FOOTBALL fans have been in celebratory spirits this week as Stourbridge’s Jude Bellingham got England’s first match in Euro 2024 off to a flying start and they're hoping to see more magic on the pitch later today.
The star midfielder, who began his footballing career as a youngster at Stourbridge Football Club, scored England’s first and only goal with a perfect header in their first match of the tournament on Sunday against Serbia which they won 1-0.
The great start to the tournament echoes exactly how Jude kicked off his maiden World Cup appearance in Qatar in 2022 when he also scored the first goal for England with a superbly executed header as they took on Iran.
Football fans packed into Stourbridge FC’s clubhouse to watch Sunday’s game and president Hugh Clark told the News Jude has really put the club on the map.
He said: “He played for us when he was eight-years-old for one of our youth teams before he whizzed off to Birmingham City. His father Mark played in our first team for four years from 2004 to 2006 and he was a very prolific goal scorer. He always happened to be in the right place at the right time and I think that was instilled into Jude.”
He said the club has been “over the moon” to see Jude’s success and he added: “We’re delighted for him and we hope he goes on to even bigger success, we’re sure he will.”
He said the club has been receiving international media attention as a result, and he added: “It’s lovely to see Stourbridge becoming well-known all over the world. We’re getting calls from the press from many countries.”
Sports fans watching Sunday’s televised match were also overjoyed to see TV cameras home in on a big Stourbridge banner taken to the match by locals.
Former Stourbridge Conservative MP Suzanne Webb, a big supporter of the club, watched the game at the war memorial ground at Amblecote and said afterwards: “That was one hell of a game. Jude was amazing.”
Her political opponent, Labour’s Cat Eccles, also showed her support for Jude and the England team - sharing a pic of the Stourbridge banner shown on TV on her Facebook page.
She said: “Well done to Jude Bellingham and England and those Stourbridge fans flying the flag for our town in Germany. First win - great news.”
Businesses across Stourbridge have also been showing their support for Jude and England.
Websters of Wollaston said on their Facebook page: “We’re fully supporting the England team to go all the way! Good luck to all the boys, especially our hometown hero Jude Bellingham from Stourbridge!”
Meanwhile, the Green Duck Brewery gave out free beer tokens to customers to celebrate Bellingham’s goal during Sunday’s match as punters celebrated the success of the former Hagley schoolboy who began his adult footballing career at Birmingham City in 2019, before joining Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund in 2020 then Real Madrid last summer.
Bellingham, who was a pupil at Hagley Primary School as a youngster, has had a terrific first year with legendary Spanish club – and was voted La Liga’s player of the season after playing a pivotal role in leading Real Madrid to their 36th league title.
Fans will again be watching Bellingham in action in tonight’s England match against Denmark which kicks off at 5pm (Thursday June 20).
Justice For Ryan campaigners from Stourbridge will be among those cheering him on.
Members of the campaign group, remembering 24-year-old footballer Ryan Passey who was fatally stabbed in Stourbridge in 2017, have flown out to Germany in memory of Ryan and to show their support for Jude and the England team.
Campaign spokesperson Jason Connon said: “Ryan attended the 2016 Euros in France before tragically losing his life the following year.
"Ade, Ryan’s dad, wanted to bring Ryan and our campaign out to Germany in memory of Ryan as we know how much he loved football and England. We will all be cheering on Stourbridge’s Jude Bellingham and hoping England get another win on the board.”
They also bumped into former England goalkeeper Ben Foster on their travels, with Jason sharing a picture on Facebook and adding: “Former England number one Ben Foster supporting our Justice For Ryan campaign. What a top bloke.”
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