Celtic face threat of multimillion pound compensation claim(The Times)

Rangerista said:
Champagne Charlie

A good article in today's Scottish Daily Mail about Charlie Nicholas's career. Most of us from his era would find it interesting and it is, in a revealing way.

When talking of his early days it mentions that he had to get "Two or three buses to training at Celtic Juniors" (my emphasis).

Need I wonder the reason for this choice of word, an attempt to confuse and deflect? Because Charlie of course, played for Celtic Boys Club.

My poor photo from the article.

Click to expand...

They are trying to rewrite history, but can't delete history.

And if anything that name goes against them. Calling them "Celtic Juniors" implies that he played for the junior / young team of Celtic. And of course there's plenty of evidence that he played for Celtic Boys Club - which was of course the young junior team of Celtic.

I'm surprised the journalist didn't toe the party line and quote "Two or three buses to training at Celtic Boys Club [a separate entity to Celtic]"
 
Thinking of the Russell Brand story breaking over the weekend and previous situations like Saville and various politicians I wonder whether the situation with Celtic FC will ever reach such proportions.
In those instances we have documentaries telling the stories and suggestions that bosses of the respective TV companies could be called before a Government Select Committee.
The Met Police making public appeals for complainants to come forward.
Pages of front page coverage from the major dailies.
At this point no allegations against Brand have been proven in court.

Contrast this with Celtic FC.
The newspaper coverage has been non existent in comparison.
Politically on every level has been swept under the carpet.
Indeed the SNP government even when deciding to look at child abuse in Scottish Society left Football out.
Peculiar behaviour when there was a known issue and criminal convictions especially at one certain football club.

Scottish Football looks into child abuse appoints someone with a vested interest with a business relationship with an individual connected to the abuse and unsurprisingly comes out with a glowing endorsement of Celtic FC and holds them up as an example for other Scottish Clubs to follow.!!!
Meanwhile our media stands back and does not question the appointment of the individual appointed to chair the SFA enquiry or their recommendations when they are aware of the multiple convictions child abuse related to that football club.

For me this myth perpetuated that all parties waiting on the link between the boys club and Celtic FC to be established does not wash.
Disgraceful behaviour.
If it doesn’t stand with Brand and other public figures how does it stand with Celtic FC??

The other misnomer I would like to mention in my rant is that the reason under the surface for as they see it that there is a sectarian campaign against Celtic FC with this abuse.
Do people not get it that even if the motives for pursuing this matter are sectarian it is wholly irrelevant.
The key and only question is the establishment of whether children were abused at Celtic Boys Club.
9 criminal convictions and victims in 3 figures testifies to this.
It is blindingly obvious that Celtic Boys Club were a branch of Celtic FC and the only reason they are stating to the contrary is to avoid responsibility.
So forget sectarianism and focus on whether there were victims at Celtic FC.
That is the only important aspect.
The victims need to be recognised.

Scottish Society has failed these victims undoubtedly.(SNP Government/Scottish Football Authorities/Scottish Media)

Scotland’s shame.

Any details I’ve got wrong in my rant I stand to be corrected and apologies if from me if that’s the case:
 
Grumpy Old Git said:
Thinking of the Russell Brand story breaking over the weekend and previous situations like Saville and various politicians I wonder whether the situation with Celtic FC will ever reach such proportions.
In those instances we have documentaries telling the stories and suggestions that bosses of the respective TV companies could be called before a Government Select Committee.
The Met Police making public appeals for complainants to come forward.
Pages of front page coverage from the major dailies.
At this point no allegations against Brand have been proven in court.

Contrast this with Celtic FC.
The newspaper coverage has been non existent in comparison.
Politically on every level has been swept under the carpet.
Indeed the SNP government even when deciding to look at child abuse in Scottish Society left Football out.
Peculiar behaviour when there was a known issue and criminal convictions especially at one certain football club.

Scottish Football looks into child abuse appoints someone with a vested interest with a business relationship with an individual connected to the abuse and unsurprisingly comes out with a glowing endorsement of Celtic FC and holds them up as an example for other Scottish Clubs to follow.!!!
Meanwhile our media stands back and does not question the appointment of the individual appointed to chair the SFA enquiry or their recommendations when they are aware of the multiple convictions child abuse related to that football club.

For me this myth perpetuated that all parties waiting on the link between the boys club and Celtic FC to be established does not wash.
Disgraceful behaviour.
If it doesn’t stand with Brand and other public figures how does it stand with Celtic FC??

The other misnomer I would like to mention in my rant is that the reason under the surface for as they see it that there is a sectarian campaign against Celtic FC with this abuse.
Do people not get it that even if the motives for pursuing this matter are sectarian it is wholly irrelevant.
The key and only question is the establishment of whether children were abused at Celtic Boys Club.
9 criminal convictions and victims in 3 figures testifies to this.
It is blindingly obvious that Celtic Boys Club were a branch of Celtic FC and the only reason they are stating to the contrary is to avoid responsibility.
So forget sectarianism and focus on whether there were victims at Celtic FC.
That is the only important aspect.
The victims need to be recognised.

Scottish Society has failed these victims undoubtedly.(SNP Government/Scottish Football Authorities/Scottish Media)

Scotland’s shame.

Any details I’ve got wrong in my rant I stand to be corrected and apologies if from me if that’s the case:
Click to expand...
You are correct to point out the paradox and correct, in my opinion, as to the reasons for it. I still believe this will come back to haunt both Celtic and their apologists.

Great work on this to all.
 
Grumpy Old Git said:
Thinking of the Russell Brand story breaking over the weekend and previous situations like Saville and various politicians I wonder whether the situation with Celtic FC will ever reach such proportions.
In those instances we have documentaries telling the stories and suggestions that bosses of the respective TV companies could be called before a Government Select Committee.
The Met Police making public appeals for complainants to come forward.
Pages of front page coverage from the major dailies.
At this point no allegations against Brand have been proven in court.

Contrast this with Celtic FC.
The newspaper coverage has been non existent in comparison.
Politically on every level has been swept under the carpet.
Indeed the SNP government even when deciding to look at child abuse in Scottish Society left Football out.
Peculiar behaviour when there was a known issue and criminal convictions especially at one certain football club.

Scottish Football looks into child abuse appoints someone with a vested interest with a business relationship with an individual connected to the abuse and unsurprisingly comes out with a glowing endorsement of Celtic FC and holds them up as an example for other Scottish Clubs to follow.!!!
Meanwhile our media stands back and does not question the appointment of the individual appointed to chair the SFA enquiry or their recommendations when they are aware of the multiple convictions child abuse related to that football club.

For me this myth perpetuated that all parties waiting on the link between the boys club and Celtic FC to be established does not wash.
Disgraceful behaviour.
If it doesn’t stand with Brand and other public figures how does it stand with Celtic FC??

The other misnomer I would like to mention in my rant is that the reason under the surface for as they see it that there is a sectarian campaign against Celtic FC with this abuse.
Do people not get it that even if the motives for pursuing this matter are sectarian it is wholly irrelevant.
The key and only question is the establishment of whether children were abused at Celtic Boys Club.
9 criminal convictions and victims in 3 figures testifies to this.
It is blindingly obvious that Celtic Boys Club were a branch of Celtic FC and the only reason they are stating to the contrary is to avoid responsibility.
So forget sectarianism and focus on whether there were victims at Celtic FC.
That is the only important aspect.
The victims need to be recognised.

Scottish Society has failed these victims undoubtedly.(SNP Government/Scottish Football Authorities/Scottish Media)

Scotland’s shame.

Any details I’ve got wrong in my rant I stand to be corrected and apologies if from me if that’s the case:
Click to expand...
That's a fine post, sir.
 
The only thing we can do for the victims on this forum is to consistently let them know we are with them.
We can do that by keeping it in the public eye and discussing on this forum as nobody else appears to want to.
Perhaps in October whatever the date the civil case is due to be heard.

Also may I place my thanks to Grigo/ the current team in Spotlight and previous people involved in Spotlight for all the work they have done and continue to do on behalf of the victims.

Hopefully they are rewarded by the persons responsible for harbouring and employing these abusers being brought to justice.
And even more importantly the victims.
 
Grumpy Old Git said:
Thinking of the Russell Brand story breaking over the weekend and previous situations like Saville and various politicians I wonder whether the situation with Celtic FC will ever reach such proportions.
In those instances we have documentaries telling the stories and suggestions that bosses of the respective TV companies could be called before a Government Select Committee.
The Met Police making public appeals for complainants to come forward.
Pages of front page coverage from the major dailies.
At this point no allegations against Brand have been proven in court.

Contrast this with Celtic FC.
The newspaper coverage has been non existent in comparison.
Politically on every level has been swept under the carpet.
Indeed the SNP government even when deciding to look at child abuse in Scottish Society left Football out.
Peculiar behaviour when there was a known issue and criminal convictions especially at one certain football club.

Scottish Football looks into child abuse appoints someone with a vested interest with a business relationship with an individual connected to the abuse and unsurprisingly comes out with a glowing endorsement of Celtic FC and holds them up as an example for other Scottish Clubs to follow.!!!
Meanwhile our media stands back and does not question the appointment of the individual appointed to chair the SFA enquiry or their recommendations when they are aware of the multiple convictions child abuse related to that football club.

For me this myth perpetuated that all parties waiting on the link between the boys club and Celtic FC to be established does not wash.
Disgraceful behaviour.
If it doesn’t stand with Brand and other public figures how does it stand with Celtic FC??

The other misnomer I would like to mention in my rant is that the reason under the surface for as they see it that there is a sectarian campaign against Celtic FC with this abuse.
Do people not get it that even if the motives for pursuing this matter are sectarian it is wholly irrelevant.
The key and only question is the establishment of whether children were abused at Celtic Boys Club.
9 criminal convictions and victims in 3 figures testifies to this.
It is blindingly obvious that Celtic Boys Club were a branch of Celtic FC and the only reason they are stating to the contrary is to avoid responsibility.
So forget sectarianism and focus on whether there were victims at Celtic FC.
That is the only important aspect.
The victims need to be recognised.

Scottish Society has failed these victims undoubtedly.(SNP Government/Scottish Football Authorities/Scottish Media)

Scotland’s shame.

Any details I’ve got wrong in my rant I stand to be corrected and apologies if from me if that’s the case:
Click to expand...
Well said, GOG!
 
Whether Nicholas, Grant,Aitken and Mcstay like it or not they played for Celtic boys club
And no it was not a separate entity, the victims being represented in court next month also fell foul of predators of Celtic.
The separate entity myth needs put to right, once and for all.
 
Taken from sly news.
Paedophile former football coach Barry Bennell has died in prison, according to the Ministry of Justice.

Bennell, who reportedly had cancer, had been in HMP Littlehey, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, where he was serving a 34-year sentence.

He was in jail after being convicted of sexual offences against boys on five separate occasions - four in the UK and one in the United States.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
 
Huckleberry said:
Whether Nicholas, Grant,Aitken and Mcstay like it or not they played for Celtic boys club
And no it was not a separate entity, the victims being represented in court next month also fell foul of predators of Celtic.
The separate entity myth needs put to right, once and for all.
Click to expand...
Even if CBC didn’t wear the CFC strip, train at barrowfield, get leading management giving out yearly prizes etc etc, most of the boys that trained for that club witnessed a conveyor belt of players going onto play for CFC. That alone without even the other overwhelming evidence is enough to show how intrinsically linked they are.
 
We all want the survivors/victims to get what they feel is best outcome for them first and foremost.

When the class action shows them up for what they are what sporting sanctions will they get? Lowland league or shut down forever?
 
Anony Mouse said:
Taken from sly news.
Paedophile former football coach Barry Bennell has died in prison, according to the Ministry of Justice.

Bennell, who reportedly had cancer, had been in HMP Littlehey, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, where he was serving a 34-year sentence.

He was in jail after being convicted of sexual offences against boys on five separate occasions - four in the UK and one in the United States.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Click to expand...
Another despicable reprobate.
An opportunity for any popular Scottish newspaper investigative journalist to draw a parallel with Bennell’s crimes against children with similar crimes perpetrated against a plethora of Scottish children by individuals at a Scottish football club.
Will it happen?
Hmmm!
 
Once it's all done and dusted through the Courts and they're ordered to compensate the victims , I would assume they will be liable for the costs of each individual case and not the tax payer . They are responsible for the costs by claiming Separate Entity and the tax payers should not be burdened with it. I would hope they will be liable for wasting the Courts time and the stress caused to the victims and their families, and ordered to pay accordingly. It will be interesting to see how the authorities deal with them ( SFA,/ SPFL UEFA ) when they are found guilty , they will have broken rules punishable by fines or even bans.before even mentioning bringing the game into disrepute.Who knows maybe they'll treat them the same way we were treated , and we were innocent
 
Rfc111 said:
We all want the survivors/victims to get what they feel is best outcome for them first and foremost.

When the class action shows them up for what they are what sporting sanctions will they get? Lowland league or shut down forever?
Click to expand...

After paying out compo, the powers that be here will probably decide they've suffered enough, or something.
 
Huckleberry said:
Whether Nicholas, Grant,Aitken and Mcstay like it or not they played for Celtic boys club
And no it was not a separate entity, the victims being represented in court next month also fell foul of predators of Celtic.
The separate entity myth needs put to right, once and for all.
Click to expand...

The Aitken that Hugh Keevins wrote in a 1988/89 article... was associated with Celtic for 17 years (from age 13)

Screenshot-20230911-115629-Chrome.jpg
 
DangerousDave said:
Surely that’s garbage.Did such a team actually exist?Nicholas himself would say that’s crap
Click to expand...
No doubt in my mind that Celtic Boys Club were synonymous with Celtic FC.
As a boy and I’m talking 50+ years ago played against Celtic BC they wore the exact same strip and came to games with the Celtic blazer flannels and even shoes and deported themselves as the young official Celtic team.
Moving forward onto my son and it was exactly the same when I went to see him play against them.
It doesn’t matter a jot if they called them Juniors or any other name used to describe Celtic Boys Club they were seen as the official boys club representing Celtic FC.
Add in the multitude of written words in their club newspaper/programmes and elsewhere and other evidence it is crystal clear what they were.
A boys arm of Celtic FC.
 
Rfc111 said:
We all want the survivors/victims to get what they feel is best outcome for them first and foremost.

When the class action shows them up for what they are what sporting sanctions will they get? Lowland league or shut down forever?
Click to expand...

Depends what appetite there is from your man in the street.

Regardless of the outcome, one thing you can guarantee is there will be minimal media coverage.

I expect no depths they will not plumb to avoid justice in court, that is a given and it's what they do after all. However, they will be prepared for the worst, of that you can be sure.

They will do their utmost to suppress this and will use their formidable army of enablers deniers and apologists to achieve that. Ordinary people need to be prepared for that also and make their voices heard.

Personally speaking I would like to see a concerted effort form ALL clubs calling for sanctions, but due to the stranglehold these bastards now have on the entire game in this country I won't hold my breath.
 
Rfc111 said:
We all want the survivors/victims to get what they feel is best outcome for them first and foremost.

When the class action shows them up for what they are what sporting sanctions will they get? Lowland league or shut down forever?
Click to expand...
A noble thought and hopefully the victims get their monetary compensation but there is no appetite to punish this vile club.As has been said before they are being protected by the politicians,judiciary,police and press.Like the Roman Catholic Church their tentacles are far reaching and have infiltrated our society from top to bottom.
 
Huckleberry said:
Whether Nicholas, Grant,Aitken and Mcstay like it or not they played for Celtic boys club
And no it was not a separate entity, the victims being represented in court next month also fell foul of predators of Celtic.
The separate entity myth needs put to right, once and for all.
Click to expand...
Have they been asked what their opinions are regarding what should happen to CBC if it were proven they were nothing to do with CFC? Should they feel the full force of the law and be punished accordingly?

Would they be afraid to answer that question right now as when the case goes against their team they will be left with no more wiggle room and will need to say their team should suffer the consequences.
 
Keevins is part of a clique , and refuses to talk about the scandal because he knows he doesn't have the savvy to argue or answer any awkward questions put to him and would be exposed as the liar he is. Remember this is the guy in 1999 at the 3-0 victory at the piggery when Dallas got hit with a coin at the celtc end , near the corner flag whilst Rangers were taking a corner , arguing with a caller on the radio phone in , who was condemning the celtc supporters behaviour, and asking him how he knew it was a celtc fan that threw the coin. ? That's the level of thinking they all have whether it's ex players , managers , directors , fans , even " impartial " pundits . They think if they keep ignoring the facts and telling the same lies over and over , eventually it will come true.
Dirty immoral lying bastards to a man .
 
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Is that the same clubs that sanctioned Rangers to the lower divisions? As much as I agree with you Pal we all know that will not happen. The poor people and families will never receive the justice that is seriously required. This rancid club is poisoned from the top down and has been involved in corruption from its inception. A club formed to help the poor and oppressed people in Glasgow? It has spread its bigoted hatred not only in Scotland but anywhere that sees them as the peoples club. It’s going to take a massive calling out and proving just what this evil shower of Bastards were responsible for. I personally think the whole truths will never come out but an old saying goes, Long runs the Fox!
 
Grumpy Old Git said:
Thinking of the Russell Brand story breaking over the weekend and previous situations like Saville and various politicians I wonder whether the situation with Celtic FC will ever reach such proportions.
In those instances we have documentaries telling the stories and suggestions that bosses of the respective TV companies could be called before a Government Select Committee.
The Met Police making public appeals for complainants to come forward.
Pages of front page coverage from the major dailies.
At this point no allegations against Brand have been proven in court.

Contrast this with Celtic FC.
The newspaper coverage has been non existent in comparison.
Politically on every level has been swept under the carpet.
Indeed the SNP government even when deciding to look at child abuse in Scottish Society left Football out.
Peculiar behaviour when there was a known issue and criminal convictions especially at one certain football club.

Scottish Football looks into child abuse appoints someone with a vested interest with a business relationship with an individual connected to the abuse and unsurprisingly comes out with a glowing endorsement of Celtic FC and holds them up as an example for other Scottish Clubs to follow.!!!
Meanwhile our media stands back and does not question the appointment of the individual appointed to chair the SFA enquiry or their recommendations when they are aware of the multiple convictions child abuse related to that football club.

For me this myth perpetuated that all parties waiting on the link between the boys club and Celtic FC to be established does not wash.
Disgraceful behaviour.
If it doesn’t stand with Brand and other public figures how does it stand with Celtic FC??

The other misnomer I would like to mention in my rant is that the reason under the surface for as they see it that there is a sectarian campaign against Celtic FC with this abuse.
Do people not get it that even if the motives for pursuing this matter are sectarian it is wholly irrelevant.
The key and only question is the establishment of whether children were abused at Celtic Boys Club.
9 criminal convictions and victims in 3 figures testifies to this.
It is blindingly obvious that Celtic Boys Club were a branch of Celtic FC and the only reason they are stating to the contrary is to avoid responsibility.
So forget sectarianism and focus on whether there were victims at Celtic FC.
That is the only important aspect.
The victims need to be recognised.

