FA probe into ‘hazing’ abuse of young stars
Initiation rites ‘are not high jinks or banter – they were hell’
THE inquiry into sexual abuse in football is examining allegations that teenage apprentices endured sickening ‘punishments’ and initiat i on ceremonies, The Mail on Sunday has learned.
Most of the ‘hazing’ rituals are said to date from the 1980s and 1990s, with some described as abusive.
One case involves former Stoke City apprentice George Blackstock, who claims he was sexually assaulted with a goalkeeper’s glove because the tea he made for senior players had gone cold.
He is due to give evidence to the inquiry in the next few weeks.
The Football Association review was set up after Crewe defender Andy Woodward came forward to speak about the childhood abuse he suffered at the hands of a club coach. His story prompted others to come forward with historic allegations involving coaches and scouts at clubs such as Manchester City, Chelsea, Southampton and Newcastle.
Led by Clive Sheldon QC, the inquiry has interviewed about 15 alleged victims, and is planning to speak to more than 20 more.
It is understood Mr Sheldon is also trying to establish whether clubs knew about initiation ceremonies.
Members of Manchester United’s celebrated youth team dubbed the Class Of ’92 have previously described their initiation ceremonies at the club. David Beckham, , Paul Scholes and Robbie e Savage are among those who o have spoken of the hazing rituuals, with Beckham revealing g he was forced to perform a sex x act while looking at a photoograph of a senior player.
At Stoke, Blackstock says he was forced into a degrading ng ritual known as ‘gloving’ in the he early 1980s – but his claim was rejected by Preston County Court in 2015.
He claimed that after incurring the wrath of senior players at the age of 16, he was dragged ‘ kicking and screaming’ to the first team dressing room and assaulted as ‘punishment’.
Blackstock first raised his complaint in 2008. Several other apprentices supported his claim with similar allegations against other people, but Staffordshire police and the Crown Prosecution Service said there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a criminal case.
Instead Blackstock launched civil claims against goalkeeper Peter Fox for physical assault, and Stoke, for ‘vicarious liability’, suing for £170,000. But Fox, who had strenuously denied the claims, and Stoke were cleared in court in October 2015. Blackstock said last night: ‘I’m very glad the FA is looking at including my case and I will never stop in pursuit of justice.
‘Initiation ceremonies are trivialised as high jinks or banter, but for me it was absolute hell.’
Mr Sheldon is looking into all aspects of abuse, from grassroots football to the professional game, including girls’ sport.
So far he has reviewed 1,266 boxes of evidence in the FA archives and expects to examine another 2,092.