FOOTBALL CLUB TO LAUNCH REVIEW INTO ABUSE CLAIMS
C REWE Alexandra is to launch an independent review of the way it dealt with historical child abuse allegations, the football club said in a statement.
A string of former footballers have come forward since Andy Woodward became the first to speak out last week about his claims of abuse he suffered at the hands of convicted child abuser Barry Bennell, a former Crewe Alexandra coach.
Bennell, who worked for Crewe, Manchester City, Stoke and junior teams in north-west England and the Midlands, was jailed for four years for raping a British boy on a 1994 football tour of Florida, and given a nineyear sentence for 23 offences against six boys in England in 1998.
He was jailed for a third time in 2015 after admitting abusing a boy at a 1980 football camp in Macclesfield.
“Crewe Alexandra Football Club can today announce that it is to launch an inde- pendent review of the way the club dealt with historical child abuse allegations,” the statement said.
“The club is determined that a thorough investigation takes place at the earliest opportunity and believes an independent review, to be conducted via the appointment of external legal counsel, is the correct way forward in the circumstances.”
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) said it was “watching events closely” and opened the door to examining allegations in the growing scandal as England captain Wayne Rooney urged anyone who may have been assaulted to seek help. Those to have made allegations against Bennell include former Manchester City star David White and youth player Jason Dunford, plus exCrewe player Steve Walters and youngster Chris Unsworth.
This week former Welsh international Robbie Savage described himself as “one of the lucky ones” and demanded a sweeping investigation into the child sex abuse scandal rocking football.
The midfielder turned pundit was first spotted at the age of 11 and set on the road to stardom by Barry Bennell.
The Wrexham born 42-year-old, who represented his country 39 times, said: “The people who have come out this week and talked about what’s happened have been so courageous.
“It was Barry Bennell who first spotted the potential in me and sent me on trial to Crewe, but I was one of the lucky ones – I wasn’t targeted by him.”
Chief Constable Simon Bailey, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for child protection, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We are receiving reports of abuse in all sorts of different institutions. I am not in the least bit surprised that we are now seeing the lid lifted on exploitation within the world of football and I suspect there will be other sporting governing bodies who will come forward and who will identify the fact that they have similar problems.”
The Metropolitan Police and forces in Hampshire, Northumbria and Cheshire said they are investigating abuse allegations.
Some claims came from the NSPCC, which this week set up a dedicated hotline – 0800 023 2642 – for football-related cases.