No Comment at the moment

[out0lunch]

https://www.theguardian.com/football...ootball-awards

[MikeSB]

https://www.theguardian.com/football...ootball-awards

The club promised an 'independent' enquiry in 2016 and so why didn't they do it?

That looks pretty bad unless you can think of a reason why a police investigation would be inferior to an independent one or are they in fact the same thing but in one regard perhaps better because the police have powers to investigate and interrogate and even arrest people that the other one can't? However, the difference could be that most independent enquiries have a prominent lawyer or QC leading them which be very costly anyway but the findings tend to be made public to give everyone confidence all the issues have been looked at and so is there any reason why the police investigations and their final report if that is what convinced the club that no further action is needed, is also made public?

If the club just say its been investigated by the police and that's the end of the matter, then its likely the pressure on them will just increase to have one. I did think they were having one as they said so and so once again, why did they not explain to the public and especially the victims and their families why they changed their minds? This club really does need to up its game in this regard. It's not as though they have been warned dozens of times they really do need to communicate far far better and not act like they are in a 100 feet underground bunker!

[AstonAlex]

I find myself agreeing with you, Mike, which must be for the second time since I started using this site!!!

As you rightly say, the Police may well have cleared the club of legal wrongdoing (twice) but that only goes so far. It’s all about public perception now and the Alex could give lessons on how not to go about that. Personally I would rather they brought someone in to look at current practices as that is more relevant to today’s standards in safeguarding young people than that which pertained 30 years ago.

However much we might think we are becoming the scapegoat club in this whole sordid affair, the fact remains we are one of the clubs at the centre of it and employed a *****phile for several years. Whatever it takes to at least try to clear our name must be done; let’s not forget that some of our former kids say they were known as the ***** boys and I for one find that appalling and something that we should do whatever it takes to make sure is never repeated.

[out0lunch]

A purely hypothetical question but let's say the club had done an independent investigation which showed the club didn't know anything about this, then would people say it was a whitewash and the police should be called in ?

[MikeSB]

A purely hypothetical question but let's say the club had done an independent investigation which showed the club didn't know anything about this, then would people say it was a whitewash and the police should be called in ?

Same questions though mate..

Why say they were going to have an 'independent' investigation and then don't have one and worse, don't explain why they changed their mind to call in the police instead? Cynics may think that was to save cash. I couldn't possibly comment. But everyone needed to know what the scope of the investigation was, who was dealing with it, one copper or 50 or which police force and what remit they had and then for the club to publish the findings. How can the victims or the parents past, present and future have confidence in the club if they don't know anything other than the club saying its all been dealt with. Didn't they say that before?

The whole reason for an 'independent' enquiry is so all this can be put in the public domain and investigated thoroughly.

The club needs to come out and answer these questions and not just hope it goes away on its own..It won't.

[ShropshireAlex]

Regardless of whether a separate investigation would have been a good thing, we can't say they did npot explain why they changed their minds - it's basically what the first half of statement 2 on 2 March was about: https://www.crewealex.net/news/2018/...rry-bennell-2/

[MikeSB]

Regardless of whether a separate investigation would have been a good thing, we can't say they did npot explain why they changed their minds - it's basically what the first half of statement 2 on 2 March was about: https://www.crewealex.net/news/2018/...rry-bennell-2/

Thanks for that and wonder if that was made available to the wider media and press?

That report said this..

Following Mr Bennell’s dismissal, the club acknowledges that Mr Gradi wrote to parents advising that he did not want any of the boys to attend other coaching sessions or games organised by Mr Bennell. The reason for this letter being written was simply because the club and Mr Gradi did not want to potentially lose any promising young players to a team coached by Mr Bennell. This letter was not written in the context of either the club or Mr Gradi having any knowledge of complaints for ***ual assault being made against Mr Bennell.

Sherlock Holmes would possibly say that didn't make sense as why not just sack the bloke? The parents were surely not in any position to know who was coaching at any particular session and how would they know in advance, when they arrived at RH? That really does not make sense at all at least to me...IF the club wanted to do that, they should have suspended Bennell full stop. Why didn't they my dear Watson?

Also final sentence says..

Note to Editors – the club will not be offering interviews or further comments on the statement at this stage.

WHY NOT would be a reasonable question? They surely had nothing to hide by doing so?



It is making Hamilton Smith not to be telling the truth and Sherlock would say what had he to gain by coming out with that albeit later?

The question remains that if they have nothing to hide, they could have made that police investigation report PUBLIC and not just give it to the FA...Will the FA make ALL their investigations public when completed or just an abridged version?

Maybe an 'independent' enquiry would have asked some of these questions and delved deeper??

Maybe maybe maybe and why it's still seems far from over and now our MP is asking for one?

[MikeSB]

I was just going to add a very simple question and hope the police would have too..

Surely it was not the parents responsibility to tell their child not to allow Bennell to coach them but the club's responsibility as his employer who and who not to coach and so did they tell him? Parents send their kids to school and have no power to tell their child they should not be taught by such and such teacher etc...

Just an opinion but that is about the weakest argument I have seen in the whole statement.

I'm not suggesting anything sinister and maybe the club operated more as a amateur outfit in these things than we give them credit for?

You really don't need to be a QC to ask these questions that jump out on you..

[Preston76]

Getting a bit boring if MAN CITY had done the right thing instead of brushing Bennel under the carpet we wouldn’t be having this conversation oh let’s not take on the big boys and there massive law team the media will pick on us little old crewe hey not saying we’re inoccent but I feel the blame is at city’s door step end off

[AstonAlex]

Mike is absolutely right and Preston is mainly wrong.

There are holes in the club’s statements and they have been eloquently opened up and, if the Board think that’s the end of the matter they are sadly mistaken.

The blame does not start and end with City, or any other club. They should shoulder their share of responsibility (and have an independent enquiry to hopefully find that out) but to say that they are responsible for Bennell’s heinous crimes at the Alex is just naive and smacks of washing our hands of the whole nasty business.