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| Football sex abuse claims: More former players speak out | Football sex abuse claims: More former players speak out |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Four ex-footballers have appeared together in an emotional interview to tell of their torment after being abused as children by a coach. | Four ex-footballers have appeared together in an emotional interview to tell of their torment after being abused as children by a coach. |
| Andy Woodward, who was the first to go public last week, wept as Chris Unsworth and Jason Dunford spoke for the first time of being abused by ex-Crewe Alexandra coach Barry Bennell. | Andy Woodward, who was the first to go public last week, wept as Chris Unsworth and Jason Dunford spoke for the first time of being abused by ex-Crewe Alexandra coach Barry Bennell. |
| Mr Unsworth said he "never told a soul" that he was raped up to 100 times. | Mr Unsworth said he "never told a soul" that he was raped up to 100 times. |
| Cheshire Police said allegations have been made against more than one person. | |
| Barry Bennell, 62, has served three jail sentences for child sex offences. | Barry Bennell, 62, has served three jail sentences for child sex offences. |
| Since Mr Woodward's story emerged, several ex-players have made allegations about being sexually abused by coaches as children - a number of them by Bennell, who is currently living in Milton Keynes. | Since Mr Woodward's story emerged, several ex-players have made allegations about being sexually abused by coaches as children - a number of them by Bennell, who is currently living in Milton Keynes. |
| A dedicated NSPCC hotline - 0800 023 2642 - was set up after the abuse claims came to light and has received more than 100 calls. | |
| Cheshire Police said it had received a "growing number of disclosures" which included referrals from the children's charity and allegations have been made "against more than one individual". | |
| The prime minister's spokesman commended the former footballers for their bravery in speaking out and said the allegations deserved to be treated with "full seriousness". | The prime minister's spokesman commended the former footballers for their bravery in speaking out and said the allegations deserved to be treated with "full seriousness". |
| Mr Unsworth, 44, said he had decided to waive his right to anonymity after his girlfriend showed him an interview on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme with ex-Crewe player Mr Woodward, 43. | Mr Unsworth, 44, said he had decided to waive his right to anonymity after his girlfriend showed him an interview on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme with ex-Crewe player Mr Woodward, 43. |
| Mr Unsworth told Victoria Derbyshire on Friday: "I thought I've got to come forward... and help everybody." | Mr Unsworth told Victoria Derbyshire on Friday: "I thought I've got to come forward... and help everybody." |
| He had been a youth player at Manchester City with Bennell before moving to Crewe with him when he was about 12 in the mid-1980s. | He had been a youth player at Manchester City with Bennell before moving to Crewe with him when he was about 12 in the mid-1980s. |
| Interview in full: Footballers speak of abuse | |
| Abuse claims: Who has spoken out? | Abuse claims: Who has spoken out? |
| Former manager Warnock praises 'brave' Woodward | Former manager Warnock praises 'brave' Woodward |
| He said he had stayed at Bennell's house several times and Bennell sometimes had two or three boys in the bed at once, where he would abuse them. | He said he had stayed at Bennell's house several times and Bennell sometimes had two or three boys in the bed at once, where he would abuse them. |
| "We never spoke to each other about it," Mr Unsworth said. "I was raped between 50 and 100 times." | "We never spoke to each other about it," Mr Unsworth said. "I was raped between 50 and 100 times." |
| He said he had been nine years old when the abuse started. | He said he had been nine years old when the abuse started. |
| "I knew what I wanted to get [from football], and I thought this is what I had to go through. I knew it was wrong but I just went with it," he said. | |
| He left football aged 16 and became a professional golfer. He has now spoken to Cheshire Police and is waiting to be interviewed by them. | He left football aged 16 and became a professional golfer. He has now spoken to Cheshire Police and is waiting to be interviewed by them. |
| Mr Unsworth said: "Both my parents have died and that hurts me, not telling them. I don't know if it was a good thing… because they would have blamed themselves". | Mr Unsworth said: "Both my parents have died and that hurts me, not telling them. I don't know if it was a good thing… because they would have blamed themselves". |
| 'Deathly stare' | 'Deathly stare' |
| Mr Dunford said he had been staying at a Butlins holiday camp after winning a football competition, when Bennell attempted to touch him in bed. | Mr Dunford said he had been staying at a Butlins holiday camp after winning a football competition, when Bennell attempted to touch him in bed. |
| He said: "I told him to eff off, I remember physically hitting him." | He said: "I told him to eff off, I remember physically hitting him." |
| Though Bennell did not retaliate, Mr Dunford said he would never forget Bennell's "deathly stare". | Though Bennell did not retaliate, Mr Dunford said he would never forget Bennell's "deathly stare". |
| Mr Dunford said that after that Bennell began to "torment" him - "dropping me from the team, telling me I would play, but on the Sunday dropping me again". | Mr Dunford said that after that Bennell began to "torment" him - "dropping me from the team, telling me I would play, but on the Sunday dropping me again". |
| Mr Dunford left the Manchester City nursery team, as it was known then, and moved to different boys' teams. At one point, he said, another coach also attempted to abuse him. | Mr Dunford left the Manchester City nursery team, as it was known then, and moved to different boys' teams. At one point, he said, another coach also attempted to abuse him. |
| He said: "He had me and two others over to stay the night before a game, and we all stayed in the same bed. | He said: "He had me and two others over to stay the night before a game, and we all stayed in the same bed. |
| "He started to touch me. I pushed his hand away. | "He started to touch me. I pushed his hand away. |
| "Later I woke up and the coach was touching one of the other boys." | "Later I woke up and the coach was touching one of the other boys." |
