Irish Premiership: Manager Dean Smith leaves bottom club Loughgall

Manager Dean Smith’s departure from Loughgall has been called a case of “unfair dismissal”.

A statement posted by the club on X said they had “parted company with manager Dean Smith by mutual consent” on Thursday evening.

However, this was then contested.

A statement from JWB Consultancy said: “We represent Mr Dean Smith. Our client has not agreed to terminate his contract.

“The statement issued [on Thursday] by Loughgall FC is factually and legally incorrect and amounts to unfair dismissal. There will be no further comment as this is now a live legal matter.”

The Villagers are bottom of the league and 12 points adrift of 11th-placed Carrick Rangers.

Smith has been serving a 15-game ban for breaches of the Irish Football Association’s disciplinary code following Loughgall’s 2-1 defeat to Glentoran in January.

He was given a 10-match ban for breaching article 23.1 which involves “offending the dignity of a person or group of persons through contemptuous, discriminatory or denigratory words or actions concerning race, colour, language, religion, sectarianism”.

A further five-game suspension was imposed under article 14.1 which deals with players or officials “reported for unsporting conduct towards a match official”.

Smith led Loughgall to promotion to the top flight in the 2022-23 campaign and they finished ninth in the Premiership with 13 wins last season.

They have, however, struggled throughout this campaign.

The side have not won a league game since November and were knocked out of the Irish Cup by Championship side Ards last weekend.

BBC Sport NI has approached Loughgall FC for comment.