| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players 13:20 - Nov 25 with 5826 views | mingthemerciless |
I've just been listening to an interview on the radio by a sports documentary maker. Apparently she was aware of these goings on twenty years ago. When she tried to raise the issue with the F A she got nowhere. Why is our National Game run by such idiots ? |  | | |  |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 13:33 - Nov 25 with 5008 views | SuddenLad |
I watched the Victoria Derbyshire programme on BBC2 this morning. 4 grown men, all ex-footballers and all victims of Barry Bennell, whilst he was employed as a coach at Crewe Alexandra. One of the 4 was brave enough to have refused to allow Bennell to carry on his vile activities telling him to 'eff off'. That was the end of the lads football career. He was malicioulsy and wrongly accused of stealing from his team mates, was isolated from the group and wasn't picked to play. His personal opinion was that Bennell was a key member of a paedophile ring and that there were others in key positions at Crewe who were aware of what was happening but did nothing.
I'm certain there will be others coming forward to relate horror stories of abuse, from different locations and from other clubs. The FA apparently did nothing 20 years ago, despite being made aware of the allegations.
Seeing those ex-players distraught, some in tears, relating what happened to them was heart-wrenching stuff. What they suffered is unimaginable. It is beyond belief.
Their courage in speaking out is incredible and I can only hope that every single person who had any part in what went on, either actively or by turning a blind eye, is brought to justice and the sooner the better. |  |
| “It is easier to fool people, than to convince them that they have been fooled†|
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 13:42 - Nov 25 with 4973 views | deezel |
I didn't hear the radio programme but I'd guess the reporter was Deborah Davies who did a Dispatches programme from C4 in 1996
Here's an extract from a recent article in the Guardian about the programme...
"There was the moment the investigative reporter, Deborah Davies, approached the FA’s then director of coaching and education, Charles Hughes, outside its old headquarters in Lancaster Gate and asked whether his organisation should bring in rules to protect children. Hughes did not even break stride, marching straight past as if she did not exist.
Dario Gradi, then the Crewe manager, was interviewed saying there was never “any cause for concern” that Bennell used to have boys staying with him at weekends and over school holidays. Davies, a brilliantly tenacious reporter, seemed perplexed that this could go on and Gradi’s response certainly jarred with Rowlinson’s admission that he was worried enough about Bennell’s “magnetic attraction with boys” to ask his contacts at Manchester City if they had their own suspicions.
Bennell had run junior teams for City for seven years and Davies’s exchange with Chris Muir, one of the club’s directors, was extraordinary. “In the world of football he [Bennell] was looked upon as a fellow that wasn’t right,” Muir said. “Football is a macho game and suspicions were shown that he might have been ‘the other way’, which is very, very rare that you ever hear of that in football, it’s a macho world.” Why, he was asked, did football not do anything about those suspicions? “Football allowed him to stay because he was producing the goods,” he replied." | | | |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 13:47 - Nov 25 with 4963 views | D_Alien |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 13:33 - Nov 25 by SuddenLad |
I watched the Victoria Derbyshire programme on BBC2 this morning. 4 grown men, all ex-footballers and all victims of Barry Bennell, whilst he was employed as a coach at Crewe Alexandra. One of the 4 was brave enough to have refused to allow Bennell to carry on his vile activities telling him to 'eff off'. That was the end of the lads football career. He was malicioulsy and wrongly accused of stealing from his team mates, was isolated from the group and wasn't picked to play. His personal opinion was that Bennell was a key member of a paedophile ring and that there were others in key positions at Crewe who were aware of what was happening but did nothing.
I'm certain there will be others coming forward to relate horror stories of abuse, from different locations and from other clubs. The FA apparently did nothing 20 years ago, despite being made aware of the allegations.
Seeing those ex-players distraught, some in tears, relating what happened to them was heart-wrenching stuff. What they suffered is unimaginable. It is beyond belief.
Their courage in speaking out is incredible and I can only hope that every single person who had any part in what went on, either actively or by turning a blind eye, is brought to justice and the sooner the better. |
It's the tip of an iceberg isn't it. The FA are very much part of the Establishment, and the utter mess that's being made of the Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is bringing shame upon everyone involved. The lack of care and indifference you've highlighted goes in no small way towards the disgust huge sections of the population now feel towards the Establishment, and this is another example.
In particular, the legal profession are showing themselves up in a very poor light, unable to even desist from bullying and sexual abuse within their own ranks as part of the very Inquiry which seeks to bring such behaviour to light.
[Post edited 25 Nov 2016 13:51]
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 13:53 - Nov 25 with 4946 views | judd |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 13:42 - Nov 25 by deezel |
I didn't hear the radio programme but I'd guess the reporter was Deborah Davies who did a Dispatches programme from C4 in 1996
Here's an extract from a recent article in the Guardian about the programme...
