ASTON Villa football stars gave brave Belbroughton boy Finley Hill not just one day to remember but two in a whirlwind couple of weeks for the footy-mad youngster.

Finley – who is awaiting a stem cell transplant to cure a potentially fatal illness after a donor was found following a worldwide search – was a mascot for Villa’s Premier League game with Burnley.

But the seven-year-old, who suffers from rare immune disorder familial HLH, was also treated to a trip to the Villans’ training ground Bodymoor Heath in the days leading up to the game.

There he met the first-team squad, including his hero Jack Grealish, who was among many players to sign up as potential donors for others in need through a mouth swab.

Hagley Primary School pupil Finn then walked on to the pitch with French full-back Frederic Guilbert at Villa Park on Saturday as one of the club’s mascots for their 2-2 draw with Burnley.

Finley’s dad Paul Hill said: “Fair play to Villa for all they have done. Finn really enjoyed it all – it was just a shame Villa couldn’t win!

“There was the normal excitement for Finn of meeting various players and things like that but it was also great for him to be able to spread awareness of the need for stem cell donors.”

Stourbridge News: Finley Hill and parents Jo and Paul with Aston Villa stars Jack Grealish and John McGinn.Finley Hill and parents Jo and Paul with Aston Villa stars Jack Grealish and John McGinn.

Among the Villa personnel Finn met was former player Stiliyan Petrov, the Bulgarian midfielder who successfully battled acute leukaemia several years ago.

The trip was set up by another former Villa hero, ex-defender Shaun Teale, who had been touched by Finn’s plight when the youngster’s parents Paul and Jo contacted him via social media.

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Paul added: “Shaun has been great and another player who was particularly great was Neil Taylor – he was calling Finn over and doing exercises with him and asking him a load of questions.

“He was really interested in how he could help, he was lovely and he took a lot of time out of his day. To me, they are just footballers but to youngsters like Finn, these players are idols.”

Stourbridge News: Finley Hill and Aston Villa full-back Neil Taylor.Finley Hill and Aston Villa full-back Neil Taylor.

Many of Villa’s top stars signed up to the donor register including Grealish, John McGinn, Tyrone Mings, goalkeeper Tom Heaton and South American striker Wesley.

And it is another Brazilian man who will be Finn’s stem cell donor after their long search for a donor was eventually ended last month.

His operation is set for November but Finn must undergo an intense week of chemotherapy sessions prior to it.

Stourbridge News: Villa players James Chester, Neil Taylor and Tyrone Mings get stuck into the mouth swab before signing up for the stem cell donor register.Villa players James Chester, Neil Taylor and Tyrone Mings get stuck into the mouth swab before signing up for the stem cell donor register.

Parents Paul and Jo have set up the Finn The Fabulous Foundation to help other families who find themselves in similar situations and need financial aid.

They are urging businesses to donate to the cause – any firms interested in helping can get in touch with them via the Finn The Fabulous Facebook page.