Sports
Victory parade for Europa champions Aston Villa
A parade to celebrate Aston Villa‘s Europa League final win will be held in Birmingham on Thursday, the city council said.
Villa’s emphatic 3-0 victory over German team Freiburg saw them win their first major European trophy since 1982.
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Fans erupted at the final whistle in Istanbul as they celebrated a well-earned win under manager Unai Emery.
The parade will begin on Branston Street in the Jewellery Quarter at 16.30 BST on Thursday, travelling through Sand Pits, Broad Street and Centenary Square.
Aston Villa said fans would not need travel to specific locations in the city, as screens would be positioned throughout the route.
The parade will have three open-top buses, with the lead bus dressed in blue, carrying media, followed by a claret bus with the players. A third blue bus carrying staff will complete the convoy.
A trophy lift will also take place as the centrepiece of the parade, said the club.
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There will be opportunities for supporters to engage directly with the team throughout the route, it added.
Eight thousands fans in the stadium erupted in celebration the moment Aston Villa were announced winners.
John in Istanbul told the BBC the win was everything he had dreamed of.
“It was a fantastic win. Absolutely brilliant. It will be remembered for years to come.”
But fans who were not in the stadium still had their moment.
Owusu Boakye Amando, head of Aston Villa supporters in Ghana, told the BBC how fans 4,000 miles away felt.
He said: “Yesterday was one of our best moments in life. What a time to support Aston Villa.
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“Around 4pm in the evening, we all chanted songs and cheering up the boys. It was amazing – what a time to be alive.”
Kevin Evans, from Bilston, said: “It was magical, it’s a feeling I can’t even describe today. I’m suffering bit – sore throat, headache, but I don’t care.”
Fans erupted at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena as they saw their team score in the final [Reuters]
A statement from the club, released after the team’s win, said it explored the possibility of recreating the iconic 1982 European Cup celebrations by taking the players to Victoria Square – as well as erecting a stage in Centenary Square to allow for greater fan engagement.
But, due to ongoing works and safety concerns at Victoria Square, and advice from authorities around the risk of overcrowding at Centenary Square – both proposals were ruled out.
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It apologised to fans still in Istanbul who would not be able to join in the celebrations.
“The club is grateful for the support and co-operation of the local community and authorities for accommodating the unavoidable disruption from the parade.
“We are fully aware that some supporters who made the journey to Istanbul may not be back home in time.
“For those unable to attend in person, the parade will be broadcast live on VillaTV, as well as on YouTube and across the Club’s social media channels.”
Aston Villa are covering all costs associated with the event.
The parade is expected to last between 60 and 90 minutes and supporters have been encouraged not to drive to the event.
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Birmingham City Council have implemented temporary parking suspensions and road closures across several streets in the city centre.
The below roads will be shut from 10:00 until 22:00 BST, with parking bays on the roads suspended too:
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