Sheldon Report - Institutional Failings in Child Sex Scandal

[The Kraken]

The Sheldon Report has been published into the child sex abuse scandal that has been uncovered over the last few years.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56418652

Saints have issued an apology on the website regarding Bob Higgins.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-56427480

BBC 1 are running a three part series next week called football’s darkest secret.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000ths4

I’d encourage as many as possible to watch. Going to be tough viewing but utterly essential to ensure nothing of this kind can ever happen again.

 

[kwsaint]

Thanks for posting the links.  I was about to start a thread on the same topic.  The problem was widespread across football, and I suspect to a much lesser extent still is.  Fully agree with the Kraken that this needs a wide audience, even though it is going to make for unpleasant viewing.  The damage done to the victims lasts the rest of their life. 

(Mods - can we please bump this thread to the main forum?)

[ecuk268]

It was common knowledge about Higgins in the early 90's. I believe that someone put a brick through his window.

After Saints ushered him out the door, he was running coaching classes for young boys in Riverside Park.

 

[spyinthesky]

It seems that Ted Bates hasnt come out of the report too well and I guess there are other senior members of the club at the time will have fingers pointed at them.

[Turkish]

2 hours ago, ecuk268 said:

It was common knowledge about Higgins in the early 90's. I believe that someone put a brick through his window.

After Saints ushered him out the door, he was running coaching classes for young boys in Riverside Park.

 

He lived right near me and came to our school on several occasions. His house had some graffiti on it a couple of times and I’m pretty sure you’re right about the brick through the window. There were definitely lots of stories going round our year about him as well, he used to run football camps in the school holidays. Scary to think how many victims here might be.

[64saint]

29 minutes ago, spyinthesky said:

It seems that Ted Bates hasnt come out of the report too well and I guess there are other senior members of the club at the time will have fingers pointed at them.

Should be said Dave Merrington who was youth team coach thankfully did take the rumours seriously after over hearing some of the lads talking and after reporting his worries to senior club officials I believe Higgins was gone within 2 weeks.

Edited 17 March, 2021 by 64saint

[Verbal]

This thread should be moved to the main board, and not sit here, where far fewer people will see it.

[Weston Super Saint]

8 hours ago, Verbal said:

This thread should be moved to the main board, and not sit here, where far fewer people will see it.

Do you think the people on the main board don't already know that kiddy fiddling is bad and need this thread to tell them?

[CB Fry]

The main board is there to deal with actual, serious crimes, like people who want to prioritise league placing prize money over progress in the FA Cup.