Arsenal vs Aston Villa: Tom Hanks sends Villans message of support ahead of FA Cup final

The Saving Private Ryan actor said he has been a fan since 1984

Tom Hanks is one of several high-profile Aston Villa fans (Getty Images)

Ahead of their FA Cup final clash with Arsenal Aston Villa can count on the support of Prince William and David Cameron (or is he a West Ham fan?), the second in line to the throne and the Prime Minister respectively.

The pair bring a sense of pomp and power to the club's fanbase, but a third high-profile Villan, the actor Tom Hanks, has upstaged them both by sending an enthusiastic message of support to the club ahead of their clash at Wembley.

The actor, who won Best Actor Oscars for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, sent the email to BBC Radio Five Live (containing an unfortunate mathematical error) earlier this week, which was read out on air in the build up to the match.

"Tom Hanks here, an Aston Villa fan since 1984," he said. "True to the claret and the blue for twenty one years.

"Good luck in the FA Cup! Wait, that's not enough exclamation marks. Go Aston Villa in the FA Cup!!!!!!!"

Hanks revealed that he was a supporter of the club in 2008, admitting that the club's name and kit colours were part of the attraction.

The Duke of Cambridge, who became an Aston Villa fan after choosing them randomly as a child, admitted he was "terrified" ahead of the final during an interview with Gary Lineker earlier this week.

During his successful general election campaign David Cameron was ridiculed after apparently forgetting if he supported Villa or West Ham during a speech, an incident he later attributed to "brain fade".

The Prime Minister has said that he is too busy with pre-existing plans to attend the final.