SAVE OUR KIDS
Stewart: TV cash would help
FORMER England star Paul Stewart has called on the Premier League to use some of its new £4.46billion TV deal to fight football’s paedophiles.
Stewart, who revealed in 2016 that he was sexually abused by sick junior football coach Frank Roper, insists the world’s richest league has a duty to help protect kids at grassroots level. The 53-year-old is now urging Prem bosses to show their commitment by donating just one per cent of the TV package agreed with Sky and BT Sport – £46m – so the toughest safeguards can be put into place.
Ex-liverpool man Stewart said: “Football has never had so much money – and when the new TV
deal was announced during the week, the first thing I thought of was that some of that cash should be used to protect children playing at grassroots level.
“Just one per cent of that money would make a huge difference.
“I’m not naive and I don’t realistically think the Premier League will give the funding.
“But I still think the people in charge should be asked the question.
“I’ll ask them – faceto-face – and if they say no, then their explanation should be made public.”
Stewart, who has just completed a course qualifying him to teach best safeguarding practices, also wants the chance to ask football’s current crop of stars to donate money.
He added: “This isn’t a problem confined to football – it requires more government money. And what about lottery funding?
“We need to make it as hard as possible for these people to access our kids. We are miles off from where we need to be.
“I’m sure that, if I was given permission to visit all 92 clubs in the Premier League and Football League, to speak to players, they would have no problem donating money to help with safeguarding.”
Stewart’s plea comes as serial offender Barry Bennell, 64, is due to be sentenced tomorrow.
He has been found guilty of 50 counts of sexual abuse against 12 boys during his time working as a scout for Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra.