Celtic Boys Club manager 'stuffed banknotes in boy's mouth'

[ian1964 10,724]

 

[ian1964 10,724]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...-scottish-football-sex-abuse-review-c28m3zzmw
Big clubs and youth teams not separate, insists Scottish football sex abuse review

Marc Horne
September 2 2019, 12:01am, The Times
Celtic FC was said to be inextricably linked to the Celtic Boys Club
Celtic FC was said to be inextricably linked to the Celtic Boys Club
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The Independent Review of Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football has concluded that big clubs cannot distance themselves from abuse that took place within affiliated feeder clubs.

Celtic Boys Club is not mentioned by name in the report, but its authors are satisfied that it was “inextricably” linked with Celtic FC when widespread sexual abuse, which has resulted in a series of recent convictions, took place.

The Times understands that senior figures in the review team have made this clear, in explicit terms, to Celtic FC.

The Parkhead club maintains that the boys’ club was a separate entity and, as such, it has no legal culpability. That stance is undermined in the interim report of the review commissioned by the Scottish FA.

It states: “Historically in Scotland, in some areas, community-based youth football clubs have come into existence, developed and grown with an identity shared with the local senior professional club. In some cases, these are quite prominent. Essentially, they were ‘feeder’ clubs but with a relationship that went well beyond the throughput of young talent.”

The review says that the ties between the senior club and youth teams were “clear and strong” and they were part of the same “family”. Officials of both clubs knew each other well and the senior club allowed the youth club to freely use its premises and facilities and the branding, colours and strips were almost if not identical, it adds.

The review concludes that “if the relationship and history between the youth football club and the senior club was so shared, so close and so inextricable on positive achievements then when alleged sexual abuse of young players formed part of the history of one then it too formed part of the history of the other. A shared heritage is not confined to trophies, victories and celebration. It also extends to defeats, failures, and deficiencies. There are many downsides to this which sometimes overshadow the positives . . . At times the closeness of this relationship might, in the past, have manifested in a ‘closing of ranks’ if not a collusion. This is not surprising since any ‘reputational damage’ to one is therefore shared by the other.

“Where the review has found that when allegations of sexual abuse have been made concerning the community-based youth football club our expectation would have been that the senior club (almost like a parent) would have taken steps to put this right permanently by doing the right thing. Unfortunately, we have seen some instances where this has not been the case and the senior club’s response has centred on protection of its reputation and standing rather than addressing the core problem with a view to achieving a permanent solution.”

[Thinker 887]

4 hours ago, ian1964 said:

 

Good to see the review coming down on the side of what's clearly right, and not the legalese bullshit "seperate entity" attempt to avoid moral duty.

 

Hopefully this will carry some weight in the victims' quest for justice. Seems like it ought to.

[ian1964 10,724]

 

[ian1964 10,724]

CELTIC are "inextricably" linked to the boys club, according to an SFA-commissioned report.

The Parkhead club maintain they are a separate entity but the Independent Review of Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football has concluded they cannot distance themselves from the feeder team.

According to The Times, senior figures in the review team have told the Hoops in no uncertain terms that they share an identity with Celtic Boys Club.

The review does not name the youth team by name but officials have spoken to the Glasgow giants.

It states: "Historically in Scotland, in some areas, community-based youth football clubs have come into existence, developed and grown with an identity shared with the local senior professional club.

"In some cases, these are quite prominent. Essentially, they were 'feeder' clubs but with a relationship that went well beyond the throughput of young talent."

It goes on to speak of the "clear and strong" links between the clubs, highlighting they were part of the same "family".

The review concludes that Celtic FC and Boys Club share a history.

It also suggests the senior side failed to 'do the right thing' about abuse allegations, choosing instead to try and protect their reputation.

It states: "If the relationship and history between the youth football club and the senior club was so shared, so close and so inextricable on positive achievements then when alleged sexual abuse of young players formed part of the history of one then it too formed part of the history of the other.

"A shared heritage is not confined to trophies, victories and celebration. It also extends to defeats, failures, and deficiencies.

"There are many downsides to this which sometimes overshadow the positives. At times the closeness of this relationship might, in the past, have manifested in a 'closing of ranks'.

"This is not surprising since any 'reputational damage' to one is therefore shared by the other.

"Where the review has found that when allegations of sexual abuse have been made concerning the community-based youth football club our expectation would have been that the senior club (almost like a parent) would have taken steps to put this right permanently by doing the right thing.

"Unfortunately, we have seen some instances where this has not been the case and the senior club's response has centred on protection of its reputation and standing rather than addressing the core problem with a view to achieving a permanent solution."

Earlier today, we told how the review will call on Scottish clubs to accept responsibility for historic abuse and apologise to victims.

Celtic, Rangers, Hibs and Motherwell are among the sides who have been called out for their past failures.

The full results of the review are not expected to be published until next year.

Four men associated with Celtic Boys Club have been found guilty of abusing young kids, prompting claims of a paedophile ring.

The Parkhead side has expressed “regret and sorrow” for the victims but insist they are not legally responsible as the boys club was a separate organisation.

Beast Frank Cairney was jailed for four years in February for preying on eight young players at St Columba’s Boys Guild in Viewpark and Celtic Boys Club’s under-16 team.

The 83-year-old is also being probed by US cops over an alleged sex attackduring a boys club tour to New Jersey in 1991.

Fellow former coaches Jim McCafferty, 73, and Jim Torbett, 71, were also caged for sexually abusing starlets.

Ex-club chairman Gerald King, 66, dodged prison in January despite being found guilty of targeting five kids.

Last month, we revealed that Cairney hatched a plan with Gordon Neely to have Celtic Boys Club youngsters train with Rangers.

Neely said he’d take lads as young as 12 and that they could be signed on schoolboy “S” forms which tied them to the club once they turned 13

However, the Ibrox giants sacked the monster - who was also involved with Hibs - after a boy made abuse allegations against him in 1990.

A source close to several victims said: “There was an arrangement between Neely and Cairney so Celtic boys could train at Ibrox.

"These men were dangerous individuals. Serious questions need to be asked about this connection.”

Earlier in the month, former Motherwell youth development officer Bob Allan, 69, was found guilty of sex crimes from over 20 years ago.

It was found he assaulted one youngster, aged between 13 and 16 at the time, at an address in Cambuslang.

The vile attack happened on an occasion between May 21, 1984, and May 20, 1986.

At the same address on April, 1993, Allan then carried out another sickening attack on a lad aged just 15.

Patrick McGuire, of Thompsons Solicitors who represent dozens of victims, has previously called on Celtic fans to demand the Parkhead side apologise and compensate survivors.

Celtic have been contacted for comment.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/4674306/celtic-boys-club-linked-sfa-review-sexual-abuse-scottish-football/?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=scottishsuntwitter&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1567439506

[ian1964 10,724]

 

[ian1964 10,724]

 

[Bill 13,717]

The Times has done well to keep this issue in the news. I wonder what its "award winning" sports writer will be contributing any time soon?

[Uilleam 5,940]

14 minutes ago, Bill said:

The Times has done well to keep this issue in the news. I wonder what its "award winning" sports writer will be contributing any time soon?

Pietistic pish.

 

[ian1964 10,724]