Club statement regarding Barry Bennell's conviction

[fergal_oc]

This dispatches program is painful watching

 

[typicalcity...]

This dispatches programme is awful. Good insightful documentary but the dirty bastards at Crewe should be ashamed.

 

[WEMBLEY76]

Alleged abuse of boys on Maine Rd pitch while sunbathing,painful watching this programme to hear of the suffering at the hands of this coward.

 

[bumbleblue]

Difficult watch this.

 

[reynardvulpes]

Tough watch this. Thought I had a cr@p childhood but crikey, these lads, good lord....

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Horrendous viewing and all my sympathies go to the victims and their families.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

I think we agree on more things than we disagree on in respect to this. It's a pretty highly charged subject and people will have strong thoughts relative to their own views and experience. All in all, yes, times were different then, things were swept under the carpet, but should anything come to light now in any organisation then I think think it's ok to admit there was a major fuck up and acknowledge their part in any failings.

Of course he'd have gone and found another way of getting what he wanted. That wasnt under our control. What he did on our premises, the access we helped him obtain to his victims and the prestige we offered him via association with City WAS under the club's control though, so City do shoulder some, not all, but some responsibility. I'll also repeat here, i doubt there's a single high profile football club that wouldn't find similar failings on their own part. City's investigation seems to have unearthed this completely unrelated John Broome guy whose actions may not have been otherwise uncovered. I hope other clubs launch similar investigations, because I'm sure there are people they've all worked with in the past that got have gotten away with all sorts and there are survivors who might benefit from any help that can be offered now.

Now is not the time for distancing the club from the allegations and nor should it be seen as an opportunity for other clubs to take the moral high ground. I'm sure they're all in it up to their necks and it's time they all investigate fully.

I think we're pretty much on the same page. I think the only area where we were apart to any degree is what we meant by taking responsibility. Nothing I can disagree with in your post here.

 

[City Raider]

 

[SiMCFC]

That wasn't pleasent viewing, when I read Paul Stewarts book I think I probably cried more than I ever have, i'm very lucky to have never experienced a situation like this but it must have been rife, how many lives have been ruined by monsters like this?

 

[Bewar3them00n]

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.