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Paul Stewart - abused by football coach


HolyHank
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Guest Pistonbroke

Dario Gradi has been suspended.

 

Crewe Alexandra director Dario Gradi has been suspended pending a Football Association investigation that will include looking into claims he "smoothed over" a complaint of sexual assault against a Chelsea scout in the 1970s.

A former youth player at Chelsea - where Gradi was assistant manager - says he was assaulted by Eddie Heath, the club's chief scout, when he was 15.

Gradi, 75, denies any wrongdoing and says he will help the FA's review.

Heath, who has since died, has been accused by several people of abuse in the 1970s and 1980s.

The BBC understands that the FA, as part of its widened review into child sex abuse allegations, expects to question Gradi after the Independent reported that, in 1974, he went to see the parents of a youth player at Chelsea about a sexual assault.

The former youth player - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - told the newspaper: "He [Gradi] came to visit my parents and me to smooth it over.

"I remember him saying something like: '[With] Eddie, [football] is his life and he gets a bit close to the boys. I'm sorry if he's overstepped the mark in his fondness this time.'"

Chelsea are not known to have taken any action and Gradi has made no specific comments on this claim or his links with Heath.

In a statement on Friday, he said: "Aside from denying any wrongdoing, it would be inappropriate and unfair on all parties to comment piecemeal through the media at this time in connection with historical allegations.

"Suffice to say, I will do everything within my power to assist all investigatory authorities into what is becoming a wide-ranging and important enquiry into historical sexual abuse."

League Two club Crewe Alexandra have not yet responded to a request for comment.

The FA has given no indication about who will be spoken to as part of its review.

Gradi has previously said he "knew nothing" about the alleged abuse of young footballers by anyone connected with Crewe until 1994 and that he then co-operated with the authorities.

Despite failing to win any major honours in his management career, Gradi developed a reputation as a fine coach of young players, primarily at Crewe Alexandra.

Born in Milan, Italy he came to the UK as a child after the Second World War and went on to play football at non-league level, before becoming Chelsea assistant coach in 1971, aged 29.

He remained at the London club until 1976, before returning to Sutton United, who he used to play for.

Following spells as manager of Wimbledon and Crystal Palace, he began an association with Crewe in 1983 that now spans 33 years.

He was manager from 1983 to 2007, leading the team to the second tier of English football for the first time in 1997, and was awarded an MBE for services to football a year later.

Crewe's 11th-placed finish in their first year in the second tier remains the highest finish in the club's history.

During Gradi's tenure, the club won the PFA Bobby Moore Fair Play Trophy 12 times in 15 years.

Having had a spell as director of football, Gradi had a second stint as manager from 2009 to 2011 before returning to the overseeing role he still occupies.

In 2013, aged 72, Gradi became the oldest person appointed to Greg Dyke's FA commission charged with improving English football from the grassroots upwards.

Described by the National Football Museum as "one of English football's best developers of young players", Gradi's tenure at Crewe has seen internationals David Platt, Geoff Thomas, Danny Murphy, Seth Johnson, Robbie Savage and Dean Ashton emerge.

The National Football Museum inducted Gradi into its Hall of Fame in 2004, and he was given the Football League's outstanding contribution to football award in 2011.

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  • 3 months later...

Dario Gradi has been suspended.

Crewe Alexandra director Dario Gradi has been suspended pending a Football Association investigation that will include looking into claims he "smoothed over" a complaint of sexual assault against a Chelsea scout in the 1970s.

A former youth player at Chelsea - where Gradi was assistant manager - says he was assaulted by Eddie Heath, the club's chief scout, when he was 15.

Gradi, 75, denies any wrongdoing and says he will help the FA's review.

Heath, who has since died, has been accused by several people of abuse in the 1970s and 1980s.

The BBC understands that the FA, as part of its widened review into child sex abuse allegations, expects to question Gradi after the Independent reported that, in 1974, he went to see the parents of a youth player at Chelsea about a sexual assault.

The former youth player - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - told the newspaper: "He [Gradi] came to visit my parents and me to smooth it over.

"I remember him saying something like: '[With] Eddie, [football] is his life and he gets a bit close to the boys. I'm sorry if he's overstepped the mark in his fondness this time.'"

