Club statement regarding Barry Bennell's conviction

[mekonmcfc]

He used to come and watch us when we were young, i remember him always in a nice car. My dad was involved in our club and i think even then people were wary of him. i know a couple of my mates that stayed at his house and he took them to various clubs. I'm sure something must have happened looking at how widespread the abuse was. But you never know they might have been the lucky ones. One of them since committed suicide
I know of a couple of the adults mentioned also, Frank Roper who is now dead. A couple of lads that played for him, and they all seemed to have a troubled late teens and early 20's. Hopefully nothing to do with this

 

[Scottyboi]

The club needs to shop in anyone linked without a doubt, not arsed about how bad it reflects on the name of the club. All that matters is these boys now men get justice. This sounds every bit as bad as the Jimmy Saville cover up.

RIP to the men that took their lives at the hands of that monster.

 

[borassic]

Personally I could not give two fucks about City with this. This is far more serious than our football club, as much as I love City I would rather we were closed down and get the real truth out so lads could maybe get some relief from the horrors inflicted upon them

I lived close to Bennell, my mum and his mum were friends. Toffee Balls from here lived round the corner from him (if he still posts I will leave his thoughts for him to post) We played football with his younger brother. His older brother was a **** who murdered two girls, one was with my Aunty the night he did the first girl and the coward hung himself. His mum had to move, she told my mum she had tried really hard to bring her boys up properly. She is a victim of the bastard too. Hounded out of her home, had to get a new identity and move on. Not seen the younger brother for years, maybe he has done the same. Last time I saw him was over 20 years ago and he had a pub in Worsley.

My mate was coached by Bennell and drank himself to death aged 29. He never spoke about it, but it makes sense now. The bastard had reduced a decent very talented young footballer into a shell of himself. A fair number of lads from my area where involved with Bennell. He was well known in our area. I remember as a kid my mum crossing the road and telling me to avoid him, he was not a nice man she said.

I'm angry this morning, I'm not a violent man at all, but I could quite easily disembowel the **** and have no regrets at all.

Well said. Although we aren't the 'same' club nowadays. Whoever has tried to cover up the actions of this **** needs to be prosecuted.

 

[The Lightbowne Cowboy]

The club needs to shop in anyone linked without a doubt, not arsed about how bad it reflects on the name of the club. All that matters is these boys now men get justice. This sounds every bit as bad as the Jimmy Saville cover up.

RIP to the men that took their lives at the hands of that monster.

Spot on.

 

[Abattoir Blue]

It wasn't a City employee. But he was allowed to use our club's name as it suited us to do so. We are then responsible if people report concerns and they are not acted upon/brushed aside. Especially as he went on to abuse further afterwards.

If this is true (and it looks like it) the club need to pay settlements to all young people affected (proven in court) and apologise profusely. Morally and PR wise it is the right thing to do.

 

[BringBackSwales]

The club needs to shop in anyone linked without a doubt, not arsed about how bad it reflects on the name of the club. All that matters is these boys now men get justice. This sounds every bit as bad as the Jimmy Saville cover up.

RIP to the men that took their lives at the hands of that monster.

Botm mate

 

[bugsyblue]

Yes mate, that's him. Barry. Horrible man.

What a fucked up family.

 

[mancityvstoke]

I really hope the pedos in every club grooming kids and abusing are now arrested.......sounds like there are loads......

The 60's 70's and 80's were a bad dangerous time for children.......


teachers hitting kids was my only bugbear as I copped for that a lot.

 

[silva_shoelaces]

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!

Have you contacted the club? If this was Broome then I'm sure they'd be able to shed some insight on this; if it wasn't him then they at least will know the right people to find out who it actually was.

 

[Sky Blue]

That particular profession has been getting away with that for centuries.

‘Spotlight’ is a cracking film about the true story of a Boston newspaper uncovering a scandal over there and eventually worldwide.

Fair few paedo priests at St Bede's in the 70s.

 

[paulchapo]

Watching the documentary last night something was mentioned that may cast a bit of light on why he got away with it for so long. When he was accused of rape in the States numerous boys wrote letters in his defence, including some now involved in the latest case. A lot gave glowing endorsements about his behaviour and character. There may have been rumours but if boys were asked and said he was great and no problem people in that day and age wouldn't have pursued it further.

I would guess that eventually someone did decide things were fishy and got rid of him. The enquiry should clear a lot up although given that Bennell is now 64 a lot of people involved are now probably dead.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Well said. Although we aren't the 'same' club nowadays. Whoever has tried to cover up the actions of this **** needs to be prosecuted.

If indeed there is anyone who 'covered it up' & if they are still alive.

Having read the quotes from Steve Fleet, there was no mention of actuall evidence against Bennell at the time, just that some people in football, said he was a 'wrongun'. But lots of parents also seemed to be taken in completely by him, so it's not surprising that officials at the club may have been.

The question is whether his association with City was terminated because of a proven incident which was then covered up, or whether that was also based on hearsay.

