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Sheldon Report on child abuse in football


Jacko51

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2 hours ago, darren1810 said:

An avalanche of agenda 🤣 and this guy is let loose on Radio Stoke. 

Shameful 

 

Also used to work for the Crewe Chronicle? So shows what sort of <ovf censored> journalist he was.
Murphy should shut his mouth he wasn’t there with Bennell. 
Laura Smiths dad told Gradi about Bennell and he didn’t want to know. 

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This tragic affair is such an ugly example of how allegiance can absolutely blind people. 

The temerity to accuse Taylor, the BBC, Holt etc, who probably have no strong views on Crewe Alexandra, of 'populist agendas' is a really sad indictment of how people will defend their football club against anything. I doubt any of these journalists give Crewe a second thought, but because it is critical of something that their identity is so fundamentally tethered too, Crewe fans have fired back.

I'm not expecting them to burn their season tickets, but you'd think they'd have the decency to keep quiet and let the affair blow over. To come out swinging is an awful look, and I think Morse really needs to be careful of the words he uses.

I'm just sickened by everything; obviously the crime itself but the silencing of journalists/difficult questions at AGMs, the attempted censorship of Artell, the 'siege mentality, they're out to get us' approach from some fans, the media refusing to comment unless it's to concoct an 'avalanche of agenda', the club's awful statement which amounts to saying 'well, we apologise if you think we were wrong'.

Whatever can be proven about Gradi knowing and not knowing (and beyond Bennell's claims, there is no evidence he did know, despite the Report believing the club probably did know something was wrong), the entire response has been symptomatic of a deeply-ill football club, one which appears to have bought into its own special hype over the last few decades, existing in a bubble of the same few old men running the show, with Gradi being deified on the touchline, as the fans get swept up in some form of sick cult.

A normal club would accept the findings, apologise unreservedly, compensate the victims, and keep quiet. I honestly think most clubs would react in this way (as evidenced by the immediate apologies by 7 of the 8 investigated clubs).

Crewe seem to have done everything they can to do the exact opposite at every juncture. I hope it tarnishes what has been an excellent reputation in our game. You'd hope this would trigger a proper self-reflection, but if anything it seems to have hardened their existing issues. 

I've never had any real hatred for Crewe, so I hope this doesn't read like some embittered rival. If this was my club, I'd be horrified if we'd acted in the same manner they have.

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I’ve said before, I don’t consider Crewe local rivals, different county and the rivalry has been manufactured by substandard local media. It’s always been the other Staffordshire teams, Sjoke and Walsall for me, so, from a footballing point of view, they don’t interest me. As a disinterested party, my view on all this is that they’re the one club who still give such a halfhearted response as to consider themselves victims with little or no responsibility. What they’re known for in footballing terms is “The Crewe Way” which we now see has been inexoribly intwined with permanently harming children directly and through turning a blind eye which they continue to do. My honest view is that the whole raison d’etre of the institution is so endemically corrupt it should no longer exist. I think that’s a proportionate response - dissolve the club.

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“Whatever can be proven about Gradi knowing and notknowing (and beyond Bennell's claims, there is no evidence he did know, despite the Report believing the club probably did know something was wrong),”

Hamilton Smith raised it with the chairman as an issue. He also raised it directly with Gradi . They did nothing. Compare it to Southampton where the youth team manager confronted Bob Higgins. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43323023


 

 

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Shamefull wide spread abuse. Horrific stories. People at the time knew this was happening and did nothing. So many of these kids could have become successful footballers. The jokes and rumours about dario and crewe. Lives ruined. God bless all the brave men who sent these beasts to prison, hopefully more victims will feel able to speak out now.

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Well Crewe came out of that programne really disgusting .The summing up at the end of tonight's episode, stating past and present officials of the football club knew ,but did nothing, sums the whole issue up.Very emotional watch and fair play to all the lads who came forward.Good luck to them all and their families. This must not happen ever again.!!!

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Correct. Crewe are such a pathetic tiny outfit and always have been/will be. Obviously rotten for many years from top to bottom. Not even on vales radar as rivals. Disgusting club and I will love going there and beating them when they get relegated next season. UTV.

This tragic affair is such an ugly example of how allegiance can absolutely blind people. 
The temerity to accuse Taylor, the BBC, Holt etc, who probably have no strong views on Crewe Alexandra, of 'populist agendas' is a really sad indictment of how people will defend their football club against anything. I doubt any of these journalists give Crewe a second thought, but because it is critical of something that their identity is so fundamentally tethered too, Crewe fans have fired back.
I'm not expecting them to burn their season tickets, but you'd think they'd have the decency to keep quiet and let the affair blow over. To come out swinging is an awful look, and I think Morse really needs to be careful of the words he uses.
I'm just sickened by everything; obviously the crime itself but the silencing of journalists/difficult questions at AGMs, the attempted censorship of Artell, the 'siege mentality, they're out to get us' approach from some fans, the media refusing to comment unless it's to concoct an 'avalanche of agenda', the club's awful statement which amounts to saying 'well, we apologise if you think we were wrong'.
Whatever can be proven about Gradi knowing and not knowing (and beyond Bennell's claims, there is no evidence he did know, despite the Report believing the club probably did know something was wrong), the entire response has been symptomatic of a deeply-ill football club, one which appears to have bought into its own special hype over the last few decades, existing in a bubble of the same few old men running the show, with Gradi being deified on the touchline, as the fans get swept up in some form of sick cult.
A normal club would accept the findings, apologise unreservedly, compensate the victims, and keep quiet. I honestly think most clubs would react in this way (as evidenced by the immediate apologies by 7 of the 8 investigated clubs).
Crewe seem to have done everything they can to do the exact opposite at every juncture. I hope it tarnishes what has been an excellent reputation in our game. You'd hope this would trigger a proper self-reflection, but if anything it seems to have hardened their existing issues. 
I've never had any real hatred for Crewe, so I hope this doesn't read like some embittered rival. If this was my club, I'd be horrified if we'd acted in the same manner they have.
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7 hours ago, JohnJames said:

“Whatever can be proven about Gradi knowing and notknowing (and beyond Bennell's claims, there is no evidence he did know, despite the Report believing the club probably did know something was wrong),”

Hamilton Smith raised it with the chairman as an issue. He also raised it directly with Gradi . They did nothing. Compare it to Southampton where the youth team manager confronted Bob Higgins. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43323023


 

 

Ken Barnes,Man.City,was phoned by someone from Crewe regarding Bennell.”Messing about with kids” was part of the  conversation.

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John Bowler came across as a <ovf censored> of the highest order.

The part where he was asked, on the club car park, about his feelings towards Woodward and Walters really shocked me.

He doesn't give a toss clearly.  

It seemed to me like it was something he could really do without. 

That sort of attitude.

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3 hours ago, Howjy04 said:

Ken Barnes,Man.City,was phoned by someone from Crewe regarding Bennell.”Messing about with kids” was part of the  conversation.

I'm very very surprised more hasn't been made of this comment from the Despatches episode back in the 90's. It totally goes against all claims from Crewe that they knew nothing of it, well there it was, on film, that they did know!

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