"There was the moment the investigative reporter, Deborah Davies, approached the FA’s then director of coaching and education, Charles Hughes, outside its old headquarters in Lancaster Gate and asked whether his organisation should bring in rules to protect children. Hughes did not even break stride, marching straight past as if she did not exist.
Dario Gradi, then the Crewe manager, was interviewed saying there was never “any cause for concern” that Bennell used to have boys staying with him at weekends and over school holidays. Davies, a brilliantly tenacious reporter, seemed perplexed that this could go on and Gradi’s response certainly jarred with Rowlinson’s admission that he was worried enough about Bennell’s “magnetic attraction with boys” to ask his contacts at Manchester City if they had their own suspicions.
Bennell had run junior teams for City for seven years and Davies’s exchange with Chris Muir, one of the club’s directors, was extraordinary. “In the world of football he [Bennell] was looked upon as a fellow that wasn’t right,” Muir said. “Football is a macho game and suspicions were shown that he might have been ‘the other way’, which is very, very rare that you ever hear of that in football, it’s a macho world.” Why, he was asked, did football not do anything about those suspicions? “Football allowed him to stay because he was producing the goods,” he replied." |
I remember Beardyman telling us of such abuse at Crewe years ago and it being swept under the establishment carpet. |  |
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 13:58 - Nov 25 with 4931 views | BigDaveMyCock |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 13:53 - Nov 25 by judd |
I remember Beardyman telling us of such abuse at Crewe years ago and it being swept under the establishment carpet. |
I recall there being rumours about Crewe in the early 90s. | |
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 15:23 - Nov 25 with 4851 views | mikehunt |
They interviewed the FA bloke (can't remember his name but slow, monotonous voice) on Radio 4 this morning
and he said there was no cover up or wall of silence back when these allegations first surfaced back then: it was just that nobody came forward with any complaints. [Post edited 25 Nov 2016 15:24]
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| The worm of time turns not for the cuckoo of circumstance. |
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 16:01 - Nov 25 with 4788 views | Yorkshire_Dale |
I heard on the Beeb,that Bennell had "influence in Clubs all around the North West of England".........a bit too close to home now. | | | |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 16:29 - Nov 25 with 4756 views | SuddenLad |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 13:53 - Nov 25 by judd |
I remember Beardyman telling us of such abuse at Crewe years ago and it being swept under the establishment carpet. |
I think it's fair to say that those of us who were watching Dale (and lower league football more generally) in the 1980's were aware of the 'tittle-tattle' surrounding Crewe Alexandra.
Whether some of those rumours will now be explored further remains to be seen, but I'm certain that some more high profile names are about to be appearing in the news headlines, either as victims or perpetrators.
The FA have some very serious questions to answer, regardless of what they do from hereon in. That they did nothing, despite being told, makes them, along with others, complicit. Utterly shameful. | |
| “It is easier to fool people, than to convince them that they have been fooled†|
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 20:44 - Nov 25 with 4490 views | BartRowou |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 16:29 - Nov 25 by SuddenLad |
I think it's fair to say that those of us who were watching Dale (and lower league football more generally) in the 1980's were aware of the 'tittle-tattle' surrounding Crewe Alexandra.
Whether some of those rumours will now be explored further remains to be seen, but I'm certain that some more high profile names are about to be appearing in the news headlines, either as victims or perpetrators.
The FA have some very serious questions to answer, regardless of what they do from hereon in. That they did nothing, despite being told, makes them, along with others, complicit. Utterly shameful. |
Crewe's legacy for producing quality players will forever be tarnished now. It was the one thing they were famous for in football. |  |
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 00:14 - Nov 26 with 4321 views | joecooke |
Heard mumerings years ago about Crewe. [Post edited 26 Nov 2016 0:18]
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 00:34 - Nov 29 with 4022 views | Albert_Whitehurst |
Jim Torbett at Celtic Boys club. Both Celtic and the SFA were keen to quash the notion the Stein was aware of the goings on during that 30 year period.
'The image of Celtic must be protected'... |  | | |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 09:43 - Nov 29 with 3911 views | electricblue |
I find the comments by Eric Bristow rather repulsive about the victims....... |  |
| My all time favourite Dale player Mr Lyndon Symmonds |
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 10:44 - Nov 29 with 3866 views | nordenblue |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 09:43 - Nov 29 by electricblue |
I find the comments by Eric Bristow rather repulsive about the victims....... |
Hardly a surprise coming from him..... not the brightest of blokes.. | | | |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 12:02 - Nov 29 with 3818 views | Toffeemanc |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 10:44 - Nov 29 by nordenblue |
Hardly a surprise coming from him..... not the brightest of blokes.. |
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/38141331
Sky have responded to Bristows tweets by correctly sacking him from their darts coverage. |  |
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 13:00 - Nov 29 with 3765 views | electricblue |
Good on sky...