Scottish Society has failed these victims undoubtedly.(SNP Government/Scottish Football Authorities/Scottish Media)

Scotland’s shame.

Any details I’ve got wrong in my rant I stand to be corrected and apologies if from me if that’s the case:
Click to expand...
Very well said.
 
Fu Manchu said:
A noble thought and hopefully the victims get their monetary compensation but there is no appetite to punish this vile club.As has been said before they are being protected by the politicians,judiciary,police and press.Like the Roman Catholic Church their tentacles are far reaching and have infiltrated our society from top to bottom.
Click to expand...
The fact that there was still abuse at that club only a few years ago shows they have covered up from around 1967-2019 disgusting.
 
Scotties Salute said:
Is that the same clubs that sanctioned Rangers to the lower divisions? As much as I agree with you Pal we all know that will not happen. The poor people and families will never receive the justice that is seriously required. This rancid club is poisoned from the top down and has been involved in corruption from its inception.A club formed to help the poor and oppressed people in Glasgow? It has spread its bigoted hatred not only in Scotland but anywhere that sees them as the peoples club. It’s going to take a massive calling out and proving just what this evil shower of Bastards were responsible for. I personally think the whole truths will never come out but an old saying goes, Long runs the Fox!
Click to expand...
It was formed solely to help the Irish Catholic element in Glasgow and lure them away from what they thought the existing Protestant soup kitchens .Sectarianism was born with their formation.
 
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Will the SNP usual suspects open their mouth after all the former first minister spoke out about Goodwillie who was found guilty in a civil court on a he says she says situation? Whereas the convicted bheasts in an actual criminal court leaves no dubiety what so ever so will the current scum supporting first minister open his mouth to condemn and will that put a stop to the local football team from trading as surely the most renown ambulance chasers/bandwagon jumpers will FINALLY open their eyes, ears and minds to what has been out there for years and stop being deniers and ablers.
 
HB-Lee said:
After paying out compo, the powers that be here will probably decide they've suffered enough, or something.
Click to expand...
Probable outcome IMO is they will settle out of court without admitting liability.

The media will cover the story but my sceptical mind thinks the media in this country will portray this cabal as a noble and virtuous football club who decided to settle and give compensation rather than put the victims through further torture.
There will be no apology for the victims and they will forcibly put out that they do not accept liability for this procession of child abuse.

This for them is about restricting reputational damage affecting sponsorship and nothing more.

How this to date has not affected their sponsorship deals already is beyond me.
Take Schofield as an example sponsors were like rats jumping from a sinking ship to avoid being linked with him and there was no semblance of a court case against him.

I can only conclude that the Celtic tentacles and spheres of influence extend a very long way.
 
I note that the mainstream BBC evening news took 25 minutes before mentioning Bennell even though the lead story was about alleged sex offender Brand.
Just wonder if tomorrows Scottish papers will report that as well or on P37 a paragraph at the bottom, as they won't want their paymasters offending trending for another predator to jog memories of any potential links to them.
 
Grumpy Old Git said:
Probable outcome IMO is they will settle out of court without admitting liability.

The media will cover the story but my sceptical mind thinks the media in this country will portray this cabal as a noble and virtuous football club who decided to settle and give compensation rather than put the victims through further torture.
There will be no apology for the victims and they will forcibly put out that they do not accept liability for this procession of child abuse.

This for them is about restricting reputational damage affecting sponsorship and nothing more.

How this to date has not affected their sponsorship deals already is beyond me.
Take Schofield as an example sponsors were like rats jumping from a sinking ship to avoid being linked with him and there was no semblance of a court case against him.

I can only conclude that the Celtic tentacles and spheres of influence extend a very long way.
Click to expand...

