Chelsea Sexual Abuse Scandal

[CHOULO19 24,332]

1 minute ago, Fulham Broadway said:

They should but will they ? We're talking decades  ago and probably dead too.

Not sure. Wasn't it "settled outside court" just a few years ago? Why do that if no one is still at the club or at least alive? 

[Fulham Broadway 16,383]

25 minutes ago, kmk108 said:

But, in the end, avoiding the bad publicity will arguably result in worse publicity.

Well they obviously never thought it would come out. The victim was paid off, and has now decided to come forward, either inspired by the now 350 others, or, being cynical, the chance of more compensation

[Fulham Broadway 16,383]

5 minutes ago, CHOULO19 said:

Not sure. Wasn't it "settled outside court" just a few years ago? Why do that if no one is still at the club or at least alive? 

Reportedly, he complained and threatened to go public, after the Savile revelations exploded across the airwaves, cables and press pages. As he was sworn to secrecy, it seems doubtful he'd risk that payout by belatedly snitching to the press.

[Unionjack 7,531]

To make this personal Ive a very good friend who is 52. Hard as nails and a lifelong Blues.

When he was 9 his parents got him into scouting. Anyway a year after workjng on him slowly and schooling him  he began messing about with him and for the following 3 years so did a couple of his friends when they went away camping.

The scout leader happened to be a friend of the familty  who told him that it was normal and  how he thought he was special.

This lad had it in his mind that his parents was aware and it was part of growing up/

It really messed him up as you can imagine both with relationshops and emotions.

And even after all these years he remembers it like yesterday.

How can compensation help him? It has to be the most terrible thing imaginable to anyone let alone a kid. And to cover it up is just as bad.                          

[Fulham Broadway 16,383]

So Gary Johnson gone public

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3992432/Chelsea-paid-50-000-hush-money-quiet-abused-hundreds-times-chief-scout-Eddie-Heath-says-former-star-Gary-Johnson.html

[BoyBlue96 990]

*Sigh* I can already hear the Pool, Arsenal, Spurs fans...basically every other team in England ,because they hate us all, sing paedo chants aimed at us. 

 

But either way, this is a serious crime and the club, or the people in the club that have something to do with this should be punished for this. 

[kmk108 1,186]

6 hours ago, BoyBlue96 said:

*Sigh* I can already hear the Pool, Arsenal, Spurs fans...basically every other team in England ,because they hate us all, sing paedo chants aimed at us. 

 

But either way, this is a serious crime and the club, or the people in the club that have something to do with this should be punished for this. 

Anyone who uses this for banter is disgusting and should be worried that it's only a matter of time until it's their club being named. Like Fulham Broadway said, paedos will go wherever they can get to kids and there have been many complaints filed all around England.

I have never been more disappointed in a club I support.

[BoyBlue96 990]

14 minutes ago, kmk108 said:

I have never been more disappointed in a club I support.

Me too. I am Chelsea through and through but this disgusts me. Makes the club look even more shady. 

[Fulham Broadway 16,383]

I liked Gary Johnson as a player, having received 50k to hush him up which he agreed to, hes possibly after more compo which maybe he should get.

It would have gone as far as Buck to sanction the hush money. So maybe that's the last straw for Teflon Bucky baby.

However theres a lot to come out yet. Johnson initially went to the police and PFA - outrageously they buried their head in the sand and told him to go back to CFC !

Now, cynically the FA are really interested in all the cases - guess why ? They are going to fine all the clubs involved.

 

As far as chants go at us- I expect the resurgence of the old classic - ''Youre just a bunch of rent boys''.  Its only fucking words though....

[Laylabelle 9,292]

Guess as well time it happened attitudes were so so much different were as now there is obvious acceptance as it does happen..has happened and can't be hidden anymore which is good!!

Club deserve everything it gets for its part in it. no amount of money will make it any better especially for the victims in this who have had to live with this. Now people are coming out with stories bound to be more involved..just this time they'll be listened to and taken the route that should've been taken in the first place.

[Iggy Doonican 4,186]

I was at this game I remember it mainly for an incident in the Shed. Not going to add my two penneth worth just yet as it's an extremely emotive subject and I believe there's probably more to come out most likely in the Sunday papers.

 

[kmk108 1,186]

Statement from the Board

Quote

Everyone at Chelsea Football Club has been profoundly shocked by news of historical child sex abuse across British football and our heart goes out to all the victims.

We pay tribute to the enormous courage of the people who have spoken out about the horrific abuse which they endured, including former Chelsea player Gary Johnson. We recognise that to do so, after carrying the burden of those events for so long, must have been an extremely difficult thing to do.

This is a challenge for all clubs and everyone involved in the game. As a club, we are absolutely determined to do the right thing: to fully support those affected, and the investigations being carried out. We are working with the Premier League, the Football Association and the police in helping all victims.

As we announced earlier this week, we have retained an external law firm to carry out an investigation into historical sexual abuse claims. If further evidence is uncovered we will ensure that we help victims in any way we can.

Although this abuse took place many decades ago, the last week has also highlighted decisions made more recently in relation to the case of our former player Gary Johnson. We are therefore asking the external law firm to review the way we handled Mr Johnson’s case and make recommendations as to how we can improve our procedures in future. We are determined to learn from any mistakes that were made.

It is clear that Gary Johnson suffered unacceptably while in our employment in the 1970s for which the club apologises profusely. In the summer of 2014 we received a letter of claim from Slater & Gordon, a prominent law firm which handles sexual abuse claims. They informed us Mr Johnson had been sexually assaulted by Eddie Heath, who had been employed by the club in the 1970s, and that Mr Johnson would bring a claim seeking compensation due to the fact he considered that the club was liable for the abuse.

Slater & Gordon confirmed that prior to bringing the claim to the club, the allegations of abuse had been reported to the Professional Footballers’ Association in 2013 and then subsequently to the police. We treated Mr Johnson’s claim very seriously and immediately instructed external solicitors. After requesting some further information, settlement negotiations commenced between Mr Johnson’s lawyers and a firm of solicitors, which specialises in abuse claims, appointed by our insurer.

It was stated by Mr Johnson's solicitors that Heath had inappropriate relationships with other young boys/men from the club although no names were given to us. With the limited information the club received, we were unable to identify any further individuals who may have been subject to abuse. When dealing with this matter, the club operated on the basis that the incidents occurred in the 1970s and Heath had died in the early 1980s. Accordingly, Heath was no longer a risk to children. The extent to which the club should, notwithstanding this, have commenced a more detailed investigation and reported it to the Premier League and FA is an issue that will be addressed in detail in the club’s external law firm review. 

At the time that the settlement was reached, the Board understood it was a usual practice to include mutual confidentiality provisions as part of all settlement agreements and accordingly requested that one be included. The clause bound both parties and ensured that neither could reveal details of the case, including details which claimants might reasonably want to keep private. Mr Johnson’s solicitors did not raise any objection to the draft confidentiality clause and the terms of the settlement were quickly agreed.

More recently, against the current backdrop of wider revelations and other victims coming forward bravely to tell their story, we no longer felt it appropriate to keep the confidentiality agreement in place. It was therefore removed.

The decision to have a confidentiality clause in this case has been subject to significant scrutiny. We have asked the external law firm to review what was done and to make recommendations about best practice for settling claims of this nature in future. In advance of that, however, the Board would like to make clear that, in light of what we know now about the widescale abuse in football clubs in the 1970s and 1980s, it now believes that the use of such a clause while understandable was inappropriate in this instance. We certainly have no desire to hide any historic abuse we uncover from view. Quite the opposite.

Chelsea today is a very different club than it was in the 1970s. We are fully committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all children and young people who are in our care or attending our premises. Their welfare is of paramount importance. The safeguarding policies and procedures that are implemented at the club, and similarly with the Chelsea Foundation, are robust, continually reviewed and the club-wide safeguarding provision is audited regularly each year by the Premier League.

We are determined to learn from this case and will do everything we can to investigate these horrific events. We owe that at the very least to those who suffered unacceptable abuse from the people that were entrusted with their care.

 - The FA has commissioned a dedicated NSPCC helpline for adults who were victims of sexual abuse in childhood within the football industry. The helpline is available 24 hours a day on 0800 0232642

If people would prefer to speak to the club directly, they can do via [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> or on 01932 596188

The Board of Directors of Chelsea FC plc

Bruce Buck, Marina Granovskaia and Eugene Tenenbaum

It clears up a lot of things that have been reported.

What's worst to me is that Johnson went to the PFA and nothing happened. The PLAYERS ASSOCIATION didn't give a shit? Really?

[LDN Blue 7,903]

On 12/2/2016 at 3:40 PM, Fulham Broadway said:

'Youre just a bunch of rent boys''.  Its only fucking words though....

Yeah ridiculous considering how many other clubs are implicated. 

What's alarming is how much these sorts of stories are coming out now. BBC presenters of past now the very roots of football. Seems a nationwide problem of that generation and it's a shame a lot of the other perpetrators are now deceased without justice having been done. 

And oh the cover ups. Nothing worse than cover ups being an ongoing thing, we paid the bloke last year? Come on.. 

[Laylabelle 9,292]

And thats where the damage as a result of this be huge.

Can't see it just being a fine if we paid him last year...

Did read he went to the police and they referred him back..I know times were different and all but seriously?!  

[Fulham Broadway 16,383]

16 hours ago, LDN Blue said:

Yeah ridiculous considering how many other clubs are implicated. 

What's alarming is how much these sorts of stories are coming out now. BBC presenters of past now the very roots of football. Seems a nationwide problem of that generation and it's a shame a lot of the other perpetrators are now deceased without justice having been done. 

And oh the cover ups. Nothing worse than cover ups being an ongoing thing, we paid the bloke last year? Come on.. 

To pay out 50k as hush money for sexual abuse, this must have been authorised by someone on the Board, probably Buck.

Doubtless some other minion will take the rap for it....

[Laylabelle 9,292]

17 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

To pay out 50k as hush money for sexual abuse, this must have been authorised by someone on the Board, probably Buck.

Doubtless some other minion will take the rap for it....

Probably. can see the blame getting passed along to anyone except the person who authorised it .they are so stupid to think money would make it go away! had the chance to address the issue properly and instead acted cowardly and reputation matters more.

Know not the only Club but more that comes out about our situation the more horrible it's become. 

[Fernando 6,374]

I think the point that he was paid makes it bad. 

We shall see what happens with this. 

 

[nono 791]

The perpetrator is already dead. It sucks for the victims but it's a huge relief for us. They can never prove anything anymore. There is nothing else we could have done in this situation.