article: David Cameron this morning attempted to explain away how he forgot which football team he supported - by claiming it was because he'd seen another club's ground the day before. The Prime Minister, who insists he has been an Aston Villa fan 'all his life', was giving a campaign speech in south London on Saturday when he joked that everyone should back his team – but then named West Ham instead of the West Midlands giants. An embarrassed Mr Cameron this morning admitted he couldn't explain what happened - but said it must have been because he had been past West Ham's famous Upton Park ground in East London on Friday. It later emerged that the Prime Minister actually flew over the ground in a private helicopter charted to get him back to London quickly after a day's campaigning. Scroll down for video . David Cameron, appearing on ITV's Lorraine this morning, was ridiculed  after  appearing to forget which football team he supported . The Prime Minister tried to explain away his gaffe by saying he had driven by the West Ham stadium the day before . Appearing on ITV's Lorraine, the PM said: 'I had been past West Ham the day before - I can't understand it, but there we are.' But he added: 'I don't think these are the things that determine the election.' A senior Conservative source told MailOnline the PM had not returned to London on Friday on the party's battle bus - but had flown back from Clacton-on-Sea. On Mr Cameron's flight back from Essex - paid for out of Conservative Party funds - he is likely to have passed over the old West Ham ground. Earlier in the day, Mr Cameron had travelled to Lincoln on the train, before jumping on the battle bus for campaign stops in Colchester and Frinton upon Sea. Mr Cameron had earlier insisted he became a Villa fan after watching the team beat Bayern Munich in the European Cup final as a child. But when he was asked what year the match took place or who scored the winner, Mr Cameron refused to answer. The Prime Minister claimed he had been 'overcome by something', adding: 'It was just one of those things.' He said he had gone 'off script' with the remark adding: 'I suppose it's just the campaign. By the time you have made as many speeches as I have on this campaign all sorts of funny things start popping out of your mouth.' An aerial view of Upton Park home of West Ham United Football Club in East London - which Mr Cameron flew over by helicopter on the way back from Clacton, Essex, on Friday afternoon . Mr Cameron has been pictured watching football with his son Elwyn - but admitted that he does not go to live games very often . Mr Cameron  claimed he became a Villa fan after watching the team beat Bayern Munich in the 1982 European Cup final - but admitted he could not remember the year of the triumph. Peter Withe, left, scored the only goal of the match, and Nigel Spinks the reserve 'keeper performed heroics . David Cameron's uncle Sir William Dugdale . David Cameron said he started supporting Aston Villa because his uncle was 'involved in the club'. In fact, the Prime Minister's late uncle Sir William Dugdale was Aston Villa's chairman from 1975 to 1982. In the final year of his chairmanship, Villa beat the odds to win the European Cup. Mr Cameron said he remembered the glory days back in the early 80s'. He said the star players Andy Gray and Brian Little 'got me going'. At the time of the gaffe, Mr Cameron likened himself to the Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, who infamously blamed a 'brain fade' after a disastrous interview. He said: 'I had what Natalie would describe as a brain fade – I don't know what happened to me. I think I was overcome by something. But these things sometimes happen when you're on the stump.' Labour said the gaffe exposed the Prime Minister as a 'phoney'. Former Downing Street spin chief Alastair Campbell claimed it 'says a lot about his character', adding: 'Out of touch. Phoney. Believes nothing.' Shadow chancellor Ed Balls, a Norwich City fan, tweeted: 'Hey David Cameron... I'm off to see that football team I support this afternoon. Name escapes me... they play in yellow... Watford?' But Mr Cameron, interviewed by Sky News host Dermot Murnaghan yesterday, said: 'My uncle was involved in the club and back in the early 80s and all those successes - Andy Gray and Brian Little got me going. 'I don't go very often - in fact I haven't been for years and years - but I do try to keep up. We're going to escape the relegation zone, which we're out of now - and the cup final is very exciting.' Mr Cameron's late uncle Sir William Dugdale was Aston Villa's chairman from 1975 to 1982. Reminded of his comment in 2001 in the House of Commons that he wasn't actually a football fan, Mr Cameron said: 'I mean, I'm not a regular attender, I used to play football as a kid, my son plays football, and I try and sort of keep up with what's happening in the Premier League and see how Villa are doing. 'But when they get snug in the middle of the table I tend to sort of, I tend to back off a bit. When we get close to the bottom I get nervous, but I don't know what happened.' Mr Cameron was asked to show his support for Aston Villa by naming the year of the club's famous European Cup final victory in 1982. The PM said: 'It was early 80s, I'm not going to give you a date because I'll get it wrong.' He added: 'I'm not doing quiz time.' Mr Cameron made the gaffe in a speech on multiculturalism in the UK – claiming it was possible to support a number of teams at the same time and still be British. He said: 'You can support Man United, the Windies and Team GB all at the same time.' But he then added: 'Of course I'd rather you supported West Ham.' Speaking on the Murnaghan programme broadcast yesterday morning, Mr Cameron tried to explain away the gaffe. He said: 'I've been an Aston Villa fan all my life, I literally opened my mouth and I was going off-piste about the fact that in Britain you can be a supporter of the West Indies, a supporter of Manchester United, and a supporter of Team GB.'
highlights: David Cameron this weekend forgot which football team he supported .
  The PM named West Ham as his team, despite supporting Aston Villa .
  Labour said the gaffe exposed Mr Cameron as a 'phoney' leader .
  The PM today said it was because he had been past West Ham's ground .
  Tories later confirm the PM returned to London on Friday in a helicopter .
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