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Fresh football abuse claims investigated | Fresh football abuse claims investigated |
(35 minutes later) | |
West Midlands Police has become the 18th police force to say it is investigating allegations of child abuse in football. | |
It said it was speaking to complainants about "four historical allegations". | |
Police chiefs say hundreds of people have reported child sexual abuse in UK football after several former players made abuse allegations against coaches. | |
Earlier, a former Chelsea footballer claimed the club paid him £50,000 to keep quiet about abuse allegations. | |
Gary Johnson, who was a member of Chelsea's first team from 1978 to 1981, told the Mirror he had been abused as a youth player in the 1970s by Eddie Heath, who is now dead. | |
According to the Mirror, in 2015 Mr Johnson, 57, signed a confidentiality agreement and accepted £50,000 from the club, but they did not accept blame. | |
Chelsea said they had appointed a law firm to investigate a former employee. | |
On Thursday the NSPCC said more than 860 people had called its dedicated football hotline, set up a week ago. | |
Within the first three days of it launching, the charity made more than 60 referrals to a range of agencies across the UK. | Within the first three days of it launching, the charity made more than 60 referrals to a range of agencies across the UK. |
Announcing its investigation, West Midlands Police said it took all reports of sexual abuse "extremely seriously" and urged anyone who may be a victim or witness to abuse to call on 101. |