| Mr Dunford has now given a report to the police. | Mr Dunford has now given a report to the police. |
| Neither player turned professional, in part because they felt Bennell drove them away from the game. | Neither player turned professional, in part because they felt Bennell drove them away from the game. |
| 'Weight off shoulders' | 'Weight off shoulders' |
| Bennell, who also worked as a youth football scout, was jailed in 1998 for nine years and also served a four-year sentence in the United States. | Bennell, who also worked as a youth football scout, was jailed in 1998 for nine years and also served a four-year sentence in the United States. |
| In 2015, he was given a two-year term for sexually abusing a boy at a training camp in Macclesfield, but is now out of prison. | In 2015, he was given a two-year term for sexually abusing a boy at a training camp in Macclesfield, but is now out of prison. |
| Cheshire Police said 11 people had come forward since Mr Woodward spoke out, including fellow ex-Crewe player Steve Walters, 44, who said he had been abused by Bennell, when he was 13 or 14, during a trip to Anglesey. | Cheshire Police said 11 people had come forward since Mr Woodward spoke out, including fellow ex-Crewe player Steve Walters, 44, who said he had been abused by Bennell, when he was 13 or 14, during a trip to Anglesey. |
| He told Victoria Derbyshire he had been inconsolable after reading Mr Woodward's story. | He told Victoria Derbyshire he had been inconsolable after reading Mr Woodward's story. |
| "I was so angry and upset, but it was like a hundred tons lifted off my shoulders," he said. | "I was so angry and upset, but it was like a hundred tons lifted off my shoulders," he said. |
| "My career's been ruined, relationships have been ruined… People say 'what happened to you Steve?'" | "My career's been ruined, relationships have been ruined… People say 'what happened to you Steve?'" |
| Mr Walters said more people needed to come forward, particularly "high-profile team mates who are out there". | Mr Walters said more people needed to come forward, particularly "high-profile team mates who are out there". |
| "I want justice now," he said. "The whole of football just needs ripping apart and this can never, ever happen to any young footballer again. | "I want justice now," he said. "The whole of football just needs ripping apart and this can never, ever happen to any young footballer again. |
| 'I always denied it' | 'I always denied it' |
| "My name was always mentioned by other people who thought I'd been abused, so police asked me three times, but I always denied it. | "My name was always mentioned by other people who thought I'd been abused, so police asked me three times, but I always denied it. |
| "I thought I still had a chance of football, which is why I kept saying it didn't happen." | "I thought I still had a chance of football, which is why I kept saying it didn't happen." |
| Dario Gradi, who was Crewe Alexandra's manager for more than 24 years and is now their director of football and academy director, offered "sympathy to the victims of Barry Bennell". | Dario Gradi, who was Crewe Alexandra's manager for more than 24 years and is now their director of football and academy director, offered "sympathy to the victims of Barry Bennell". |
| He said he had first known of Bennell's crimes when the coach was arrested in the US in 1994. | He said he had first known of Bennell's crimes when the coach was arrested in the US in 1994. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| In 2001, the Football Association put in place new rules to protect children, requiring adult and junior teams at all levels to have a trained safeguarding or welfare officer. | In 2001, the Football Association put in place new rules to protect children, requiring adult and junior teams at all levels to have a trained safeguarding or welfare officer. |
| But former FA chief executive Mark Palios said high-profile clubs were "more easily regulated" than grassroots clubs, which rely largely on volunteer workers who are more difficult to direct. | But former FA chief executive Mark Palios said high-profile clubs were "more easily regulated" than grassroots clubs, which rely largely on volunteer workers who are more difficult to direct. |
| Some critics say the regulations rely too much on children being able to report abuse. | Some critics say the regulations rely too much on children being able to report abuse. |
| 'No cover-up' | 'No cover-up' |
| Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, which represents players, said the PFA and the FA had been aware of rumours of abuse. | Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, which represents players, said the PFA and the FA had been aware of rumours of abuse. |
| But he said: "No complaints were made at all - it's become apparent that they [the victims] didn't even tell their families. | But he said: "No complaints were made at all - it's become apparent that they [the victims] didn't even tell their families. |
| "There was no cover-up, no wall of silence. Andy Woodward took two years of therapy to come out [about being abused]." | |
| NSPCC figures show that across the UK, boys are five times less likely to speak up about sexual abuse than girls. | |
| PFA Scotland's chief executive Fraser Wishart urged players of all levels to report any allegations. | |
| He said: "It would be naïve to think that these allegations are unique to one part of the UK." | |
| MP Damian Collins, the chairman of the culture, media and sport committee, said the industry should question if people "turned their gaze from it because the problem seemed so difficult". | MP Damian Collins, the chairman of the culture, media and sport committee, said the industry should question if people "turned their gaze from it because the problem seemed so difficult". |
| He said it would be extremely difficult for young players to speak out against their revered coaches, who guide their future careers. | He said it would be extremely difficult for young players to speak out against their revered coaches, who guide their future careers. |
| The Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel. | The Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel. |
| Does your child play football? What is your experience of your club? How do they protect children? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your comments. | Does your child play football? What is your experience of your club? How do they protect children? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your comments. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |