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.
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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