PONTYPOOL's highly respected rugby coach Steve Jones, his senior staff and the majority of players have told beleaguered benefactor Bob Jude (pictured) if he is still with the club next season, they won't be.

The Argus warned last week of a threatened players' revolt over Jude's running of a club which won its first trophy for 15 years recently when carrying off the Welsh First Division Championship.

His company, Pontypool Premier Rugby Ltd., faces a winding-up hearing in the High Court on July 1 over debts to a Gwent sportswear company of around £3,500.

And in an exclusive interview with the Argus, Jude admitted he had put no plans in place for next season.

Now the threatened revolt has broken out into open warfare with Jones saying: "I would love to stay, but if he (Jude) is there next season, I will not be.

"As things stand, I'm finished with the club and the majority of players are going to be forced to go if this isn't sorted out."

Jones' senior staff are taking the same attitude.

"Steve Jones, fellow coaches Nigel Callard and David Smith and myself are all standing together as one on this issue," said team manager Tony Clark.

"We are not prepared to work under the pressure we've been put under this year.

"The players too are sticking together. They don't want to leave, but if Bob Jude stays, most of them won't."

Jude, who is seeking over £100,000 in compensation from the Welsh Rugby Union, said: "No-one else has put the money into this club.

"No-one else has got them to the top of Division One and into the Premiership.

"I do not want praise, I'd rather sit in the background, but if I had not put the money into the club the players would not have come. No-one else has contributed to the finances except me."

Clark said he and his colleagues would work with anyone who came in to take over at the club if they were wanted.

"The club is bigger than any individual," he said.

Byron Hayward, the player who originally told the Argus of the revolt, has confirmed he will not be staying if Jude remains.

"I will not be there if Bob Jude is there next season," said Hayward.

"When I joined Pontypool two years ago I joined because I thought there was a bright future.

"But for me enough is enough when you haven't been paid since February.

"It always seems to be somebody else's problem but his own.

"It's a miracle we won the league. Most clubs I have played for would not have stuck together under that turmoil and insecurity."

Hayward added: "I wanted to come home and do something special with the club.

"The fans deserve better. It's unfortunate they think we are heading to a brighter horizon, but that's not the case."

Jones added: "We want to make it clear Bob has done a lot for the club over the years, but sadly things have deteriorated badly.

"I and the coaching staff have been caught between a rock and a hard place.

"The players have been giving us grief, rightly so, about the money situation, but he won't speak to them."

In addition to the winding up threat and money owed to players, it is understood Pontypool still owe cup receipts to Llanelli, Ebbw Vale and Swansea from last season.