Dale Belford (born 11 July 1967) is an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
manager and former player who is the assistant manager of side
Stafford rangers. As a player, he spent most of his career playing as a
goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting o ...
.
Playing career
Aston Villa and Sutton Coldfield Town
Born in
Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a market town in the borough of East Staffordshire in the county of Staffordshire, England, close to the border with Derbyshire. In United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011, it had a ...
,
Staffordshire
Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...
, Belford started his career as an apprentice for
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...
before signing a professional contract in July 1985,
but after failing to secure a first team slot, he moved on to
Sutton Coldfield Town in December 1986.
Notts County, VS Rugby and Nuneaton Borough
After only a few months with the club, Belford moved on to
Notts County
Notts County Football Club is a professional association football club based in Nottingham, England. The team participate in the National League (division), National League, the fifth tier of the English football league system. Founded on the 2 ...
in March 1987 and spells with
VS Rugby and
Nuneaton Borough
Nuneaton Borough Football Club is an English football club that is based in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. The men's 1st team competes in the , the seventh tier of English football.
In 1889, Nuneaton St. Nicholas FC was the first team in Nuneaton t ...
were soon to follow.
Tamworth
In October 1988, Belford joined Tamworth and set a club record of 712 minutes without conceding a goal in February and March 1989. He was part of the
FA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase, usually referred to as the FA Vase, is an annual football competition for teams playing in Steps 5 and 6 of the English National League System (or equivalently, tier 9 or 10 of the overall English footbal ...
winning team in 1989.
Second spell with Sutton Coldfield Town and Tamworth
Belford moved on in July 1990 for a second spell with Sutton Coldfield Town. For the rest of the 1990s, Belford became a well travelled non-league
goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting o ...
. He played for Tamworth (in his second spell).
Hinckley United and Atherstone United
Then signed for
Hinckley United in July 1997 but left Hinckley in August 1998 due to work commitments. He moved on to
Atherstone United, where he suffered a potentially career-ending broken ankle while playing for Atherstone in April 1999. He was honoured in a benefit game in August 1999. He returned to light training in October 1999, and in only his third game back after injury, he helped Nuneaton Sunday League side Lancet win the Tribune Cup in May 2000. He returned to play for Atherstone and at the end of the 2001–01 season won five awards at the club's presentation night, including the supporters' and players' player of year awards. In April 2002, he was given a commemorative plate before the first whistle of the match against Chippenham Town to mark his 100th consecutive appearance for Atherstone, and was named as the club's player of the year in May 2002.
[ ''"Evergreen Dale Belford has been recognised as Mr Consistency after being named Atherstone United's Player of the Year."''] Atherstone went into liquidation in 2003 and Belford left to join Gresley Rovers.
Gresley Rovers
Belford joined
Gresley Rovers in September 2003,
and was voted the club's Players' Player of the Year at the end of the 2003–04 season.
He missed almost four months of the 2004–05 season due to a back injury suffered in October 2004.
He rejoined Hinckley United on loan in February 2005 for a second spell with the club.
Return to Sutton Coldfield Town again
Belford then moved on to the steps of a coaching role when he rejoined Sutton Coldfield Town in May 2005 as a player-goalkeeping coach.
Returning to Tamworth again
At the start of the 2006–07 season, Belford re-joined Tamworth for his third spell occupying the same role as player-goalkeeping coach.
[ ''"New Tamworth player-coach Dale Belford is backing boss Mark Cooper to get it right at The Lamb. Belford, who is a Lambs legend after keeping goal during ... "''] He and club captain Adie Smith took charge of the first-team following the departure of manager Mark Cooper and assistant- manager Richard Dryden in January 2007.
Shepshed Dynamo and Coalville Town
In 2007, Belford followed former Lambs Assistant Manager
Richard Dryden
Richard Andrew Dryden (born 14 June 1969) is an English former professional footballer turned manager and coach.
Playing career
Born in Stroud, Gloucestershire, Dryden started his career as a trainee with Bristol Rovers, joining them as a profe ...
to
Northern Premier League First Division
The Northern Premier League is an English football league that was founded in 1968. It has four divisions: the Premier Division (which stands at level 7 of the English football league system), Division One East, Division One West and Division ...
side
Shepshed Dynamo, where he became the oldest player make his Shepshed debut in February 2007. Belford's stay at
Shepshed Dynamo was a short one with him following former manager Adam Stevens to
Midland Football Alliance
The Midland Football Alliance was an English association football league for semi-professional teams. It covered Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire and also southern parts of Derbyshire and Not ...
side
Coalville Town in June 2007.
Hinckley United and Atherstone Town
Dale then re-joined Hinckley United, now in the
Conference North
The National League North, formerly Conference North, is a division of the National League in England, immediately below the National League division. Along with the National League South, it is at the second level of the National League Sy ...
