NPL promotion favourites Belswans face civil war after coach axed

Stafford was informed by the Belmont Swansea committee via email on Sunday night that his services were no longer required.

The club will announce a B-licenced replacement with recent experience at a leading NPL club as the interim boss on Tuesday night.

The Newcastle Herald has been told former Valentine head coach Lindsay Tapp, who is the technical director at Belswans, is expected to take over. He was coach of the Lambton Jaffas reserve grade side last season.

In response, Stafford, who has been a leading figure at the club for nine years, called a meeting of players and supporters at the Orana Hotel on Tuesday night, in what will also be a boycott of training.

Stafford told the Herald he "wasn't going out without a fight" and the playing group was going on strike in support.

"I've received an email at 5.36pm last night saying I'm no longer required, with no reasoning, just saying our position is untenable," Stafford said.

"I've rung them and haven't even been replied to. It's heartbreaking.

"I haven't been told a reason and at this point the players are going to go on strike. They are not going to play."

Stafford said Belswans president David Reed resigned three weeks ago and a new committee has come in who have said "they can't work with me going forward".

Stafford is also president of the Belmont Swansea junior club, which is separate to the senior club.

Belswans lead Northern League One, the men's second-division in Northern NSW Football, and are in the box seat to move into the NPL next season. Promotion-relegation returns this season and Belswans are on 27 points, 12 clear of their nearest rivals, in the race for top spot and automatic progression.

New Belswans president Christian Tapp, who is no relation of Lindsay Tapp, said there were reasons behind the Stafford axing "but we are going keep them in-house."

"Mick knows what they are. We've had meetings with him and he knows what those reasons are," Tapp said.

"The club have paid him up in full and have decided to go in a different direction.

"We have appointed an interim head coach and that is going to be announced on Tuesday night.

"We are sitting on top of the table so obviously there have been other things that have transpired that the committee have had to evaluate.

"It was a unanimous decision from the committee to go in a different direction."

He was aware of the Orana Hotel meeting and the potential boycott from players. He said the committee had not been invited to the meeting.

"I've spoken to some of the senior first-grade players, I spoke to the club captain and our on-field captain, and generally the players I have spoken to are on board," the president said.

"It's been a tough couple of weeks but hopefully we'll come through this in a much better position going forward."

The club released the following statement on Monday:

Belmont Swansea United FC announces that it has parted ways with its head coach, Michael Stafford.

Mick is a recognisable personality in the NNSW Football community having been the head coach of our club for around a decade and leading us to multiple Northern League One successes over his tenure in the role.

On behalf of the Belmont Swansea United FC community we sincerely thank Mick for all that he has done for the club, on and off the field, in positioning the club to where it is today and wish him well for his future coaching and football endeavours.

"Mick's service and passion to the football club and local football community is unquestionable. He has achieved much success for us during his time here" recently appointed President, Christian Tapp says.

"Our 2024 campaign success by the senior playing squad has put us exactly where we planned to be at this part of the season and I am confident that our trajectory toward NPL promotion will no doubt continue despite the departure of Mick Stafford." Tapp says.

"We have appointed an interim coach to take the squad through the remainder of the 2024 campaign and look forward to introducing him to the playing squad at training on Tuesday night. Our interim head coach has recent coaching experience with a leading NPL club, having completed his Level B Coaching licence, and is a coach that will slot into the head coaching role without disruption.

"I understand that the Newcastle football community is small and the rumour mill has already questioned whether Belswans are imploding, given the recent departure of our stalwart President, David Reed.

"I understand that this announcement could add fuel to the fire. This is a fallacy and is further from the truth as evidenced by where we sit on the table in 1st and Reserve grade. We are strong on and off the field, underpinned by a great PYL and JDL program, and have absolute faith in our senior roster and their abilities to get the job done. Our committee is confident in our direction, which makes us stronger, as we prepare for our next footballing chapter." Tapp concludes.