The parents of a Cardiff City academy player removed their son from the club in 2017 because of alleged bullying by Craig Bellamy and say they called for the coach to be investigated.

David Madden, who played for Crystal Palace in the 1990 FA Cup final, and his wife Debby took the decision to withdraw their son Alfie, then 17, after a formal meeting with Bellamy and Cardiff academy manager James McCarthy left them deeply concerned for his welfare.

Sportsmail revealed on Monday that former Wales captain Bellamy has been accused of bullying and intimidating a young English player with xenophobic behaviour in his role as Under 18s head coach.

Cardiff academy coach Craig Bellamy has been accused of bullying and intimidation

But now, in correspondence seen by Sportsmail and sent to the club in September 2017, we can reveal that the parents of London-born Madden claimed he was being singled out by Bellamy.

David, 55, told Sportsmail: ‘It was a terrible thing to see your 17-year-old son go through. It was heartbreaking for us.

‘Straight after the meeting (with Bellamy), we went to his digs, got his stuff and came home. He was just desperately unhappy, and he’s a happy sort of boy. It was a relief on that journey home.

‘We then put it in writing to say that we feared for his welfare. We wanted Cardiff to investigate. We feel Bellamy should not be working with young players.’

The parents of Madden say that the meeting with Bellamy to discuss their concerns was the final straw.

Debby told Sportsmail: ‘Bellamy swore during the meeting. He was kicking his chair and slumped in it as if he wasn’t interested. He was like a spoilt kid in front of the headmaster.

‘At the end of the meeting he got up, never shook hands and walked away.

‘We said to (academy manager) James McCarthy, “We’re not prepared for our son to go through this on a daily basis”.

The Welshman is alleged to have singled out academy player Alfie Madden

‘We then took what was an awful decision to make to remove him from the academy in his second year. It was all down to Bellamy.

‘The first year, he loved it. He loved the boys and the coaches. But as soon as Bellamy arrived, a cloud came over the place. In Alfie’s second year, he did not want to stay at that club. He said, “Mum, please take me out of here”.

‘If he’d been like that in the first year, OK, maybe you could say it was homesickness. But it was only when Bellamy came.’

David, who also played for Arsenal and Charlton, added: ‘With me being in football in the Seventies and Eighties, I was saying to him, “You’ve got to stick with it, it’s character building”.

‘It was his digs lady who brought it to our attention just how miserable he was. He would come back from training and sit in his room. It was the same after a game when he came home and he would just go straight to his room and wouldn’t talk to us.

‘We realise now that it’s typical behaviour of someone who is being bullied. His whole character changed because of Bellamy.’

Among the allegations being looked at by Cardiff is that Bellamy repeatedly made anti-English gestures or remarks.

David revealed: ‘Alfie said to me, “Dad, it’s all about the Welsh boys”. I said, “It can’t be, he’s a professional, it’s all about him progressing young boys”. He told me, “No, he’s not interested”.

Former Wales and Cardiff striker Bellamy is said to favour his countrymen in the academy

‘He said he was always interested in pushing the Welsh boys forward because it reflected well on him, them getting into the Welsh team.

‘I sat down and spoke to Alfie. I told him, no matter what happens, whenever you walk into the changing room, you should shake hands with the coaches.

‘So, there were two boys in front of Alfie who shook Bellamy’s hand but, when it came to him, right in the middle of the changing room, he just turned his back and walked away.’

David and Debby also claim there is a climate of fear around Bellamy inside the academy.

‘Everyone treads on eggshells around him,’ said David.

‘He’s like a god down there and no-one can say anything to upset him. I fear that things have been swept under the carpet.’

Madden, now 19, is captaining Georgia College while he studies in the United States.

Debby added: ‘He wanted to be a footballer. There was nothing more he wanted to do. That experience could have dissolved his whole desire. Luckily it didn’t and he’s doing well now.’

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock said on Monday night: ‘Ken Choo, the chief exec, is dealing with this. It’s not in my remit. I don’t know anything about it.’

Bellamy did not comment.