Football Abuse Scandal - 83 suspects, 98 clubs and counting...

[smileyweb]

Certainly these days you would hope less goes on, but you are correct the DBS is effectively worthless and only means they have not been caught yet.....

I can't and don't take a boy to a game or training now without a text or email from the parent to give me some fall back in case of accusation.. word of mouth means nothing and that's even if my boy is also in the car with me.

This is what they advise you to do on the Level 1 coaching badge, 1 whole day of the 4 sundays is dedicated to child protection.

Its a sad world at times.

That (text / email from parent) still doesn't give you any protection.

Ideally, you need another adult or child in the car too. Adults should always be in front, kids always in the back.

I coach for a living, across all youth age groups (boys and girls, able-bodied and disabled) and it's drummed into us to NEVER be in a situation where you are alone with a child.

I know it's crazy, but you have to be paranoid these days and this protects the coach (from accusations) as well as the kids.

 

[adub68]

While clearly have huge sympathy for all of these victims am appalled by the fact that the football industry is "surprised" by all of this as new news. Link below to a C4 Dispatches documentary from 1997 - Football's Foul Play - that discusses Bennell and others including the claims regarding Southampton that were reported as new news only this morning - including an interview with the same player .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AixfLC8oGPY

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I understand that Chelsea's version of Gary Johnson's story on the front of today's Daily Mirror differs slightly from the former player's. Johnson claims he was paid to keep quiet, but I'm led to believe that he approached the club and asked for compensation after getting nowhere with the police and PFA. A confidentiality clause would have been standard legal practice at the time - and I doubt if Chelsea's lawyers or insurers would have allowed them to pay Johnson anything without one - but I'm equally told that Chelsea offered to waive it this week if he wanted to tell his story. Which doesn't quite fit the notion that they tried to gag him.

 

[knocky1]

I understand that Chelsea's version of Gary Johnson's story on the front of today's Daily Mirror differs slightly from the former player's. Johnson claims he was paid to keep quiet, but I'm led to believe that he approached the club and asked for compensation after getting nowhere with the police and PFA. A confidentiality clause would have been standard legal practice at the time - and I doubt if Chelsea's lawyers or insurers would have allowed them to pay Johnson anything without one - but I'm equally told that Chelsea offered to waive it this week if he wanted to tell his story. Which doesn't quite fit the notion that they tried to gag him.

Aren't they wriggling out of the fact they gagged him? The 50 grand payment would not look good in a court today and so they have acted on legal advice.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Aren't they wriggling out of the fact they gagged him? The 50 grand payment would not look good in a court today and so they have acted on legal advice.

Another way to look at it is that they offered to ungag him as soon as the stories of the victims at other clubs became known. And until they received his consent to remove the confidentiality agreement, they couldn't admit the accusations made against them in the Torygraph.

A further consideration - and one which their insurers and lawyers no doubt would have had in mind - is that, once any payment became known, any number of dishonest opportunists might have come forward claiming to have been abused by Chelsea's late ex-coach. And still may, of course - as well as genuine victims.

 

[drew]

That (text / email from parent) still doesn't give you any protection.

Ideally, you need another adult or child in the car too. Adults should always be in front, kids always in the back.

I coach for a living, across all youth age groups (boys and girls, able-bodied and disabled) and it's drummed into us to NEVER be in a situation where you are alone with a child.

I know it's crazy, but you have to be paranoid these days and this protects the coach (from accusations) as well as the kids.

I agree with all that. However I disagree with Marshy in that the DBS is not worthless. It cannot, and probably nothing can, provide 100% guarantee but it does act as a filter to prevent those previously convicted from getting positions where they could get access to kids.

 

[drew]

Another way to look at it is that they offered to ungag him as soon as the stories of the victims at other clubs became known. And until they received his consent to remove the confidentiality agreement, they couldn't admit the accusations made against them in the Torygraph.

A further consideration - and one which their insurers and lawyers no doubt would have had in mind - is that, once any payment became known, any number of dishonest opportunists might have come forward claiming to have been abused by Chelsea's late ex-coach. And still may, of course - as well as genuine victims.

That's a very rose tinted view of Chelsea's actions.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

That's a very rose tinted view of Chelsea's actions.

It's a different view from the one set out by the Mirror and repeated by the BBC among others, I admit, and I admit it is based on things I've been told by a Chelsea employee. But if Gary Johnson didn't want to be gagged, why did he take Chelsea's money and accept the confidentiality clause (which was binding on both parties)?

 

[aolstudios]

About to get darker?..
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...a-investigation-crewe-alexandra-a7459546.html

 

[Ernest]

About to get darker?..
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...a-investigation-crewe-alexandra-a7459546.html

I think a lot more has yet to come out

 

[Soulman]

I must admit many years ago i heard about a well known player then manager who allegedly interfered with young players, i wonder if his name will crop up.

