Is this the end?

[ojprice]

This isn't to troll or deliberately upset anyone but is this the end of cafc? Can any satisfaction now be derived from the gradi years? I was briefly (nowhere near good enough!) in the centre of excellence at the time Woodward and Walters started in the first team. I remember the culture was brutal and uncaring (maybe all clubs were like that though) but there were always these rumours about Crewe - little did we know they were true - but the point is as Woodward and Walters highlight people at the top must have known! Much of our pride in the club is rooted in this era - can anyone stomach calling themselves a fan now?

[RenegadeDS]

This all happened before I was born, but let's be quite clear here - the matter went to trial at the time and anyone that is currently associated with the club was NOT part of the investigation. We don't know how much or little certain people may or may not have known about what was happening - that would be pure speculation - but what we do know is that the entire culture of football and the manner in which academies and youth football is run has changed tenfold. If new evidence comes to the front that there were more people involved, then we can look again at our stance and exactly what we feel the club could/should have done, but until that time anything else would just be conjecture. I supported the club throughout the Redruth rape allegations a couple of years ago, and can't see any reason for that to change now, at least not until we have more information.

It's like asking me if I'll still watch BBC programmes after what happened with Saville et al. Guilty by association can only go so far, people are accountable for their own actions, even in the case of heinous crimes like this one.

[England_First]

This all happened before I was born, but let's be quite clear here - the matter went to trial at the time and anyone that is currently associated with the club was NOT part of the investigation. We don't know how much or little certain people may or may not have known about what was happening - that would be pure speculation - but what we do know is that the entire culture of football and the manner in which academies and youth football is run has changed tenfold. If new evidence comes to the front that there were more people involved, then we can look again at our stance and exactly what we feel the club could/should have done, but until that time anything else would just be conjecture. I supported the club throughout the Redruth rape allegations a couple of years ago, and can't see any reason for that to change now, at least not until we have more information.

It's like asking me if I'll still watch BBC programmes after what happened with Saville et al. Guilty by association can only go so far, people are accountable for their own actions, even in the case of heinous crimes like this one.

That's a cracking post, I did wonder if last nights low crowd, I think our lowest league crowd in 20+ years, had anything to do with all the recent allegations, I hope it didn't as whatever people think it had nothing to do with those lads on the pitch or our management team and most people associated with the club. Just as some have slated the club for being slow to make a statement, I feel some people are being too quick to jump to conclusions about who did what and who knew what, this needs more time and investigation.

[Roebuck]

I still think the Club’s response has been pathetic. I thought Bowler came across as insincere – “Steve Walters I know him well “ – embarrassing. Can they not grasp the scale of this now.
Yes I know it blindsided them, but why not at least mention the safeguards that are now in place. I really fear for the club in its current shape. Who will want to send their kids to the Academy now.

I am also getting really hacked off that there is barely a mention of Manchester City in all this. Daren't the press confront a Premier league team? He managed their junior teams for a number of years and his abuses didn't start at Crewe - 100% certainty. David White is even releasing a book about it.

Paul Stewart and Blackpool, the same. Nova, the junior club he played for along with David Bardsley, were linked to Blackpool. Maybe the link is slightly more tenuous but it certainly exists.

[ojprice]

We can't blame the press Woodward and Walters both played for Crewe and both felt those in positions of power at Crewe knew what was going on - I trust both of them - Walters said there were loads of lads that it was happening to - how can it not have got back to those in authority?

[Roebuck]

We can't blame the press Woodward and Walters both played for Crewe and both felt those in positions of power at Crewe knew what was going on - I trust both of them - Walters said there were loads of lads that it was happening to - how can it not have got back to those in authority?

I trust them as well, but amazing as it seems and call me naive, but I seriously don't believe people in authority at the Club knew what was going on. Do you think Chris Walters would have continued as Community Officer if it was known. I played for Bennell for three years at two Clubs including the Alex and even though he was weird as **** I never for one minute suspected the depths of his depravity. I can remember my shock when it all went public in 98.

