Jude hoping to wow fans at Stourbridge club once more
Football fans across the West Midlands are going football crazy and gearing up for England's quarter final with Switzerland today and many will be willing Jude Bellingham to produce more magic.
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With a 5pm kick off, many bars, pubs and restaurants are putting on Euro 2024 themed events and are expected to be packed as England bid to reach the semi final of the competition.
Gareth Southgate's team almost went out of the competition until Bellingham, who has just turned 21. produced a wonder goal in injury time against Slovakia to take the game into extra time before Harry Kane secured the win.
Fans around the country celebrated, none more so than in Bellingham's home town of Stourbridge, with the youngster hailed as 'one of their own,' with a mural in place in the town centre and shirts and t-shirts dedicated to the midfielder being sold in shops
Pupils at his former school Hagley Primary also got in on the act, with a rousing rendition of 'Hey Jude.' this week
And at the club where he started his career as a flourishing youngster, Stourbridge FC, fans and officials will once again gather for the England game today as they have for all four fixtures, with more than one eye on their favourite son as well as the team.
Bellingham's father Mark played for Stourbridge's first team and also for Halesowen Town and a number of other non league teams – his brother Jobe, aged 19, plays for Sunderland.
Fans are expected to pack Stourbridge's Glassboys bar today for the England game and chairman of the club Andy Pountney said they are all looking forward to it and are proud of the impact Jude Bellingham has had on the town.
He said: "We have had wonderful atmospheres for the four games so far and are expecting more of the same for the Switzerland one. The Jude Bellingham effect has been massive, we regularly have TV crews from Europe turning up here not just in this tournament =m but they want the background on him, where he comes from, where he started.
"He is a superstar football wise and everyone wants a piece of him but it is so good for the town and the club itself. We have a thriving youth set up here which we are proud of and who knows whether the next Jude Bellingham will come through, I think he is a bit of a one off but you never know.
"A lot of eyes will be on Jude tonight and the influence he has had on the team in the tournament so far is immense even though he and the team have probably not been at their best – we are hoping they will go all the way."