Did anything happen to the clubs down south involved in this shit? I think the main culprits were Crewe and Chelsea. Bennel obviously got the jail and I think Dario Gradi lost his MBE or whatever title he had, but I dont actually think anything happened to the clubs.

Its damage limitation for that mob on a financial/reputational level, but Im not sure any precedent has been set to go on in terms of club punishment, which may be their "Get out".
 
HB-Lee said:
Did anything happen to the clubs down south involved in this shit? I think the main culprits were Crewe and Chelsea. Bennel obviously got the jail and I think Dario Gradi lost his MBE or whatever title he had, but I dont actually think anything happened to the clubs.

Its damage limitation for that mob on a financial/reputational level, but Im not sure any precedent has been set to go on in terms of club punishment, which may be their "Get out".
Click to expand...
This may be of interest.
Google
Sportlawmusings
And insert Barry Bennell in the search option.
It’s quite long but shows the difficulties.
Someone more tech savvy than me can maybe post a link.
And this.


High court judge makes ruling over abuse suffered by eight schoolboy footballers more than 30 years ago
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent
Mon 10 Jan 2022 11.08 GMT
1 year old

Manchester City cannot be held responsible for the abuse suffered by eight men at the hands of the paedophile Barry Bennell more than 30 years ago, a high court judge has ruled.
The claimants, now in their 40s and 50s, said Bennell, 68, abused them when they were playing schoolboy football for teams he coached in north-west England between 1979 and 1985.
Mr Justice Johnson accepted their accounts but, in a written judgment published on Monday, the judge said that although there was a “good explanation” for the delay in the claims against City, they were brought too late for there to be a fair trial of the club.
He said even if the claims were not time-barred, the fact that Bennell was a scout for City, coached their feeder teams and helped to organise trial games did not make the club vicariously liable for his abuse, as the eight men had argued.
He said: “The work that Bennell did for MCFC (Manchester City football club) did not require him to have children stay at his home overnight. The connection between the abuse and Bennell’s relationship with MCFC is insufficient to give rise to vicarious liability.
“The relationship gave Bennell the opportunity to commit the abuse, but MCFC had not entrusted the welfare of the claimants to Bennell. It follows that it has not been shown that MCFC is legally responsible for Bennell’s acts of abuse.”
David McClenaghan, a partner at Bolt Burdon Kemp solicitors, who represented the eight men, said they were “shocked and dismayed” at the decision, which he said rested on a “technicality”, and would be appealing against it.
City bosses denied the claim, saying Bennell was a local City scout in the mid-1970s but not between 1979 and 1985.
Bennell, who is serving a 34-year jail term after being convicted on five separate occasions of child sexual abuse offences against 22 boys, gave evidence that supported the club’s case during the trial, a move McClenaghan described as “callous behaviour” on the part of City.
Bennell denied being linked to City during the 1980sbut Johnson rejected Bennell’s evidence, saying he was a “manipulative liar” and “not a credible witness. The judge said the claimants had shown that Bennell did have connections with the club before 1980, which then resumed from around 1981.
However, he said: “The evidence suggests that Bennell was not an employee of MCFC and that he was not in a relationship with MCFC that is akin to employment. Further, even if his relationship with MCFC is taken to be akin to employment, his abuse of the claimants did not take place in the course of that employment.”
McClenaghan said: “We do not accept the decision as being correct and will be appealing the decision in the higher courts where we are confident we will secure the correct and just result.”
The eight men claimed damages for psychiatric injuries, with six of them also claiming damages for loss of potential football earnings.
Bennell, who used to live near Buxton in Derbyshire, had abused schoolboy footballers after inviting them to stay at his home. Despite having been convicted of abusing six of the claimants, Bennell accused four of them of lying. Johnson said they were not lying and praised the claimants, saying their actions had helped to ensure “future generations of children are better protected”.
A City spokesperson said the club had “both personally and publicly apologised without reservation for the unimaginable suffering that each survivor experienced as the result of abuse they suffered” and reiterated the apology to all those affected.
 
