On the news now, former Charlton goalie Russell Davy, Eddie Heath again.
Caught a bit of this last night, he said that no one from CAFC or the FA have been in contact with him. Whilst the club issued a statement stating that they were investigating an allegation of historical abuse in the early 1980s. I would have thought the first thing would be to contact Davy.
As @Airman Brown says this is a pretty futile "investigation" in all aspects apart from basic PR.
There are no admin records and even if you find people who were around then what do you expect them to say? "Yeah, I have known he was a nonce for 35 years, so glad you finally asked me."
Its actually quite funny to think of the Belgian blunderers trying to deal with something as serious as this, they quite literally would not even know where to begin.
You need to go and ask all the abuse victims if they think it's funny mate
The FA have suspended Crewe's director of football Dario Gradi as part of their ongoing investigations.
Apparently in connection with his time at Chelsea, when he went to an apprentice's house, to encourage them not to report child abuse. No mention whether he was the accused or someone else.
How the hell can Chelsea be cleared for what they did...?
Surely now the Premier League need to be coming out saying: Chelsea have broken no existing laws but we'll be putting laws into place to ensure something like this doesnt happen again
Truly disappointed by the Chelsea thing. Sure, I want to see that club in any kind of trouble they can get into, but beyond that - they were a major part of the problem that led to where the situation currently is. Hushing up something like that so cynically was a dreadful thing to do. I can only assume they didn't technically break a law by doing so.
I suppose if it were a smaller club the media would be all over it and talking about lack of morales, even if it were within the laws of the FA. But Chelsea, you wouldn't want to lose your press pass when they are looking so good.
I suppose if it were a smaller club the media would be all over it and talking about lack of morales, even if it were within the laws of the FA. But Chelsea, you wouldn't want to lose your press pass when they are looking so good.
I doubt that national newspapers are going to be worried about that kind of response from individual clubs to be honest. Not least because this is a news story rather just a football one.
When you put it that way Smudge it makes a lot of sense. I just think the right thing would be to look into it and see if there's more going on. Something like that anyway.
Chelsea may have done the right thing. They get a complaint about a dead coach from 30 years ago. The accuser could go to the police, but it won't change the fact that the accused is still dead.
It would be very hard to prove anything, the only thing they could do was to offer compensation. Chelseas lawyers would have insisted on a confidentiality clause.
I think you are right up to the last part.
Why did it have to be kept confidential. As we've seen once one player went public on Heath others have come forward.
Chelsea may have done the right thing. They get a complaint about a dead coach from 30 years ago. The accuser could go to the police, but it won't change the fact that the accused is still dead.
It would be very hard to prove anything, the only thing they could do was to offer compensation. Chelseas lawyers would have insisted on a confidentiality clause.
I think you are right up to the last part.
Why did it have to be kept confidential. As we've seen once one player went public on Heath others have come forward.
Lawyers could make the arguements that others who may not have been abused could make the same complaints if they heard Chelsea were dishing out 50 grand to compensate some one.
Chelsea may have done the right thing. They get a complaint about a dead coach from 30 years ago. The accuser could go to the police, but it won't change the fact that the accused is still dead.
It would be very hard to prove anything, the only thing they could do was to offer compensation. Chelseas lawyers would have insisted on a confidentiality clause.
I think you are right up to the last part.
Why did it have to be kept confidential. As we've seen once one player went public on Heath others have come forward.
Lawyers could make the arguements that others who may not have been abused could make the same complaints if they heard Chelsea were dishing out 50 grand to compensate some one.
I'm sure they could and maybe did which is why it's wrong.
Chelsea may have done the right thing. They get a complaint about a dead coach from 30 years ago. The accuser could go to the police, but it won't change the fact that the accused is still dead.
It would be very hard to prove anything, the only thing they could do was to offer compensation. Chelseas lawyers would have insisted on a confidentiality clause.
I think you are right up to the last part.
Why did it have to be kept confidential. As we've seen once one player went public on Heath others have come forward.
Lawyers could make the arguements that others who may not have been abused could make the same complaints if they heard Chelsea were dishing out 50 grand to compensate some one.
I'm sure they could and maybe did which is why it's wrong.
The lawyers aren't paid to serve the public interest, though. It's not the advice that's wrong. It's the fact that Chelsea acted on it. Although I think the confidentiality clause would probably have been unenforceable in any event.
I'm reading an autobiography by Peter Chapman called Out of Time, 1966 and the End of Old Fashioned Britain.
