Club statement regarding Barry Bennell's conviction

[Chris in London]

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)

I think the short answer is yes they did, compensation was quickly and quietly arranged, and the cases stayed a long way away from any courtroom

 

[levets]

Come on, nobody is disputing that that is the story in this piece. Do you seriously think that they would have misrepresented him in the headline, in such such a blatant way if that wasn't what he'd said? The journalist is the guy that broke the story originally and has the trust of many of the survivors that have chosen to speak.

Not only that, but Cliffe pretty much spells it out here:

“We were one end of the pitch, we had our tracksuit bottoms on and he spied his opportunity. It just shows the arrogance of the man and his confidence that he could do what he liked, and never thought he would be caught. But he had the run of the place.."

Don't know why I'm even arguing this point with you. It's clear and also, the precise location is not really that important is it.

The story is that these poor lads were groomed and abused by a predatory monster.
However another narrative is being delivered. I’m in NZ and I’ve already heard ‘appalling’ and ‘abysmal’ behaviour by City. The turning of a ‘blind eye’ by a member of staff who is no longer able to respond to this allegation.

One reporter has said that Bennell ‘operated’ at City for 3 years along with another abuser since discovered. He never ‘operated’ at City, he was an unofficial scout. The story is being delivered now as MCFC have responsibility and are even complicit, which is completely unfair. The reason I asked where you got the info from was because it was reported that no abuse took place at MCFC property, perhaps they meant no evidence? However this is not to say it didn’t happen.

The story is terribly sad, I know this from a personal point of view; and if somebody had spoken out, a lot of abuse would have been avoided. However, MCFC as an institution are not responsible, the abusers and those who did nothing about it are. I do expect that City will act with compassion and dignity; and do the right thing. Sorry if I gave a different impression.

 

[Dribble]

What Bennell did goes beyond football, these were our children who suffered at the hands of this merciless brute.

Just because the world has changed in the last 40 years, doesn't excuse what this creature did. I hope he spends his every last remaining minutes on this planet in jail.

Albeit City is a completely different club these days with new owners, the fact this paedophile brute used our name to entice his victims will unavoidably cast shame on us. If there was a cover up at the time, City need to root out the people involved & hand their findings over to the police.

Having said that, it was such a long time ago, this process won't be easy, but is necessary on our part so that the wronged are heard & receive justice.

As for the victims suing City, I suppose my view will depend on the level of complicity regarding the alleged cover up. Whatever has happened, we need to get to the truth & face up to any consequences if there are any.

What's hurting me is when I put myself in Sheikh Mansour's shoes, I'm gutted that he may have to take responsibility for the actions of unscrupulous individuals once associated with his business 30 years before he purchased it.... This whole situation is a mess & I hope Bennell receives everything the law can throw at the bastard!

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Early 1970s. Whitehill

Was Broome ever associated with Tameside Schoolboys? I’m a little foggy on the name, but I think I might know who he was. Broome rings a bell.

Need to know if he was one of the adults who ran Tameside Boys (U-14s, I think) around 1977. Steve Nolan (Daily Express) seems to know him, and the description sounds like him.

Any help with ANY information would be helpful, as I may know a few things about him IF it is the same guy. If not, there was another kiddie fiddler out there preying on young lads trying to get on with City and others. I know of two. I was playing with Sunderland at the time.

ANY info on Broome would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Ken Barnes who I met and was a thorough decent man seems to have his name mentioned a couple of times. Sad that he is being tainted by this.

He was a family friend and I absolutely agree. As Chief Scout, Ken would have been remiss if he didn’t run the rule over someone who seemed to be able to attract the best talent from around Manchester, but Steve Fleet, another family friend, appears to have let him know he wasn’t right and shouldn’t be brought into the club...and if he was Steve would leave. Those kind of ultimatums don’t often happen when people have dream jobs, so Steve was taken seriously and it appears they discussed the issue inside the club before deciding not to hire him.

 

[shemnel]

Throughout the 80s as a young lad, I idolised City, I desperately wanted to play for them but sadly trials came to nothing. I would travel from Cumbria to watch games with my granddad, he would take me to see training sessions when Howard Kendall/Peter Reid was in charge, i even got onto the Maine Road pitch when they had a team photoshoot in 1991 and i took the team photo on my crappy instant camera (still have that photo, magic).

To learn that my club were possibly complicit/lenient towards a serial paedophile, who was making hellish existences for boys of a very similar age to me at the time, is profoundly upsetting and disappointing to me as a supporter of the club.

Some will see this as an overreaction, some wont really blink an eyelid at this from 30 years ago, but it's very very real.

 

[City Raider]

This is going to explode on us now, the baying hordes are going to need someone to hang it on. Regardless of your views on this twats links with our club, we are the big target and no doubt this will also provide a vehicle for attacking us for those with other motives.

As has been said the club have to be proactive in managing this. Releasing carefully worded statements isn't going to hack it, we need to show real leadership.

 

[The perfect fumble]

This is going to explode on us now, the baying hordes are going to need someone to hang it on. Regardless of your views on this twats links with our club, we are the big target and no doubt this will also provide a vehicle for attacking us for those with other motives.

As has been said the club have to be proactive in managing this. Releasing carefully worded statements isn't going to hack it, we need to show real leadership.

Yes, we do, by doing absolutely nothing beyond the bare minimum we are doing now.

 

[asahartford1]

This is going to explode on us now, the baying hordes are going to need someone to hang it on. Regardless of your views on this twats links with our club, we are the big target and no doubt this will also provide a vehicle for attacking us for those with other motives.

As has been said the club have to be proactive in managing this. Releasing carefully worded statements isn't going to hack it, we need to show real leadership.

Try to remember the clubs first consideration is for the victims.
The owners are doing everything in a classy, professional manner.

 

[The Silver Surfer]

This is going to explode on us now, the baying hordes are going to need someone to hang it on. Regardless of your views on this twats links with our club, we are the big target and no doubt this will also provide a vehicle for attacking us for those with other motives.

As has been said the club have to be proactive in managing this. Releasing carefully worded statements isn't going to hack it, we need to show real leadership.

I agree with this, I've not read the entire thread but was pretty dismayed this morning with what seemed like the "glee" multiple media organisations seemed to be blaming MCFC the club for all this.
It needs be made clear that bennell did these disgusting things of his own volition and used MCFC as a vehicle to carry these awful attacks.
If ANYONE at City at the time knew and ignored what was going on they should be held accountable.
The media showing footage of the current badge and stadium with this news will give a biased view of the club, give it a "nonce club" image and as we all know regarding the misinformation spread from jealously that we're nothing but an "oil club" while totally ignoring all the great things the owners do in the community and over the world - and shit really does stick.