Chelsea are not known to have taken any action and Gradi has made no specific comments on this claim or his links with Heath.

In a statement on Friday, he said: "Aside from denying any wrongdoing, it would be inappropriate and unfair on all parties to comment piecemeal through the media at this time in connection with historical allegations.

"Suffice to say, I will do everything within my power to assist all investigatory authorities into what is becoming a wide-ranging and important enquiry into historical sexual abuse."

League Two club Crewe Alexandra have not yet responded to a request for comment.

The FA has given no indication about who will be spoken to as part of its review.

Gradi has previously said he "knew nothing" about the alleged abuse of young footballers by anyone connected with Crewe until 1994 and that he then co-operated with the authorities.

Despite failing to win any major honours in his management career, Gradi developed a reputation as a fine coach of young players, primarily at Crewe Alexandra.

Born in Milan, Italy he came to the UK as a child after the Second World War and went on to play football at non-league level, before becoming Chelsea assistant coach in 1971, aged 29.

He remained at the London club until 1976, before returning to Sutton United, who he used to play for.

Following spells as manager of Wimbledon and Crystal Palace, he began an association with Crewe in 1983 that now spans 33 years.

He was manager from 1983 to 2007, leading the team to the second tier of English football for the first time in 1997, and was awarded an MBE for services to football a year later.

Crewe's 11th-placed finish in their first year in the second tier remains the highest finish in the club's history.

During Gradi's tenure, the club won the PFA Bobby Moore Fair Play Trophy 12 times in 15 years.

Having had a spell as director of football, Gradi had a second stint as manager from 2009 to 2011 before returning to the overseeing role he still occupies.

In 2013, aged 72, Gradi became the oldest person appointed to Greg Dyke's FA commission charged with improving English football from the grassroots upwards.

Described by the National Football Museum as "one of English football's best developers of young players", Gradi's tenure at Crewe has seen internationals David Platt, Geoff Thomas, Danny Murphy, Seth Johnson, Robbie Savage and Dean Ashton emerge.

The National Football Museum inducted Gradi into its Hall of Fame in 2004, and he was given the Football League's outstanding contribution to football award in 2011.

Gradi knew all about what was going on at Crewe. It was pretty much common knowledge.

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  • 1 month later...
Guest Pistonbroke

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39936217

 

 

Eight professional clubs have failed to respond to an independent inquiry's request for information they may have relating to historical child sex abuse in football.

The inquiry, led by barrister Clive Sheldon QC, was started by the Football Association in December, after allegations from former players.

Sheldon wrote to every club in England and Wales in January.

The clubs which have missed the deadline could now face sanctions.

The review is asking anyone involved with football who wishes to provide information about the way in which clubs or the FA dealt with concerns over child sex abuse between 1970 and 2005 to come forward.

Sheldon - an expert in safeguarding and child protection - has also written to all 65,000 affiliated clubs seeking assistance, and has begun meeting individuals who can contribute.

As well as clubs, officials who fail to co-operate could face disciplinary action.

BBC Sport has learned that investigators have started searching 5,000 boxes of FA archives - each containing up to 1,000 pages.

A final report is not expected to be published until 2018.

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  • 7 months later...

Barry Bennell has admitted to seven counts of sexual abuse.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42608625
 

 

Barry Bennell: Ex-football coach admits seven child sex offences

 

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Former football coach Barry Bennell has pleaded guilty to seven child sex offences.

 

Mr Bennell, 63, now known as Richard Jones, admitted six charges of indecent assault, between 1988-1991, on day one of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

 

He previously pleaded guilty to one further charge, it can now be reported.

 

He is charged with 55 offences in total, including 42 counts of indecent assault, 11 serious sexual assaults and two counts of attempted sexual assault.

 

A jury for the trial - which is due to last for eight weeks - is expected to be sworn in later.

 

The ex-Crewe Alexandra coach entered the six guilty pleas as he appeared via videolink in court wearing a grey jumper.

 

The offences relate to two complainants who were boys aged between 11 and 14 at the time.

 

Mr Bennell was charged with 55 offences relating to 12 complainants, aged between eight and 15 at the time.

 

The offences are alleged to have happened between 1979 and 1991.

 

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