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Channel 4 News: Child Abuse Scandal in Scottish Football


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From today's Scottish Edition of The Times (Paywall):

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/celtic-must-take-blame-for-boys-club-abuse-inquiry-concludes-v5xflp2md

 

Celtic must take blame for boys club abuse, inquiry concludes

Marc Horne

Thursday February 27 2020, 12.01am, The Times

 

Celtic FC said it was “very sorry” that abuse at Celtic Boys Club had happened but maintained that the two entities were separate

 

Celtic have an “inescapable” moral obligation to accept responsibility for the systemic abuse that took place at its feeder club, a report commissioned by the Scottish Football Association has said.

Martin Henry, chairman of the Independent Review into Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football, has judged it beyond doubt that the Parkhead club and the Celtic Boys Club shared names, values, personnel and resources and, as such, could not be separated.

He told a Channel 4 News investigation in a programme to be broadcast tonight that Celtic and other clubs tainted by abuse should follow the example of Manchester City, which has promised to give survivors compensation and personal apologies.

 

Celtic said last night that it was “very sorry” the abuse had happened, but continued to insist that the boys’ club was a separate organisation with which it had “historic contacts”.

Mr Henry stressed that he was satisfied Celtic FC had severed their ties with Celtic Boys Club and that it had no connection between them or its successor. Celtic expressed “sincere sympathy, regret and sorrow” to those who suffered abuse, but made no mention of offering redress.

 

The Premiership leaders broke their silence after it was reported that imminent legal changes had paved the way for a raft of summonses to be served against the club. The cases could reach the Supreme Court. This year the Scottish government is due to introduce “qualified one way cost shifting”, a measure that radically reduces the costs for groups seeking compensation for crimes such as historical sexual abuse.

Thompsons Solicitors, which is representing about 20 abuse survivors, believes that it will be a “game changer” that will prompt a host of civil cases. The development will put further pressure on the Scottish champions after senior figures at Celtic Boys Club were convicted for molesting dozens of children over four decades.

 

Mr Henry’s comments contradict Celtic FC’s contention that it was separate and distinct from its feeder club. “There was a relationship between Celtic FC and Celtic Boys Club,” he said. “That’s irrefutable. A matter of public record.

“I would say every senior club whose community-based club shared their values, their name, their brand and so on — a joint heritage — have a responsibility to the survivors of abuse from that time. That is a moral obligation which is inescapable in my view and it applies to every club.”

He added: “Did Celtic FC, at the time, respond in the way they should have? You wouldn’t need to be a genius to figure out it wasn’t as it should have been. We as a society need to recompense everyone who has been harmed in this way.”

 

Alex Thomson, chief correspondent for Channel 4 News, has been investigating abuse in Scottish football and said Celtic may have to defend its record in the Supreme Court, the UK’s final court of appeal for civil cases.

“A series of recent judgments there show Celtic FC could be liable if the activities of the boys’ club were of ‘direct and immediate benefit’ to the football club,” he said. “Since the boys’ club was a conveyor belt of talented players to Celtic FC, the direct and immediate benefit to them seems obvious.

“In short, even if Celtic Boys Club was legally separate in 1970 that may not help Celtic FC in 2020, and could cost them millions.”

 

A Celtic FC spokesman said: “Celtic Football Club is appalled by any form of historic abuse and has great sympathy for those who suffered abuse and for their families. The club is very sorry that these events took place. Although Celtic Football Club is a separate organisation, we take these [claims] extremely seriously because of the historic contacts between the two organisations.”

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7 hours ago, craig said:

Which ultimately is nothing more than yet another cover up of the Club.... “wisnae us, was those guys before us”.

 

Theyre effectively trying to push the separate entity agenda to get out of settlements and court cases....

 

but they love to “newco” us.... so..... are they defending themselves on a “newco” basis or accepting they’re the same organization ???

 

They could end up in a shit ton of hurt if they don’t play this well

Maybe the will liquidate the oldco and go down to the bottom division 

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11 hours ago, craig said:

Aye but what to does that have to actually do with anything ?????

As I understand it, the legal advice proffered to ra Sellik reference Celtic Boys Club/sexual abuse is to continually peddle the separate entity line. This is in the hope that whoever are appointed to sit in judgement will be sympatheTIC and grab the presented lifebelt.

 

NewCo is the legal way to go, but it gives them a presentation problem.

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5 hours ago, the gunslinger said:

Maybe the will liquidate the oldco and go down to the bottom division 

The (and our ) problem was that there wasn't a pyramid structure back then as it is now. The howling mob wanted to see us relegated, then realized that an assumed relegation was not possible with the SPL / SFL structure, tried to force the SFL to rethink ... which it didn't and subsequently forced the SFL out of existence. With that, nowingly or not, they prevented that something which happened to us could not happen again.

 

As for the Scum, slimy filth as they are, I can clearly envisage that some penitence in whatever ridiculous form will be accepted by the powers in control. After all, it is their placemen at SFA / SPFL who will decide the outcome ... and I wouldn't be surprised - as there is nothing in the rulebook (as yet) - if there will be any punishment to the club at all.

Edited by der Berliner
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37 minutes ago, der Berliner said:

The (and our ) problem was that there wasn't a pyramid structure back then as it is now. The howling mob wanted to see us relegated, then realized that an assumed relegation was not possible with the SPL / SFL structure, tried to force the SFL to rethink ... which it didn't and subsequently forced the SFL out of existence. With that, nowingly or not, they prevented that something which happened to us could not happen again.

 

As for the Scum, slimy filth as they are, I can clearly envisage that some penitence in whatever ridiculous form will be accepted by the powers in control. After all, it is their placemen at SFA / SPFL who will decide the outcome ... and I wouldn't be surprised - as there is nothing in the rulebook (as yet) - if there will be any punishment to the club at all.

It is looking ever more likely that their punishment will hit their bank account pretty hard.  Civil cases could cost them a fortune.  And it will be interesting to see to what extent insurance will cover them, if at all.

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16 hours ago, RANGERRAB said:

Was 1997 not when Torbet got his first conviction & Alan Brazil testified against him?

 

 

I think he was convicted in 1998, and the process came to light in 1996. 

 

16 hours ago, 26th of foot said:

It's a reference to before McCann.

McCann resigned in 1999.

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12 minutes ago, craig said:

It is looking ever more likely that their punishment will hit their bank account pretty hard.  Civil cases could cost them a fortune.  And it will be interesting to see to what extent insurance will cover them, if at all.

Rumour has it that the vast majority of the transfer fee for Tierney has been put to one side.

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1 hour ago, Bluedell said:

Rumour has it that the vast majority of the transfer fee for Tierney has been put to one side.

That is a fairly hefty wedge.  And they still have a CL wage structure.  Might not be enough as Rangerrab says but even if it is, that is a significant financial blow to them.  Just a shame we are handing them the league this season because, had we won the league, I suspect Dave King's "house of cards" statement may have come true,

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