Dale was appointed as the Rugby Town first team manager in September 2015.

Belford replaced the outgoing Gary Mills and took up his first managerial role for a year since leaving Tamworth.

Dale took over the club when they were second from bottom in the NPL First Division South but slowly turned around the fortunes of the team to mount a play-off bid before finally finishing a credible ninth.

It was announced in April 2016 that Belford would leave the first team manager job at the end of the season by mutual consent.

Belford was also previously managed at Rugby's current level, with a two year stint at Atherstone, and took permanent charge at Tamworth between May 2013 and September 2014 after three previous spells as caretaker manager at the club

The then 48-year-old was a former ex-Valley player with the goalkeeper featuring for the club in the late eighties as part of a long non-league playing career, after starting at Aston Villa as a youngster.