[dooop]

It's all very sad. I remember the Bennell stuff coming out in the 90's and the dispatches documentary. I was quite young so I can't recall the response from the club at the time of Bennell going to jail. The way the club have reacted to the players going public recently has been awful. The club just doesn't seem to have the ablity to respond to any situation correctly. No matter how severe it is.

I can't get to the conclusion that the people at the top of the club must have known what was happening. The basis around that talk at the moment is just insinuation.

[Tidegoingout]

There's not knowing and there's not wanting to know. I doubt whether the people at the top knew what was going on, but it's also possible they didn't try very hard to find out. That might have been because they couldn't or didn't want to believe the worst of a colleague. It might have been because they didn't want to undermine the club and/or their own careers. There probably also weren't the safeguarding procedures in place that I imagine are more prevalent today - though this is not a world I am familiar with, so I'm guessing.

The club's response so far is dismaying. To say some time is needed to conduct investigations when there was a conviction of a former member of staff 18 years ago seems complacent. One would have hoped that when Bennell's behaviour came to light, there was a thorough review of what had gone on and how the welfare of young players was looked after. Even if the players who are now coming forward were asked at the time but didn't feel able to say anything, the club should be able to rattle off a list of improvements in policy and procedure that have been made since then.

[samrnpage@hotmail.com]

Andy Woodward has come out and said that Crewe coaches were arguing about what kids to take home with them......This could be the start of the end of the club indeed. Regardless if anything or anyone else comes out about what has happened, the club have let kids get raped whilst they trained and played for Crewe Alexandra and that fact is sickening and tarnishes everything that this club holds proud. Even if Dario and JB knew nothing of it, which for me is hard to believe considering the other kids knew it was happening and others close to the club did as well, they have responsibility to the victims. JB's position is untenable. If this is the tip of the Iceburg like it seems to be, then the club will lose fans, sponsors, players even. The academy will go under as its reputation will now never be the same, it wont be "best academy in lower leagues of football" it will be "that academy were kids got raped". It could well be the start of the end. Might not happen for 5-6 seasons. It but the club might not recover from this. (hope I am wrong )

Also something else, could just be me, but to me something has been wrong with our club for a long time. I could never quite put my finger on it. From little things, to big things, like Dario not wanting to take his photo with the academy XI vs walsall to letting Davis stay with the worse record of any manager in the country and a relegation, from the silence of the board on any matter to the lies the board spouts (hassle, money etc). Maybe I have made all that up in my head, but Ive felt it for some time. Like the club itself was separate to the fans. Maybe the events of the child abuse has made this amplified more than it actually is. ?? ?

[itwasin]

Andy Woodward has come out and said that Crewe coaches were arguing about what kids to take home with them......This could be the start of the end of the club indeed. Regardless if anything or anyone else comes out about what has happened, the club have let kids get raped whilst they trained and played for Crewe Alexandra and that fact is sickening and tarnishes everything that this club holds proud. Even if Dario and JB knew nothing of it, which for me is hard to believe considering the other kids knew it was happening and others close to the club did as well, they have responsibility to the victims. JB's position is untenable. If this is the tip of the Iceburg like it seems to be, then the club will lose fans, sponsors, players even. The academy will go under as its reputation will now never be the same, it wont be "best academy in lower leagues of football" it will be "that academy were kids got raped". It could well be the start of the end. Might not happen for 5-6 seasons. It but the club might not recover from this. (hope I am wrong )

Also something else, could just be me, but to me something has been wrong with our club for a long time. I could never quite put my finger on it. From little things, to big things, like Dario not wanting to take his photo with the academy XI vs walsall to letting Davis stay with the worse record of any manager in the country and a relegation, from the silence of the board on any matter to the lies the board spouts (hassle, money etc). Maybe I have made all that up in my head, but Ive felt it for some time. Like the club itself was separate to the fans. Maybe the events of the child abuse has made this amplified more than it actually is. ?? ?

The Academy will not recover from this as far as Bowler goes he dont have a clue what goes on at Reaseheath he leaves that to his right hand man,and ALL the Coaches,hence the problem. Always known in the past that kids were staying with Coaches,is this the same situation today! The club has left itself wide open to this for years.