Is this the end?

[Timmy58]

As usual, we have the Prosecution, Judge and Jury all pontificating as if totally, knowing all of the facts. Far better to keep quiet and wait until the investigation is complete by which time all will be clear and then, and only then, is it right and proper to opine

[jamesdad]

I agree with the above post , There are now specialist trained officers within the police to deal with new allegations this was not the case in the 90's and a whole range of support services to assist the victims . I for one am not going to make any further comments and let the officials investigate and wait for the official result . Then might be the time to make informed comments but not until then .

[Roebuck]

Well Hamilton Smith has now come out to say the Board received reports of abuse but they allowed him to stay on.

Why didn't the Club come clean about this when they had a chance? Doesn't sound good but hell of a lot better than it coming through the media as a breaking story.

Heads have to roll I'm afraid if this club is to survive. The old guys just aren't fit to run a football club any more.

[ojprice]

Well Hamilton Smith has now come out to say the Board received reports of abuse but they allowed him to stay on.

Why didn't the Club come clean about this when they had a chance? Doesn't sound good but hell of a lot better than it coming through the media as a breaking story.

Heads have to roll I'm afraid if this club is to survive. The old guys just aren't fit to run a football club any more.

https://www.theguardian.com/football...r-board-member And this concludes the discussion and may be the end of the club. I won't be having anything further to do with the club. I went to my first game in 91 and what I've always loved about it was epitomised by gradi's philosophy which was in reality morally bankrupt. All that time we thought we were watching a fairytale when people had been traumatised

[Roebuck]

Unless anything else comes out and I'm proved wrong I don't believe Dario's philosophy was morally bankrupt. It wasn't a philosophy that says we must abuse kids to progress the sport of football in the Borough of Crewe & Nantwich.

The way they dealt with the monster that is Bennell was just inept in the extreme and their response to the resurfacing of the crimes was pitiful, ignorant and, it appears, untruthful. You just can't beat transparency and I can't believe they were unable to grasp that from the outset.

[ojprice]

Unless anything else comes out and I'm proved wrong I don't believe Dario's philosophy was morally bankrupt. It wasn't a philosophy that says we must abuse kids to progress the sport of football in the Borough of Crewe & Nantwich.

The way they dealt with the monster that is Bennell was just inept in the extreme and their response to the resurfacing of the crimes was pitiful, ignorant and, it appears, untruthful. You just can't beat transparency and I can't believe they were unable to grasp that from the outset.

No I'm sorry the philosophy was we'll keep this *****phile in his role because he's good for business and that's more important than protecting kids from rape

[BobScottsFurCoat]

I have never heard such nonsense in my life. Ok so why didn't Hamilton Smith come out with this in more detail in 1992, 1994, 1998? Or why didn't he say this to Chris Walters??

There is clearly a media witch hunt against the alex because we are the easiest target. Not taking any disrespect away from the victims, but are fans really to turn their backs on the club they support based on Grauniad-written here-say that's been retweeted by Jeremy Vine? Furthermore, "Crewe have declined to comment" is untrue. We have, twice. And have had the BBC camped outside the ground interviewing people with as much affinity to the club as Genghis Khan.

The clarification of Manchester City co-operating makes it even more sickening. They won't prod the Premier League brand.

See through this ladies & gents people please! Don't turn your backs on the Alex UNTIL this has gone through the legal system on the same terms as any other club involved. As it stands, Bennell was a monster who was dealt with and the Alex are guilty of nothing more than being incredibly bad at PR

If the police investigation and any subsequent enquiry concludes the alex were at fault then yes I think we need to examine whether we should continue to support them but it seems a lot of you have already made your judgements based on a media vendetta and that isn't how justice should be exercised. And even then, the players & manager of today should not

[Timmy58]

I have never heard such nonsense in my life. Ok so why didn't Hamilton Smith come out with this in more detail in 1992, 1994, 1998? Or why didn't he say this to Chris Walters??

There is clearly a media witch hunt against the alex because we are the easiest target. Not taking any disrespect away from the victims, but are fans really to turn their backs on the club they support based on Grauniad-written here-say that's been retweeted by Jeremy Vine? Furthermore, "Crewe have declined to comment" is untrue. We have, twice. And have had the BBC camped outside the ground interviewing people with as much affinity to the club as Genghis Khan.

The clarification of Manchester City co-operating makes it even more sickening. They won't prod the Premier League brand.

See through this ladies & gents people please! Don't turn your backs on the Alex UNTIL this has gone through the legal system on the same terms as any other club involved. As it stands, Bennell was a monster who was dealt with and the Alex are guilty of nothing more than being incredibly bad at PR

If the police investigation and any subsequent enquiry concludes the alex were at fault then yes I think we need to examine whether we should continue to support them but it seems a lot of you have already made your judgements based on a media vendetta and that isn't how justice should be exercised. And even then, the players & manager of today should not

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[MikeSB]

If its true the board knew all about this and did nothing they are leaving themselves open to multi million pound compensation law suits and if there really was other kids involved as indicated then it really could mean the end of the academy and who knows, the club?

That ex Director's comments are dynamite!

Why would anyone having a witch hunt about this club?

Its depends how many kids were involved as well and whether they will come forward? It was said many at the BBC knew about Saville and Hall and yet did nothing too..

How depressing it all is..

Plus what affect is all this going to have on the parents now who have kids at the academy?

[ojprice]

I have never heard such nonsense in my life. Ok so why didn't Hamilton Smith come out with this in more detail in 1992, 1994, 1998? Or why didn't he say this to Chris Walters??

There is clearly a media witch hunt against the alex because we are the easiest target. Not taking any disrespect away from the victims, but are fans really to turn their backs on the club they support based on Grauniad-written here-say that's been retweeted by Jeremy Vine? Furthermore, "Crewe have declined to comment" is untrue. We have, twice. And have had the BBC camped outside the ground interviewing people with as much affinity to the club as Genghis Khan.

The clarification of Manchester City co-operating makes it even more sickening. They won't prod the Premier League brand.

See through this ladies & gents people please! Don't turn your backs on the Alex UNTIL this has gone through the legal system on the same terms as any other club involved. As it stands, Bennell was a monster who was dealt with and the Alex are guilty of nothing more than being incredibly bad at PR

If the police investigation and any subsequent enquiry concludes the alex were at fault then yes I think we need to examine whether we should continue to support them but it seems a lot of you have already made your judgements based on a media vendetta and that isn't how justice should be exercised. And even then, the players & manager of today should not

Never underestimate the power of self-deception. And to describe this scandal as a 'media witch-hunt' is, although I'm sure unintentional, pretty insensitive to the victims. They think Crewe have a lot to answer for and without the media those questions would not be asked. Witches don't exist, *****philes and their enablers do and unfortunately it seems cafc was full of them.