But I know second hand, but from a person i would trust with my life, my mate was told by an ex pro, about being abused by another very prominent figure in this case, with no connections to City, but very strong connections to Bennell. And that it was structured & organised & routine for it to happen to kids.

Be interesting to see if that comes out, but as I say, that part has no connection to City. Be major news if it was proven though.

 

[BringBackSwales]

I have just read the guardian article and it is utterly horrible what this despicable cunnt got away with, on a par with saville. I hope he lives in prison for a long time, and gets tortured to fuck physically and emotionally day in and day out, for ruining so many lives. Anyone who knew about his behaviour and did nothing should live in shame for the rest of their lives. As a dad of 2 young lads who live and breathe football it is heartbreaking to read about what society, professional and amateur football clubs and all of the relevant authorities allowed to happen, utterly appalling, and if it was a film you would not believe it could be real

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

There was a scout in his early 70s who supposedly working for both City and United who lived on Wansford Street in Moss Side in the early/mid-80s, right opposite the ground and the next street up from us.

He would regularly promise to get the kids playing on the croft autographs and said he could get them trials. He was always in an out of the main entrance at City.

My folks and plenty other parents in the surrounding streets told us to stay well clear and that he was a dirty old man. One of the creepiest people I have ever come across in my life.

I had a frank and sobering conversation last night with my ten-year-old boy on his way to football training last night. It's not something I anticipated discussing at such an age, it was very difficult trying to explain why some people want to get close to children and some of the things they might say to achieve what they want and to go undetected.

 

[The perfect fumble]

I have just read the guardian article and it is utterly horrible what this despicable cunnt got away with, on a par with saville. I hope he lives in prison for a long time, and gets tortured to fuck physically and emotionally day in and day out, for ruining so many lives. Anyone who knew about his behaviour and did nothing should live in shame for the rest of their lives. As a dad of 2 young lads who live and breathe football it is heartbreaking to read about what society, professional and amateur football clubs and all of the relevant authorities allowed to happen, utterly appalling, and if it was a film you would not believe it could be real

The Guardian article is the worst form of tabloid crap because it's pretending to be quality journalism.

 

[BringBackSwales]

The Guardian article is the worst form of tabloid crap because it's pretending to be quality journalism.

It’s not how it’s written, or even the reason for writing it, but the sheer horror of what this cunnt did, that’s the story here, not the standard of the journalism. If I feel upset after reading about it, I can’t imagine what it was, and still is, like for his victims. Against that background I don’t get your point, in the slightest

 

[Neville Kneville]

There was a scout in his early 70s who supposedly working for both City and United who lived on Wansford Street in Moss Side in the early/mid-80s, right opposite the ground and the next street up from us.

He would regularly promise to get the kids playing on the croft autographs and said he could get them trials. He was always in an out of the main entrance at City.

My folks and plenty other parents in the surrounding streets told us to stay well clear and that he was a dirty old man. One of the creepiest people I have ever come across in my life.

I had a frank and sobering conversation last night with my ten-year-old boy on his way to football training last night. It's not something I anticipated discussing at such an age, it was very difficult trying to explain why some people want to get close to children and some of the things they might say to achieve what they want and to go undetected.

Personally I believe there are some high profile people involved in this kind of behaviour, in football, just as seems to be the case in so many other walks of life & it may be that some very big names actually knew about certain people, but like in all the other cases, it has been allowed to continue because it's easier to try not to believe it's real, than to accept the horrors of it & confront it.

 

[BringBackSwales]

There was a scout in his early 70s who supposedly working for both City and United who lived on Wansford Street in Moss Side in the early/mid-80s, right opposite the ground and the next street up from us.

He would regularly promise to get the kids playing on the croft autographs and said he could get them trials. He was always in an out of the main entrance at City.

My folks and plenty other parents in the surrounding streets told us to stay well clear and that he was a dirty old man. One of the creepiest people I have ever come across in my life.

I had a frank and sobering conversation last night with my ten-year-old boy on his way to football training last night. It's not something I anticipated discussing at such an age, it was very difficult trying to explain why some people want to get close to children and some of the things they might say to achieve what they want and to go undetected.

Completely agree about what do you tell your kids. My 9 year old was listening to the news in the car last night, he must have wondered what and why it all meant

 

[OB1]

This is an absolutely sickening case. However, whether City have any liability in regards of the actions of Bennell or other such odious creatures very much remains to be seen and will be a matter fact (or legal opinion based on fact).

City have apparently spent a lot of money on investigating this matter and it may well be that they will decide to compensate some victims even if they do not believe they have any liability because they can afford to and want to show compassion.

 

[The perfect fumble]

It’s not how it’s written, or even the reason for writing it, but the sheer horror of what this cunnt did, that’s the story here, not the standard of the journalism. If I feel upset after reading about it, I can’t imagine what it was, and still is, like for his victims. Against that background I don’t get your point, in the slightest

All sorts of tenuous stuff is bolted together in order to create "all roads lead to City".