Smithfield Football Club banned for rest of SAAFL season

UPDATED: Smithfield Football Club's A-grade coach has been banned for 12 months as part of the club's disqualification from the amateur league.

SMITHFIELD Football Club's A-grade coach has been banned for 12 months as part of the club's disqualification from the amateur league.

Andy Stewart, who has coached the northern suburbs club for the past 24 years, refused to comment on his ban or the reason's behind it today.

Messenger Community News understands Stewart's suspension, which is subject to an appeal, was part of penalties handed down by the SA Amateur Football League last month.

The northern suburbs club has been disqualified for the rest of the amateur league season following an independent review into the club's behaviour in 2013, as reported on advertiser.com.au yesterday.

The club is appealing the ban.

The club's ban, understood to be the first of its kind, followed an incident during Smithfield's five-point win over Flinders Park on July 20, where two Smithfield players were reported for striking a player and verbally abusing umpires.

The players were suspended for a total of 24 matches.

SAAFL chief executive Grant Goodall declined to comment on Stewart's penalty but said the league had met with Smithfield representatives last night to discuss the club's future.

No timeline has been given on when the appeal process would be completed.

"The SAAFL fully supports Smithfield (in the appeal process) but we want to see the process through and won't be commenting until an appropriate time," Mr Goodall said.

"All I'm prepared to say is that it was a terrific meeting and we are confident the club is heading in the right direction."

Mr Goodall said there had been a "string of incidents" at the division seven club during the season, which forced the league to act.

Mr Goodall said the decision to ban the club was recommended by an independent panel, made up of members of the league's tribunal committee, which had investigated reports about the club's behaviour.

He would not reveal details of the other incidents and did not rule out banning the club next season if concerns were not addressed.

"Clubs were told at the start of the year what the expectations are from the league," Mr Goodall said

"The club had been slipping in its duties (and) the executive committee felt the club needed a penalty.

"On this occasion the penalty fitted the crime.

"It follows our stance of expecting clubs to be responsible for what happens at their own clubs."

Flinders Park Football Club president Matt Mandica said the club would not comment on the July 20 incidents and "wanted to move on".

It was the first time players from Smithfield had been reported all season.

In May, a man was arrested following a brawl in the club's carpark after a match against Ingle Farm.

No players from either side were involved in the brawl.

Smithfield Football Club president Simon Coulthard would not comment on the ban except to say the club was seeking legal advice.

Smithfield has written to the Community Football League, local football's over arching body in SA, to appeal the decision with the hope of playing finals.

Before the ban, the club was fifth on the division seven ladder and already guaranteed a finals spot.

Smithfield Football Club facts

Founded: 1965

Sides: Division 7, Division 7 reserves, no juniors

Premierships: 1

Timeline:

2000 - Lack of numbers force club to field one team in bottom division (D7)

2008 - Division 5 (had three senior teams, under-18s)

2012 - Division 7 (two senior teams, under-6, under-8)

2013 - Division 7 (two senior teams, no juniors)