Sexual abuse of young players | Bennell gets 31 years (expected to serve 15) | Dead

jojojo

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From today's Guardian, an interview with an ex-pro called Andy Woodward who was one of the victims of Barry Bennell (a scout/coach at Crewe but who also worked with other clubs including Stoke and City and a number of junior clubs)
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/nov/16/andy-woodward?CMP=share_btn_tw

It makes sad reading and it's only too easy to see why the kids who were abused couldn't fight back. Not only were they kids, he could kill their football dreams and the dressing room culture actually isolated the players and discouraged them from speaking out. As we've seen before in similar cases, the chances are that other adults knew. Some of them may have been involved, others just looked the other way.

One of the young players who stayed at Bennell's house was Gary Speed, which inevitably leaves you speculating, though both Bennell and Speed's family deny that any abuse occurred.

At any rate, Woodward hopes that by going public he can encourage other victims to come forward.
 
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jojojo said:
From today's Guardian, an interview with an ex-pro called Andy Woodward who was one of the victims of Barry Bennell (a scout/coach at Crewe but who also worked with other clubs including Stoke and City and a number of junior clubs)
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/nov/16/andy-woodward?CMP=share_btn_tw

It makes sad reading and it's only too easily to see why the kids who were abused, couldn't fight back. Not only were they kids, he could kill their football dreams and the dressing room culture actually isolated the players and discouraged them from speaking out. As we've seen before in similar cases, the chances are that other adults knew. Some of them may have been involved, others just looked the other way.

One of the young players who stayed at Bennell's house was Gary Speed, which inevitably leaves you speculating, though both Bennell and Speed's family deny that any abuse occurred.

At any rate, Woodward hopes that by going public he can encourage other victims to come forward.
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That's interesting...

The whole thing is awful. How can adults, who know, or suspect, this sort of thing is happening just turn a blind eye? Surely that's as bad as the abuser?
 
Jazz said:
That's interesting...

The whole thing is awful. How can adults, who know, or suspect, this sort of thing is happening just turn a blind eye? Surely that's as bad as the abuser?
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In many ways it's worse as the abuser often has some sort of illness or issues.
 
SirHenryPercy said:
In many ways it's worse as the abuser often has some sort of illness or issues.
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Oh for sure. It's inconceivable that others at Crewe were not aware of this. Incredible really.
 
This is one of the few good aspects of modern times. Mental health issues are now discussed, being gay is normal, and speaking out is now encouraged and supported.

Savile was very lucky that he died before he was exposed.
 
Its pretty incredible that people would actually allow things like this to go on without doing something. I suppose its no different to that at the BBC though, people scared to lose their position if they spoke out
 
WhoDaGOAT said:
This is one of the few good aspects of modern times. Mental health issues are now discussed, being gay is normal, and speaking out is now encouraged and supported.

Savile was very lucky that he died before he was exposed.
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Agreed.

Its always nice to hear that a child abuser has been beaten up in the prison showers, like that huntley bloke.
 
That's the thing about kiddie fiddlers, they specifically target work that will give them access to kids.

Whether its working in education, religion, medicine, social work, we know where the paedos will turn up because they make sure they can be close to children.

When you think about it, the big surprise is that this hasn't been reported before. Its a sad reality that a lot of abusers tend to seek easy access to kids and football coaching offers that.

Just so sad.
 
Couldn't even stomach reading the full article.

The man had the audacity to marry one of his victims' sister? Disgusting.
 
#07 said:
That's the thing about kiddie fiddlers, they specifically target work that will give them access to kids.

Whether its working in education, religion, medicine, social work, we know where the paedos will turn up because they make sure they can be close to children.

When you think about it, the big surprise is that this hasn't been reported before. Its a sad reality that a lot of abusers tend to seek easy access to kids and football coaching offers that.

Just so sad.
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I think in cases like this they make friends within their field which increases their influence and protection. Furthermore, those same people who become friends with a pedophile often don't want the truth to emerge because of how it will make them look.
 
vi1lain said:
Couldn't even stomach reading the full article.

The man had the audacity to marry one of his victims' sister? Disgusting.
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Not only that, she was 16, and he was 35 when they started going out...
 
jojojo said:
From today's Guardian, an interview with an ex-pro called Andy Woodward who was one of the victims of Barry Bennell (a scout/coach at Crewe but who also worked with other clubs including Stoke and City and a number of junior clubs)
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/nov/16/andy-woodward?CMP=share_btn_tw

It makes sad reading and it's only too easy to see why the kids who were abused couldn't fight back. Not only were they kids, he could kill their football dreams and the dressing room culture actually isolated the players and discouraged them from speaking out. As we've seen before in similar cases, the chances are that other adults knew. Some of them may have been involved, others just looked the other way.

One of the young players who stayed at Bennell's house was Gary Speed, which inevitably leaves you speculating, though both Bennell and Speed's family deny that any abuse occurred.

At any rate, Woodward hopes that by going public he can encourage other victims to come forward.
Click to expand...
:(
 
vi1lain said:
Don't get me started on the whole age gap thing, it's creepy and perverted, perfect fit for a paedophile.
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I bet his sister, and her parents who accepted it, all feel a bit cnuty now though, eh...
 
Big Andy said:
I bet his sister, and her parents who accepted it, all feel a bit cnuty now though, eh...
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I wouldn't even be surprised if he used their sons footballing career in some subtle emotional blackmail too.
 
No paedophile or rape jokes before anyone thinks of saying one. Should go without saying really but have to say it as I know what some of you are like
 
Rado_N said:
A lad I went to primary school with went to Crewe academy in the early 90's :nervous:
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I've got family and friends who were playing youth football in Derbyshire and south Manchester in that era. A couple of them have said to me that there were always "rumours" about Crewe.

It may be that it's only now, as the kids from that era enter their 30s/40s, that the witnesses/victims can really come forward. As always though you're left feeling that if kids "knew" then so did adults, and some of those adults could have helped stop it.
 
Truly disturbing and grim stuff.

jojojo said:
One of the young players who stayed at Bennell's house was Gary Speed, which inevitably leaves you speculating, though both Bennell and Speed's family deny that any abuse occurred.
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Not to single out any of the victims that have been through a lot, yet this part really leaves you speculating as you said.
 
jojojo said:
I've got family and friends who were playing youth football in Derbyshire and south Manchester in that era. A couple of them have said to me that there were always "rumours" about Crewe.

It may be that it's only now, as the kids from that era enter their 30s/40s, that the witnesses/victims can really come forward. As always though you're left feeling that if kids "knew" then so did adults, and some of those adults could have helped stop it.
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There absolutely must have been people who knew and could have done something. It's a horrible story.
 
What is with Crewe's somewhat muted response thus far? Are they waiting for everything to come out before they actually address the situation properly?
 
Jazz said:
That's interesting...

The whole thing is awful. How can adults, who know, or suspect, this sort of thing is happening just turn a blind eye? Surely that's as bad as the abuser?
Click to expand...

You haven't really followed the Jimmy Saville or Rotherham case, right? Or in the case of football - there would be the Manfred Amerell case in Germany.

I am not surprised the least that something like this is happening.
 
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