GMP open own probe into historical abuse in youth football

Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), said on Friday that the sport had to respond to the allegations.

While the FA has appointed experienced independent counsel to lead its investigation-the AP noted that the lawyer, Kate Gallafent, “has experience working on child protection issues in sports”-one member of Parliament criticized the organization for not acting more quickly and wants the investigation to pursue whether there are problems with “the whole culture of football”.

Her recommendations will be considered but the FA accepts a full, wide-ranging inquiry may yet be necessary.

“I woke up. I basically give him short shrift and told him where to get off and that was it”, he told BBC Scotland.

Chelsea Football Club later announced that they have retained an law firm to carry out an investigation concerning an one of its 1970s employees, who is now dead.

“We have seen allegations that clubs paid off players to keep quiet”.

The inquiry was set up following the 2011 death of entertainer Jimmy Savile, after which dozens came forward to say he had abused them. Very well connected in football, did a lot of name-dropping with famous footballers.

Former football coach Barry Bennell has been charged with child sex offences, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

As many as seven professional football clubs are now embroiled in the growing scandal, with more than 20 former players alleging they were victims, the head of the players’ union has said.

Bennell, 62, has previously been convicted of sexual abuse, with his crimes emerging in 1994 after a tour of the United States.

After his release in 2004, Bennell was jailed for a third time after admitted two counts of indecent assault on a male under the age of 14, and two counts of enticing a boy under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency in relation to the 12-year-old boy in Macclesfield. “It would be inappropriate to comment further”.

Barry Bennell, a convicted child abuser, was found at an address in Knebworth Park, Stevenage on Friday, Thames Valley Police said. “We sent an ambulance crew who were on the scene within eight minutes”.

Bennell worked at Crewe Alexandra in the 1980s and 1990s and also had a close association with Stoke City and Manchester City, as well as with a number of junior teams in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.

Bennell served three years in a USA prison for the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old British boy while on a soccer tour of Florida in 1994 and was jailed for nine years in Britain in 1998 after pleading guilty to 23 specimen charges of abuse.

Those making allegations against him include former Manchester City star David White and youth player Jason Dunford, plus ex-Crewe player Steve Walters and youngster Chris Unsworth.

Sources at Leeds United have told Sky Sports News HQ the club were only made aware of the links to alleged historic child abuse when they heard Mr Taylor’s interview, but they are taking the claims “extremely seriously”.

Claims have also emerged that clubs in England agreed settlements with players who suffered sexual abuse in exchange for confidentiality about the cases.

Four more former players have since said they had been victims of Bennell.