Jude Bellingham’s old club unveil £800,000 stadium revamp plans amid relegation fears

Dec 13, 2025 - 12:15

The club where Jude Bellingham started his career, Stourbridge FC, have unveiled new stadium plans.

The non-league club are planning to invest £800,000 in renovating their War Memorial Ground, given two of the stands are currently out of action.

STOURBRIDGE, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04 A view of the War Memorial Athletic Ground before the match was called off due to parts of the plying surface affected by a hard frost prior to the The Emirates FA Cup Second Round match between Stourbridge and Northampton Town at the War Memorial Athletic Ground on December 4, 2016 in Stourbridge, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images) — The War Memorial ground is in desperate need of renovation

Stourbridge FC's new stadium — And it is getting a makeover – as shown in virtual images released by the Stourbridge FC

The ground is about to look very different to the one where Bellingham learned to play football

The stadium sits on a sandstone ridge that has made two of the stands unsuitable for fans.

It also doubles up as a cricket ground with Stourbridge FC sharing with Stourbridge Cricket Club.

Dudley Council own the stadium and they lease the pitch to the club, but in order for some much-needed work to be done, a new and long-term lease.

If they can negotiate that lease then Bellingham‘s first club could see their ground totally transformed.

The club are currently embroiled in a relegation battle in the Southern League Central Premier Division.

And the chairman Andy Pountney believes that the two stands being closed has had a direct impact.

In a statement, he and vice-chairman Andy Bullingham said: “It goes without saying that this has proven to be a very frustrating and long road.

“Are we at the end of it? Not really.

“The critical part of making these works happen is the funding of the project which will be circa £800,000. Our ability to obtain this size of investment is not possible without an extended lease on the ground.”

But for any of this funding to become reality, Stourbridge must raise £50,000 themselves, and planning permission has been submitted.

The whole project is expected to cost around £800,000

The council and club are in active negotiations, and artists have submitted plans for the designs.

A town and player connected

Stourbridge and the Bellingham family are interlinked and have been for his whole career.

This is where the England star began his football journey at grassroots level, so the club has some deep meaning to Jude.

The 22-year-old was born in Stourbridge, which is close to Birmingham, and the town have followed him every step of his career.

Ahead of the Champions League final at Wembley in 2024, many people in the town took the day off work to either watch or attend.

Bellingham claimed the Champions League in his first campaign as a Real Madrid player

There is a mural dedicated to Jude in the streets, and there is a real sense of pride around Bellingham’s achievements at this very young age.

And it all started at Stourbridge FC, with the club still drawing in a decent crowd despite the two stands being closed.

Everyone else has to watch from the clubhouse, but this is a club that started the journey of a potential superstar.

His achievements are already outstanding, but there is still so much time left in his career.

And it is hard to imagine when Jude used to come and watch his dad play for Stourbridge that he would go on to claim a Champions League title.

When interviewed about Bellingham and what he means to the club despite never playing for the senior team, one fan speaking to Managing Madrid said: “He never played for the club, but is so incredibly famous and loved here because it is his hometown.”

He has of course inspired so many kids in Stourbridge and convinced them that they can be the next Jude.