EASTLEIGH will travel to Stourbridge for the second round of the FA Cup next month and here's an opportunity to learn a bit about the town.

In preparation for the historical day, the Daily Echo has put a small fact file together about the Black Country town, which is located just outside of Birmingham in the Borough of Dudley.

Glass

  • This is a simply cracking – a smashing even – slice of information. Stourbridge, it panes us to say, is famous for its glass making. For centuries glass has been made there. It was started in the 17th century by French glassmakers from the Lorraine region. They were attracted to the area by natural resources in the area. Stourbridge FC are nicknamed The Glassboys as a result. If you have a window of opportunity there are a couple of museums you can have a look at. Sorry about the puns.

Rock 'n' Roll

  • Robert Plant (pictured below), from the rock band Led Zeppelin, attended school in Stourbridge and there are a few other notable musical links to the town. Ned’s Atomic Dustbin and four other bands – Diamond Head, Wonder Stuff and Pop Will Eat Itself – from the area enjoyed chart success in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Daily Echo: ROCK GOD: Robert Plant in action

  • For Eastleigh fans looking for some refreshment before kick-off there are numerous pubs within walking distance of the War Memorial Ground. The Robin Hood, The Maverick, The Red Lion, The Swan and The Starving Rascal are all in the Amblecote area, where the club is based.

The Royle Family

  • Kenton Allen, the television producer and executive, comes from Stourbridge. His most notable works were BAFTA winning show The Royle Family (pictured below) and Oscar award winning film Six Shooter.

Daily Echo: LOUNGING AROUND? Like BBC's The Royle Family, it just ain't classy!​

Choo choo

  • The Stourbridge Lion. Heard of it? Well, if not, it was the first steam railroad locomotive to be operated in the United States of America. It was manufactured in the town in 1828.