. But it’s not a town for the light-hearted, I tell you that. So I’m a dedicated Aston Villa fan since then. I’ve seen them play once, a friendly in the USA, so yes, I support them.”

Hanks will certainly be delighted by Villa’s first half of this season under Unai Emery. His team have exceeded all expectations to be competing in and around the top four, with impressive wins over title-chasing Arsenal and Manchester City already secured.