Club statement regarding Barry Bennell's conviction

One other thing I have learnt from the Dispatches Prgramme is that several off the victims were City fans (at least two amongst the people referred to in this programme alone).
 
That closing bit at the end about the ongoing investigations seems loads of clubs affected from lower leagues to the top.
 
I know one of the lads and nobody knew about this until he went on TV. A great lad and so brave to make this public. The pain he must have gone through and the secrets kept. I suggest Bennell will not last long in prison. Hope he suffers beyond belief
 
All of this reminds me of when I was a young teenager in school and we used to laugh about certain Christian Brother teachers who liked to do the rub downs after sports or who had reputations for being touchy feely - especially towards particular boys. We were so innocent that even as we laughed about this I'm not sure any of us really acknowledged it's true nature. It just seemed harmless (if that makes any sense).

But years later one brother in particular was charged and found guilty of terrible crimes against kids in our school in those years. It's highly probable that some of the victims were in amongst us kids as we'd gossip and laugh about if all. It must have been horrible for them. Those people must have suffered so much right through their life and I feel so sorry for them.

For most of us the 70s/80s were glorious times to grow up in. When all these stories came out you realized that we were the lucky ones - to maintain our innocence so long.

The good thing is that there's more protection for kids today as a result of all of these cases. But even today you'd worry about your own.
 
This is from an age where kids were still “seen and not heard” and just either ignored, or accused of “fantasy” everybody of a similar age to the victims, know someone who has been a victim of some kind of abuse from those in a position of power.
I was physically assaulted by a teacher on several occasions, ritually humiliated in front of my classmates, and I count myself as being lucky. My younger sister was invited back for “extra lessons “at a deputy heads house, my parents thankfully refused, said teacher was a child abuser, and served time.
My brother is good friends with one of Bennell’s victims, and featured in the Dispatches doc tonight, he is a wreck at the moment.
This is the tip of the iceberg, and a sad indictment of that era, I hope the shit truly hits the fan.
Good post.

I agree entirely. I want no stone unturned to give the victims the justice as well as the support they need.
 
Just watched the despatches programme and it was a tough watch. As others have said a lot was different back then. Kids were beaten st school with canes, plimsolls and three tailed leather straps, often on a whim and nobody questioned a teacher. There was definitely some who took a sadistic/sexual pleasure out of doing so. Parents back then trusted figures of authority. Doctors, MP's, teachers were God like figures who knew best.

My heart goes out to anyone who has suffered abuse. I bet there are a fair few people out there complicit in such sleeping a little more uneasily tonight, I hope karma finds them.
 
That was a difficult watch, and so chilling that this evidence has been swept under the carpet, like some dirty little secret.i really hope City go far beyond just accepting a responsibility, but become leaders in setting in place procedures to look after our kids. City have a tendency of letting the football do the talking, but I hope this time they are seen to be very vocal, the FA sure as fuck aren't going to be
 
He abused two boys on the pitch at Maine Road. There has to be some ownership at City that that was allowed to happen.
Well it wasn't at half time was it? It's like blaming British Rail for someone getting molested on a train.

Puzzled too about City being sued. Did any victims of Rolf Harris or Savile sue the BBC? (Obviously Savile is dead so that is a no to him)
 

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