How none of the other members of the Crewe set up including long time manager Dario Gradi knew anything about this is amazing
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Sickened but not surprised by this after last weeks Andy Woodward came out and bravely spoke about the abuse he suffered. I remember when Steve Walters burst onto the scene and there was talk of what an exceptional talent he was.
It sounds as if Crewe are STILL burying there heads in the sand about this so shame on them.
Despite being a child protection specialist and a football enthusiast I don't know too much about safeguards which are now in place to protect children and youths in football these days but hopefully it is much much better than it was.
https://www.theguardian.com/football...MCNEWEML6619I2
How none of the other members of the Crewe set up including long time manager Dario Gradi knew anything about this is amazing
Paul Stewart now as well,with a different abuser.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...arebar_twitter
Terrible stories. Makes you think how easy it must have been and how likely it is that there are more cases around the country.
But a couple of (uncomfortable I suppose) questions come to my mind. Why is no one asking "Why didn't he come forward and go public earlier"? Why is no one asking "Is he trying to sell his story for money"?
Because if this was a group of women revealing their story, I'm quite sure we would see that kind of thing being asked. Instead people are, quite rightly, taking it at face value and are appalled.
I would guess that the reason no one has spoken about it before is the same reason footballers wont come out as gay, the fear of looking vulnerable and weak in a macho environment.
I imagine they are being paid as its a major story at the moment and the floodgates could potentially be opening on other stories.
I understand what you're saying about women being questioned for coming forward after the fact, but i think, and hope that if a bunch of sportswomen spoke up about being abused at a young age by a coach(of either sex) then they would be believed without questioning their motives.
Thanks for the answer - I hope you understand I'm not actually asking those questions myself, but they are the type that do get asked when women talk publicly about sexual abuse. But, just as it is for these men, they are unpleasant events which the brain usually tries to suppress initially as it has no other way of dealing with it.
Speaking publicly is a very brave thing to do and they deserve respect for that. I think they get it too. I'm just not convinced that respect is always given. I would also hope that sportswomen would be believed but other cases (the most recent and high profile being Trump) makes me wonder.
Yeah, i understand they are not your questions and i agree those kind of questions would be asked.
I think that if the alleged abuser is a high profile, rich household name then the reasons for women (or men) coming forward sometimes get muddied.
Due to the traditional gender roles and perceived affront to masculinity that being sexually abused by another man has sadly kept many boys and men from speaking out.
It is very very difficult for women to speak about it, even years after, but it is often more more difficult for males, especially in such a masculine-centred sport, so I am not surprised that these lads didn't speak up earlier.
'Why I Didn't Say Anything ' by Sheldon Kennedy is worth a read. Kennedy was abused by his coach when he was a junior ice hockey player in Canada. He feared the reaction from other players in what is one of the toughest sports, but when he told of his abuse, some of the meanest, roughest players were coming up to him during the warm-up and slapping him on the back and offering encouragement.
One revelation of sexual abuse usually leads to a second and a third which usually leads to several more, and in this last group there is inevitably false, misinterpreted or mis-remembered events.
It's incredibly brave to come forward and admirable when all you want to do is raise awareness. Likewise, Kanye speaking about his mental health can fall under this bracket.
Wasn't there a theory that maybe Garry Speed might have been a victim of abuse by this Barry Bennell
Bennell, now 62, was jailed for two years in May 2015 for another historic case involving a 12-year-old boy in Macclesfield and admitted in a 2012 interview with the Sunday Times that Gary Speed was one of the youngsters who stayed at his house. Bennell told the newspaper he had not abused Speed, but added that even if he had done he would be unlikely to admit it anyway. When the reporter told him he would be left in peace, he replied: “There’s no peace now. How can you have peace when you’ve killed somebody?” He added: “To me, killing someone is what you’ve done to them, because their life’s never the same again.” Lawyers for Speed’s wife, Louise, subsequently put out a statement saying they had been assured that the former Wales manager was not one of Bennell’s victims.
https://www.theguardian.com/football.../andy-woodward
Another case - this time at Newcastle Utd:
https://www.theguardian.com/football.../george-ormond
this is why people dont come forward
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/38139647
Former darts world champion Eric Bristow has suggested football abuse victims are not "proper men" - and has been criticised on social media.
More than 20 ex-footballers have come forward with allegations of historical child sex abuse in the sport, and five police forces are investigating claims.
But Bristow, 59, questioned why they did not "sort out" their abusers "when they got older and fitter".
Writing on Twitter, Bristow, who was made an MBE in 1989, said darts players were "tough guys" and footballers "wimps".
He added the victims should not be able to look themselves in the mirror for not "getting their own back" on their abusers in adulthood.
Several former footballers have waived their right to anonymity in order to go public and raise awareness of alleged historical abuse in football, a step which has won praise from politicians, sport administrators and abuse charities.
Walters has alleged he was abused as a youth player by convicted paedophile and former Crewe coach Barry Bennell.
Looks like some darts have pricks on both ends.
The FA didn't seem to care about kids welfare in the game
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38145061