, for his third spell in September 2007, occupying a familiar role as player/goalkeeping coach. Belford joined former club
Atherstone Town in July 2008 as assistant-manager and resigned from the role in April 2009, after guiding them to the play-offs of the Southern League Midland division.
Managerial career
Atherstone Town
On 2 February 2010, it was announced that Belford was to become the new manager at
Atherstone Town following the resignation of the previous manager Darren Fulford. After just over a year with the club, Belford left his post as manager.
Tamworth (caretaker)
Belford once again returned to Tamworth as a player-coach in March 2011. Following
Des Lyttle
Desmond Lyttle (born 24 September 1971) is an English former football player and manager.
He started his career with Leicester City, but dropped into non-League football with Worcester City in 1991. A good season earned him a move to Welsh si ...
's departure as Tamworth manager in April 2011, Belford was appointed caretaker manager for the four remaining league games. His first game in charge was away at play-off chasing
York City
York City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. As of the 2022–23 season, the team compete in the National League, at the fifth tier of the English football league sys ...
in which he won 2–1. His second game in charge ended in 1–0 defeat at home to fellow league strugglers
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England.
Southport lies on the Irish ...
. The game ended with three Tamworth players receiving red cards (
Liam Mitchell, Richard Tait and
Michael Wylde). Belford's next game in charge was an away fixture at promotion chasing
Wrexham
Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...
. Due to the suspensions from the previous match Belford named himself as a substitute. Tamworth goalkeeper Louis Connor got injured in stoppage time and saw Belford donning the goalkeeper jersey once again for the last few minutes of the game. Belford is now the only player to play for Tamworth in four decades (1980's, 1990's, 2000's and 2010s). Belford's fourth and final game in charge saw him take on
Forest Green Rovers
Forest Green Rovers Football Club are a professional football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, England. The team compete in , the third tier of the English football league system, and have played their home games at The New Lawn since ...
in a must win game. In a very edgy 90 minutes, Tamworth did win the match 2–1 thus meaning Belford had kept the club in the
Conference National
The National League, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest level of the National League System and fifth-highest of the overall English football league system. It is the highest league that is semi-profes ...
at the expense of
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England.
Southport lies on the Irish ...
who eventually stayed up due to Rushden & Diamonds entering liquidation.
Following a meeting with chairman Bob Andrews on Monday 14 January 2013 that saw
Marcus Law
Marcus William Law (born 28 September 1975) is an English former professional footballer. He has since managed several non-League clubs, including Kettering Town, Tamworth, Coventry Sphinx, Racing Club Warwick, Quorn and Barwell.http://www.ke ...
was relieved of his manager duties, Dale Belford was once again appointed as caretaker-manager for the foreseeable future with former Lambs player Scott Lindsey as his assistant.
Rugby Town
Early into the 2015–16 season, Belford replaced
Gary Mills as manager at
Rugby Town. Belford left the club after a 9th-placed finish, in April 2016.
Stratford Town
On 25 January 2020, Belford was confirmed as assistant manager to Paul Davis at
Stratford Town.
Personal life
He is the son of
Tamworth kitman Buster Belford and the father of professional
goalkeepers Cameron Belford
Cameron Dale Belford (born 16 October 1988) is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Stafford Rangers.
Playing career
Early career
Born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Bel ...
and
Tyrell Belford. His cousins are
Stafford Rangers striker
Kyle Perry
Kyle Blain Perry (born 5 March 1986) is an English footballer who plays as a forward for club West Didsbury & Chorlton.
Failing to make the first team at Walsall, he dropped into non-league circles with AFC Telford United, Sutton Coldfield ...
and
Bilston Town defender Todd Perry. Belford's maternal grandfather, Bill Scattergood also played for Nuneaton Borough, between 1947 and 1952.
Honours
Tamworth
*
FA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase, usually referred to as the FA Vase, is an annual football competition for teams playing in Steps 5 and 6 of the English National League System (or equivalently, tier 9 or 10 of the overall English footbal ...
:
1988–89
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Belford, Dale
1967 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Burton upon Trent
English footballers
Association football goalkeepers
Aston Villa F.C. players
Sutton Coldfield Town F.C. players
Notts County F.C. players
Rugby Town F.C. players
Nuneaton Borough F.C. players
Tamworth F.C. players
Hinckley United F.C. players
Atherstone Town F.C. players
Gresley F.C. players
Shepshed Dynamo F.C. players
Coalville Town F.C. players
Nuneaton Griff F.C. players
English Football League players
National League (English football) players
English football managers
Tamworth F.C. managers
Atherstone Town F.C. managers
Rugby Town F.C. managers
National League (English football) managers