 

[LVGull]

While clearly have huge sympathy for all of these victims am appalled by the fact that the football industry is "surprised" by all of this as new news. Link below to a C4 Dispatches documentary from 1997 - Football's Foul Play - that discusses Bennell and others including the claims regarding Southampton that were reported as new news only this morning - including an interview with the same player .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AixfLC8oGPY

Just watched this video, it's a shame it took players nearly 20 years to talk about it in mass. Interesting that Bennall coached Gary Speed as well.

 

[Insel affe]

I must admit many years ago i heard about a well known player then manager who allegedly interfered with young players, i wonder if his name will crop up.

Is this the same person who may have been hit over the head with a baseball bat in retribution...

 

[Insel affe]

Crewe Alexandra football director Dario Gradi is to be interviewed by the FA over claims he "smoothed over" a complaint of sex assault by a Chelsea scout in the 1970s.
A former youth player at Chelsea - where Mr Gradi was assistant manager - says he was assaulted by chief scout, Eddie Heath, when he was 15.
He told the Independent Mr Gradi visited his parents at the time.
Mr Gradi says he did nothing wrong and that he will help in the FA's review.
Heath, who has since died, has been accused of abuse in the 1970s and 1980s by several people.
The FA - as part of its widened review into child sex abuse allegations - expects to question Mr Gradi after the Independent reported that in 1974 he went to see the parents of a youth-team player at the club about a sexual assault.
The former youth player - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - told the newspaper: "He [Mr Gradi] came to visit my parents and me to smooth it over.
"I remember him saying something like: '[With] Eddie, [football] is his life and he gets a bit close to the boys. I'm sorry if he's overstepped the mark in his fondness this time.'"

Eddie Heath worked as a football chief scout in the 1960s and 1970s
Chelsea is not known to have taken any action against Heath.

Sounds like Dario Gradi knows more than he is letting on.... possibly

 

[Thunder Bolt]

There are now 83 suspects and 98 clubs involved.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-382608...=social&ns_campaign=bbcnews&ns_source=twitter

 

[Marshy]

Waiting for this too be branched out into other sports... its going to be endless sadly.

 

[Titanic]

50 years of cover-ups, bullying, secrecy, embarrassment and shame... all coming out in one flood... this is going to be brutal.

"There are now 83 potential suspects and 98 clubs involved in the inquiry into child abuse in football, police chiefs have said.
The investigations span all tiers of football, "from premier clubs through to amateur", the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) said.
Police forces across the country are continuing to receive calls, it added.
The NPCC's lead for child protection said the allegations were "being swiftly acted upon" by police.
Of the identified victims, 98% were male, and the age range of potential victims at the time of the abuse was between seven and 20, police said.
A total of 639 referrals had been received from the NSPCC helpline and directly from police forces.
The FA is supporting a hotline set up by the NSPCC. It is available 24 hours a day on 0800 0232642."

83 is the tip of the iceberg

 

[Stat Brother]

While clearly have huge sympathy for all of these victims am appalled by the fact that the football industry is "surprised" by all of this as new news. Link below to a C4 Dispatches documentary from 1997 - Football's Foul Play - that discusses Bennell and others including the claims regarding Southampton that were reported as new news only this morning - including an interview with the same player .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AixfLC8oGPY

How is it, irrespective of the issue, there always seems to be a Dispatches documentary that predates 'the shocking truth' by 20 years.

 

[Insel affe]

Crewe Alexandra football director Dario Gradi is to be interviewed by the FA over claims he "smoothed over" a complaint of sex assault by a Chelsea scout in the 1970s.
A former youth player at Chelsea - where Mr Gradi was assistant manager - says he was assaulted by chief scout, Eddie Heath, when he was 15.
He told the Independent Mr Gradi visited his parents at the time.
Mr Gradi says he did nothing wrong and that he will help in the FA's review.
Heath, who has since died, has been accused of abuse in the 1970s and 1980s by several people.
The FA - as part of its widened review into child sex abuse allegations - expects to question Mr Gradi after the Independent reported that in 1974 he went to see the parents of a youth-team player at the club about a sexual assault.
The former youth player - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - told the newspaper: "He [Mr Gradi] came to visit my parents and me to smooth it over.
"I remember him saying something like: '[With] Eddie, [football] is his life and he gets a bit close to the boys. I'm sorry if he's overstepped the mark in his fondness this time.'"

Eddie Heath worked as a football chief scout in the 1960s and 1970s
Chelsea is not known to have taken any action against Heath.

Sounds like Dario Gradi knows more than he is letting on.... possibly

Seems he does know more then....

 

[Beach Hut]

Dario Gradi suspended from duties by the FA, there will be a horrendous ending to this however what happened can never be justified in any way.