He was a youth team 'keeper at Leyton Orient and mentions Eddie Heath as being his coach. Now this would not have resonated at all if I was reading it a month or so again.but he writes:
'Eddie would make sure to get to the changing room as we arrived back at the stadium. We would hear his deliberate gait and steel-edged shoes heading towards us along the concrete corridor, perfectly timed as we slipped out of our gear and towards the communal bath. While we wallowed in the soapy scum...he sat on it's raised edge, smiling and enjoying the de briefing, as it were, of how training had gone.'
Certainly a loaded paragraph and suggests that this may have been going on for over fifty years.
Shocking what all this went on and how those in football turned a blind eye to it. Any number of times the alarms were raised and yet Burnel carried on getting jobs in football, merely moving from one club to another.
It appears that at least four former players in Bennel's charge have subsequently committed suicide including Gary Speed - driven by guilt and self loathing.
I'm not one for retribution but I do hope Bennel is made as uncomfortable as possible in prison and is constantly reminded of his actions.
If what Hamilton Smith said about his time as a director at Crewe is true, shame on that club and some of the people that have ran it over he years, including DG*.
*always thought it strange that he hung around that club so long meself
Trying to distance themselves from knowledge even though it all went through the club. Is now not the time just to admit you failed in your duty of care and face the consequences? I note Man City have already come out and said victims will be compensated.
I know if it was Charlton that went through this and came out denying any responsibility (which is a lie by Crewe on the facts btw), I don't think I could carry on supporting. I think Crewe have been seriously ill-advised on this one. Same defence team on the Catholic priests cases....euuugh.
Trying to distance themselves from knowledge even though it all went through the club. Is now not the time just to admit you failed in your duty of care and face the consequences? I note Man City have already come out and said victims will be compensated.
I know if it was Charlton that went through this and came out denying any responsibility (which is a lie by Crewe on the facts btw), I don't think I could carry on supporting. I think Crewe have been seriously ill-advised on this one. Same defence team on the Catholic priests cases....euuugh.
Not defending the stance Crewe have taken, but there is a big difference here. Man City can compensate comfortably, Crewe will not be in the same position.
Trying to distance themselves from knowledge even though it all went through the club. Is now not the time just to admit you failed in your duty of care and face the consequences? I note Man City have already come out and said victims will be compensated.
I know if it was Charlton that went through this and came out denying any responsibility (which is a lie by Crewe on the facts btw), I don't think I could carry on supporting. I think Crewe have been seriously ill-advised on this one. Same defence team on the Catholic priests cases....euuugh.
Not defending the stance Crewe have taken, but there is a big difference here. Man City can compensate comfortably, Crewe will not be in the same position.
If Crewe prove to have been lying about expenses then tbe club deserve everyhing they get. The issue of child abuse is far more important than football...
24 years given to Bob Higgins yesterday. Will die in prison.
Thought it is worth contrasting the statement from Peterborough with that of Crewe made in relation to a very similar topic of the football club's responsibility for the actions of its employee. An absolutely unreserved apology and admission in failure of duty of care came from Peterborough straight after the sentence was delivered.
Massive admiration for the 3 victims that waived right to anonymity and gave full statements.
The more attention these issues get the better IMHO. Awful subject matter but only by acknowledging can you move on and make things better for the future.
Comments
Not just football.
How the hell can Chelsea be cleared for what they did...?
Surely now the Premier League need to be coming out saying: Chelsea have broken no existing laws but we'll be putting laws into place to ensure something like this doesnt happen again
Why did it have to be kept confidential. As we've seen once one player went public on Heath others have come forward.
He was a youth team 'keeper at Leyton Orient and mentions Eddie Heath as being his coach. Now this would not have resonated at all if I was reading it a month or so again.but he writes:
'Eddie would make sure to get to the changing room as we arrived back at the stadium. We would hear his deliberate gait and steel-edged shoes heading towards us along the concrete corridor, perfectly timed as we slipped out of our gear and towards the communal bath. While we wallowed in the soapy scum...he sat on it's raised edge, smiling and enjoying the de briefing, as it were, of how training had gone.'
Certainly a loaded paragraph and suggests that this may have been going on for over fifty years.
Eye opening stuff
It appears that at least four former players in Bennel's charge have subsequently committed suicide including Gary Speed - driven by guilt and self loathing.
I'm not one for retribution but I do hope Bennel is made as uncomfortable as possible in prison and is constantly reminded of his actions.
*always thought it strange that he hung around that club so long meself
Thought it is worth contrasting the statement from Peterborough with that of Crewe made in relation to a very similar topic of the football club's responsibility for the actions of its employee. An absolutely unreserved apology and admission in failure of duty of care came from Peterborough straight after the sentence was delivered.
Massive admiration for the 3 victims that waived right to anonymity and gave full statements.
The more attention these issues get the better IMHO. Awful subject matter but only by acknowledging can you move on and make things better for the future.