Club statement regarding Barry Bennell's conviction

[The blue phantom]

That was a problem with this country in those days, too much deference shown to people in positions of authority, it's how not just paedophiles but bent coppers and corrupt politicians got away with so much.

Sounds like an all to familiar story to Saville. Every fucker knew but nothing done. It just carried on.

 

[MarsLlama]

Everyone linked with the allegations who worked at City at the time should be held accountable, but it's wrong that the current owners and staff will be the ones who will inevitably have to shoulder the blame.

 

[Judge Roughneck]

I used to play for a couple of junior teams in the area where Bennell used to live in the early 80's. He was ubiquitous and was openly invited by youth team coaches to training sessions in the area. I can say that at no point did i ever suspect anything at the time but from my adult point of view there were things that now seemed strange. He showed up at my junior team training and he would often have a protoget in toe. I can remember one particular blonde kid who's nickname I remember to this day attending with him. He never said anything and appeared aloof and arrogant to me but I put that down to him being the next big thing. Bennell bizarrely used to wear trackies tucked in socks with football shorts over the top and all the kids used to copy this. Strange. He also used to bring bags full of kit and sell it off. Boys were like flies round like shit at his car boot at the end of training sessions.
The video shop in Furness Vale dis a roaring trade for a few years. Not once did I hear a murmer of foul play until some years later.
Manipulative monster.

 

[The blue phantom]

Everyone linked with the allegations who worked at City at the time should be held accountable, but it's wrong that the current owners and staff will be the ones who will inevitably have to shoulder the blame.

I'm not sure they will. Seem to be conducting ourselves professionally and open n honest.

Wouldn't suprise me though if rival fans started some sad songs at our games.

 

[City Raider]

No, we don't, the club fucked up big time and will have to deal with the consequences. There's no "but" with things like this.

Agree. Wonder from a legal point of view where we stand with change of owners etc against a class action brought by those poor people.

 

[Bluemoon dan]

From my limited reading on the subject. It's common for predators to pick on a certain character. An isolated kid who's unlikely to 'tell' and even if they do tell, it's unlikely to be believed. A predator will use blackmail/threats against a family member or likely in this case the likely hood of progression in football.
It's thought that predators know their prey as disgusting as it sounds. It's not always the meek or lonely kid, it's often the troubled kid, a kid from a difficult background, a predator will build up on the outside what looks like a perfectly healthy & supportive relationship, something a kid is often missing. The then take advantage of that.

This is a disgusting character who's obviously used boys dreams of being a footballer to facilitate his sickness.

As many have said, a nonce back then was the weird guy wearing a flasher Mac, suspecting people in positions of trust or power was unlikely, confronting/accusing them was never done.

I suspect like the BBC & Saville, this will be the tip of the iceberg. It's frankly disgusting.

In his police interview where they questioned him on his grooming techniques he actually says something like he gives them a bit of attention, buys them a couple of presents and sees what kind of a reaction he gets. They do know who to pick certainly.

 

[lancs blue]

Agree. Wonder from a legal point of view where we stand with change of owners etc against a class action brought by those poor people.

Regardless of the legal position City have a clear moral responsibility in this case and I don't expect them to try and avoid it.

 

[KS55]

I'm not sure they will. Seem to be conducting ourselves professionally and open n honest.

Wouldn't suprise me though if rival fans started some sad songs at our games.

The moral response is this:
When enquiries are over, the club should not stand on legal niceties about his employment status etc but offer generous compensation to all those affected. This can be accomplished without recourse to the courts, provided the victims accept that current owners and officials bear no personal responsibiliy. While money cannot make up for what they suffered, I know from personal experience that it is the recognition of a great wrong that means the most to victims.

 

[1961_vintage]

Everyone linked with the allegations who worked at City at the time should be held accountable, but it's wrong that the current owners and staff will be the ones who will inevitably have to shoulder the blame.

I don't think we will shoulder the blame - just the responsibility of doing the right thing now in terms of openly acknowledging our past failings, ensuring that safeguards are in place which mean that nothing like that could possibly happen again, and providing every support possible to the victims.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Regardless of the legal position City have a clear moral responsibility in this case and I don't expect them to try and avoid it.

Why? I'm not aware Bennell was ever formally a City employee. He was a scout for us but that was via his involvement in junior clubs. He certainly had a close association with us but when he did apply for a full-time role at City they turned him down after people who had heard rumours about what he was up to expressed their doubts.

Had he been a full-time coach at City and been assaulting and abusing boys under his control through that role then you'd have a very fair point.