But he still said those remarks and are there for all to read and hear and that annoys me..... | |
| My all time favourite Dale player Mr Lyndon Symmonds |
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 13:31 - Nov 29 with 3737 views | KenBoon |
Bristow is a prick, but it shouldn't distract from the utter evil that is all this sexual abuse. What he and other morons say is utterly meaningless compared to dealing with this evil, which sadly cannot have been a total shock to everyone within the game. |  | | |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 15:16 - Nov 29 with 3684 views | pioneer |
Not sure that The FA is the right body to hold an enquiry - essentially investigating themselves.
As many on here have said there were rumours about this for a long time - why were the FA not checking stuff out then? They also seem to be being quite glib about this being something that happened in the past that would never happen today. I wouldn't be so sure - but that attitude doesn't bode well for an inquiry - it will be interesting to see the terms of reference set (by the FA presumably).
North American sports have also gone through this - check out Graham James (ice hockey) and Jerry Sandusky (Penn State football) for example. I don't suppose the FA contacted the governing bodies of these sports to see what they could learn from others. | | | |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 17:07 - Nov 29 with 3622 views | SuddenLad |
Bennell has now been charged with 8 offences involving indecency with a child under 14 years.
No doubt others will follow. | |
| “It is easier to fool people, than to convince them that they have been fooled†|
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 17:16 - Nov 29 with 3612 views | D_Alien |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 17:07 - Nov 29 by SuddenLad |
Bennell has now been charged with 8 offences involving indecency with a child under 14 years.
No doubt others will follow. |
Find it hard to believe he was left at his home address with the potential for a suicide attempt. Needs to be brought before a court - again, and this time with full media spotlight on him, not allowed to escape the consequences | |
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| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 17:22 - Nov 29 with 3603 views | pioneer |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 17:16 - Nov 29 by D_Alien |
Find it hard to believe he was left at his home address with the potential for a suicide attempt. Needs to be brought before a court - again, and this time with full media spotlight on him, not allowed to escape the consequences |
Normally I would agree but in this case we have someone who has done time for this type of behaviour but it hasnt changed him. While I am not a hang em and flog em type, suicide would mean there is one less predator around to harm children. | | | |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 17:39 - Nov 29 with 3581 views | JumeirahDale |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 15:16 - Nov 29 by pioneer |
Not sure that The FA is the right body to hold an enquiry - essentially investigating themselves.
As many on here have said there were rumours about this for a long time - why were the FA not checking stuff out then? They also seem to be being quite glib about this being something that happened in the past that would never happen today. I wouldn't be so sure - but that attitude doesn't bode well for an inquiry - it will be interesting to see the terms of reference set (by the FA presumably).
North American sports have also gone through this - check out Graham James (ice hockey) and Jerry Sandusky (Penn State football) for example. I don't suppose the FA contacted the governing bodies of these sports to see what they could learn from others. |
Excellent article in Esquire last week about a less famous case (than Penn State, which had huge exposure) in the US. Lots of similarities with the Bennell situation and well worth a read for anyone wondering how these things stay quiet for so long.
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a50346/poly-prep-philip-foglietta/ |  | | |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 18:02 - Nov 29 with 3566 views | nordenblue |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 17:22 - Nov 29 by pioneer |
Normally I would agree but in this case we have someone who has done time for this type of behaviour but it hasnt changed him. While I am not a hang em and flog em type, suicide would mean there is one less predator around to harm children. |
He'll be no predator whilst at her majesties pleasure either,drag him through the courts and rip him to bits in public for the horrendous crimes he thought he was too powerful to get caught doing.... | | | |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 19:55 - Nov 29 with 3481 views | pioneer |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 18:02 - Nov 29 by nordenblue |
He'll be no predator whilst at her majesties pleasure either,drag him through the courts and rip him to bits in public for the horrendous crimes he thought he was too powerful to get caught doing.... |
My point was he has already been through courts and served time none of which protected kids from him when he got out again.
I think it depends on how you view incarceration, is it for punishment, rehabilitation or protecting the rest of the population from harm. We can debate the first of these but quite clearly it hasn't achieved much, if anything, on the second and third.
Should he have chosen to 'end it all' then that would protect the rest of the population from further harm. | | | |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 20:17 - Nov 29 with 3462 views | D_Alien |
| The Sexual Abuse Of Young Players on 19:55 - Nov 29 by pioneer |
My point was he has already been through courts and served time none of which protected kids from him when he got out again.
I think it depends on how you view incarceration, is it for punishment, rehabilitation or protecting the rest of the population from harm. We can debate the first of these but quite clearly it hasn't achieved much, if anything, on the second and third.
Should he have chosen to 'end it all' then that would protect the rest of the population from further harm. |
And my point was that his previous court appearances and jail terms went completely under the radar
It's a well-established principle of justice that not only should it be done - but it should be seen to be done
The lads affected, in particular, would want to see him squirming in the dock as the evidence is put to him - for their cases. Only then might they start to find some peace of mind
[Post edited 29 Nov 2016 20:19]
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