"Footballs darkest secrets"

Watched the second of three programmes (I think that's the case), on the subject of s e x ual abuse by coaches at various levels of the game, left unfettered by footballing authorities over decades.

I know safeguarding measures are much improved of late, but looking back, how is it possible for men like Bennell etc to produce more cases of abuse than Saville, and for those in authority to have escaped the justice that he and other perpetrators are now facing?

All for the chance to play a game of football. Just what have we been responsible for, allowing it to happen because of our willingness to accept the account of what is necessary from those in positions of influence and power in professional football?

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Originally Posted by WTF11

Watched the second of three programmes (I think that's the case), on the subject of s e x ual abuse by coaches at various levels of the game, left unfettered by footballing authorities over decades.

I know safeguarding measures are much improved of late, but looking back, how is it possible for men like Bennell etc to produce more cases of abuse than Saville, and for those in authority to have escaped the justice that he and other perpetrators are now facing?

All for the chance to play a game of football. Just what have we been responsible for, allowing it to happen because of our willingness to accept the account of what is necessary from those in positions of influence and power in professional football?

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The ability of some people to have faith in others was almost unlimited coupled with the fact that a proportion of people have no boundaries within which they behave.

It was also the era where authority could not be questioned.

Couple that with the power of coaches to influence a player’s future .....:

Just glad a lot of lesions have been understood and acted on since then.

Some people are more equal than others.

It's not just a football issue. it's a power issue.

Footballers, in their prime, are extremely powerful people. Athletes, like politicians and rich corporate execs are held to a totally different set of standards than the common folk.

It is disgusting and we know it will still be going on. Scum of the earth preying on little kids who have no understanding of what is happening so don't say anything. Sad thing is this isn't even close to the worst of it when you really get into the underground ***** rings at the elite level of politicians and film makers. That is incredibly dark stuff.

When working for York City Council before my illness I dealt with 16/18 year olds wanting to enrol in Apprenticeship courses at York College were I was based.
Some of those kids where from football clubs who had not been taken on.
Many where not well educated,distraught and felt the end of the world had happened.
Came in with their parents in tears not knowing we're to turn,all very sad.

Since then the FA with Pro Academy set ups has vastly changed that scenario thankfully and York was the first education establishment in UK to set up a special course to help youngsters rejected from football to be career retrained or helped back into non league football or given second opportunities by playing in Scandinavian football semi pro.

Today York college works closely with i2i Football Academy's in getting things correct from the start educating young players many of which ended up with Leeds in recent seasons.

I'll also state that when in Mental Health facilities most of the kids my age had come from abusive situations and one or to adults I personally know through private re-hab facilities where well known footballers with awful issues beyond comprehension not helped by media intrusion and social media abuse.

But obviously still a lot of work to be done and more Government power to be put on the PL coffers to help wouldn't go amiss.

All abuse is shocking and disgusting end of.

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Originally Posted by Monaco_Totty

When working for York City Council before my illness I dealt with 16/18 year olds wanting to enrol in Apprenticeship courses at York College were I was based.
Some of those kids where from football clubs who had not been taken on.
Many where not well educated,distraught and felt the end of the world had happened.
Came in with their parents in tears not knowing we're to turn,all very sad.

Since then the FA with Pro Academy set ups has vastly changed that scenario thankfully and York was the first education establishment in UK to set up a special course to help youngsters rejected from football to be career retrained or helped back into non league football or given second opportunities by playing in Scandinavian football semi pro.

Today York college works closely with i2i Football Academy's in getting things correct from the start educating young players many of which ended up with Leeds in recent seasons.

I'll also state that when in Mental Health facilities most of the kids my age had come from abusive situations and one or to adults I personally know through private re-hab facilities where well known footballers with awful issues beyond comprehension not helped by media intrusion and social media abuse.

But obviously still a lot of work to be done and more Government power to be put on the PL coffers to help wouldn't go amiss.

All abuse is shocking and disgusting end of.

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Very sad indeed Totty. Just hope they all come out the other side of these situations like yourself. 👍

Very difficult issue to deal with - some victims want to forget it ever happened and move on in their own way, others desperately want to speak to someone and get it dealt with but struggle to find a ear and sadly other who cannot cope with it at all. Then there is a an element who jump on the band wagon, thinking they can make a buck out of it, and make it more difficult for the true victims.