Child abuse within football (Charlton mentioned pg 4)

Chris_from_Sidcup · November 2016

This is about to become really huge. One ex player came forward and now more and more are doing so. The original guy (Andy Woodward) reckons the number abused could be far greater than those by Jimmy Saville.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/38084213

SDAddick · November 2016

Yeah I've been reading bits and bobs about this.

We had something that seems similar happen in American University Football (Penn State) where it turned out a coach had been molesting boys for years and the head coach and the university either turned a blind eye in some instances, and actively covered it up in others.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penn_State_child_sex_abuse_scandal

I was reading in the Guardian that Crewe have pushed back hard saying they didn't know anything and aren't to blame. That may be true, but that wouldn't be my advice on how to approach a serious crime that you missed happening within your club. I also suspect, though don't have a way to prove this one way or another, that warning signs were missed when this was occurring.

cafcdave123 · November 2016

I have been reading bits about this, very difficult thing to comment on.

guinnessaddick · November 2016

https://twitter.com/david_white7/status/801493371986575364

Kap10 · November 2016

Heart wrenching

DOC64 · November 2016

Well done to all the former players who have exposed these shocking events.

I know that Academies, including Charlton, have been taking steps for a number of years to prevent this happening.

Unfortunately, I fear there will be a number of further revelations......

oohaahmortimer · November 2016

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04gp4j1

oohaahmortimer · November 2016

unreal the coach who abused Woodward between the ages of 11-15 went on to date and marry his sister , what a sick world we live in

RodneyCharltonTrotta · November 2016

Horrendous. Incredible courage of the victims to come forward.

cafcdave123 · November 2016

DOC64 said:
Well done to all the former players who have exposed these shocking events.

I know that Academies, including Charlton, have been taking steps for a number of years to prevent this happening.

Unfortunately, I fear there will be a number of further revelations......

The PFA have said the number of players/ex players to have contacted them regarding this is already in double figures

moutuakilla · November 2016

smudge7946 said:
Why has this suddenly come out now?
Is Barry Bennell still alive? I understand he was convicted in 1998 and served a long sentence

Looks like he is in prison (went back in in 2015)

DOC64 · November 2016

Think he is back out on parole. Sentenced in 2015 for two years to serve a minimum of 12 months.

Lordflashheart · November 2016

Shocking reading - heartbreaking that Andy Woodward also had to watch his abuser marry his sister

What also disturbs me is that Andy Woodward told Stan Ternant and Neil Warnock many years ago what happened to him - why didn't either of them do something - surely after being told something like that you wouldn't keep quiet

Chris_from_Sidcup · November 2016

Yeah the paedo marrying his sister is unbelievable, shocking that the guy was so scared and fearful of what would happen if he spoke out, that he just had to sit and watch her marry him without saying a word.

robroy · November 2016

Read in the metro that the coaches used to argue each evening, as to who they wanted to take back for the night.

Paul Stewart was also threatened with violence or sexual abuse if he had a bad game.

Absolutely disgusting and heart wrenching.

cafcdave123 · November 2016

robroy said:
Read in the metro that the coaches used to argue each evening, as to who they wanted to take back for the night.

Paul Stewart was also threatened with violence or sexual abuse if he had a bad game.

Absolutely disgusting and heart wrenching.

sorry, does that mean argue over who drops who home after training/matches or who they wanted to take for the night?

if the latter, that is just unbelievable

*obviously the whole thing is horrible

robroy · November 2016

cafcdave123 said:

robroy said:
Read in the metro that the coaches used to argue each evening, as to who they wanted to take back for the night.

Paul Stewart was also threatened with violence or sexual abuse if he had a bad game.

Absolutely disgusting and heart wrenching.
sorry, does that mean argue over who drops who home after training/matches or who they wanted to take for the night?

if the latter, that is just unbelievable

*obviously the whole thing is horrible

To quote the metro.

Andy Woodward told Piers Morgan.

"The 43 year old said the situation was so bad that coaches were 'arguing among themselves on a Friday night about which child is going to stay at someone's house.

shocking!

ForeverAddickted · November 2016

Is there anything that could see someone from Charlton (mainly past) being caught up in this?

Chris_from_Sidcup · November 2016

Comments here from ex Charlton man Micky Bennett who now works at the PFA.

http://news.sky.com/story/football-coach-sex-abuse-revelations-may-be-tip-of-the-iceberg-10669590

pettgra · November 2016

It seems like a massive cover up at the time. I cannot believe that no one knew what was going on apart from the victims and the perpetrators.

cafcdave123 · November 2016

robroy said:

cafcdave123 said:

robroy said:
Read in the metro that the coaches used to argue each evening, as to who they wanted to take back for the night.

Paul Stewart was also threatened with violence or sexual abuse if he had a bad game.

Absolutely disgusting and heart wrenching.
sorry, does that mean argue over who drops who home after training/matches or who they wanted to take for the night?

if the latter, that is just unbelievable

*obviously the whole thing is horrible
To quote the metro.

Andy Woodward told Piers Morgan.

"The 43 year old said the situation was so bad that coaches were 'arguing among themselves on a Friday night about which child is going to stay at someone's house.

shocking!

f#cking hell!

Super_Eddie_Youds · November 2016

This will absolutely be the tip of the iceberg. Sadly I'm only surprised it hasn't come out sooner.

Utmost respect for those with the bravery to come out publicly. Hopefully others may now be able to challenge their abusers and make them face justice.

The FA must have been dreading this moment for years and need to step up and give the police all the help they can.

i_b_b_o_r_g · November 2016

Paul Stewart on BBC News coming up, in tears. Always remember him being a solid old player. Terrible to see a bloke like that, broken by what some twisted fucker done 30 - 35 years ago.

Reckon this is gonna go on this

ShootersHillGuru · November 2016

Paul Stewart and the other pro's coming forward are absolute heroes in getting this out there.

It seems that this cancer is in every possible walk of life. It's horrific.

Simonsen · November 2016

Terribly sad but not at all surprising. Sport attracted these types because, looking back, the kids were easy prey.

I came through the cricket "system" and there were one or two coaches/officials who were bad news (one of whom i think was convicted).

It's much much safer for kids now thankfully but everyone still has to be on their guard 100% of the time.

Sad for the kids and sad for those good, well intentioned coaches.

Chris_from_Sidcup · November 2016

i_b_b_o_r_g said:
Paul Stewart on BBC News coming up, in tears. Always remember him being a solid old player. Terrible to see a bloke like that, broken by what some twisted fucker done 30 - 35 years ago.

Reckon this is gonna go on this

Tough watching his interview, the guy looked broken. Each of the guys who've come forward are adamant there would've been 100s of kids affected by this, quite incredible this went untold for so long.

Addickted · November 2016

Charlton mentioned as the Club this would never had happened at, due to the fact that no coach was allowed to be alone with any of their charges. Part of our long standing policies.