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HB-Lee said:
Did anything happen to the clubs down south involved in this shit? I think the main culprits were Crewe and Chelsea. Bennel obviously got the jail and I think Dario Gradi lost his MBE or whatever title he had, but I dont actually think anything happened to the clubs.

Its damage limitation for that mob on a financial/reputational level, but Im not sure any precedent has been set to go on in terms of club punishment, which may be their "Get out".
Click to expand...
Strip Stein and McNeil of their gongs will be turned into 'we don't need your bastion of British Imperialism tarred on our Club' So we petition UEFA to strip the Oldco of the EC just for the fact we can in response to their advert in a European newspaper.
 
Grumpy Old Git said:
Probable outcome IMO is they will settle out of court without admitting liability.

The media will cover the story but my sceptical mind thinks the media in this country will portray this cabal as a noble and virtuous football club who decided to settle and give compensation rather than put the victims through further torture.
There will be no apology for the victims and they will forcibly put out that they do not accept liability for this procession of child abuse.

This for them is about restricting reputational damage affecting sponsorship and nothing more.

How this to date has not affected their sponsorship deals already is beyond me.
Take Schofield as an example sponsors were like rats jumping from a sinking ship to avoid being linked with him and there was no semblance of a court case against him.

I can only conclude that the Celtic tentacles and spheres of influence extend a very long way.
Click to expand...
His name escapes me at present , but the Adidas director responsible for European sponsorship at the time they went into partnership was a Celtc supporting Irishman . If he's still there it might explain why they're still together. :cool:
 
Grumpy Old Git said:
This may be of interest.
Google
Sportlawmusings
And insert Barry Bennell in the search option.
It’s quite long but shows the difficulties.
Someone more tech savvy than me can maybe post a link.
And this.


High court judge makes ruling over abuse suffered by eight schoolboy footballers more than 30 years ago
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent
Mon 10 Jan 2022 11.08 GMT
1 year old

Manchester City cannot be held responsible for the abuse suffered by eight men at the hands of the paedophile Barry Bennell more than 30 years ago, a high court judge has ruled.
The claimants, now in their 40s and 50s, said Bennell, 68, abused them when they were playing schoolboy football for teams he coached in north-west England between 1979 and 1985.
Mr Justice Johnson accepted their accounts but, in a written judgment published on Monday, the judge said that although there was a “good explanation” for the delay in the claims against City, they were brought too late for there to be a fair trial of the club.
He said even if the claims were not time-barred, the fact that Bennell was a scout for City, coached their feeder teams and helped to organise trial games did not make the club vicariously liable for his abuse, as the eight men had argued.
He said: “The work that Bennell did for MCFC (Manchester City football club) did not require him to have children stay at his home overnight. The connection between the abuse and Bennell’s relationship with MCFC is insufficient to give rise to vicarious liability.
“The relationship gave Bennell the opportunity to commit the abuse, but MCFC had not entrusted the welfare of the claimants to Bennell. It follows that it has not been shown that MCFC is legally responsible for Bennell’s acts of abuse.”
David McClenaghan, a partner at Bolt Burdon Kemp solicitors, who represented the eight men, said they were “shocked and dismayed” at the decision, which he said rested on a “technicality”, and would be appealing against it.
City bosses denied the claim, saying Bennell was a local City scout in the mid-1970s but not between 1979 and 1985.
Bennell, who is serving a 34-year jail term after being convicted on five separate occasions of child sexual abuse offences against 22 boys, gave evidence that supported the club’s case during the trial, a move McClenaghan described as “callous behaviour” on the part of City.
Bennell denied being linked to City during the 1980sbut Johnson rejected Bennell’s evidence, saying he was a “manipulative liar” and “not a credible witness. The judge said the claimants had shown that Bennell did have connections with the club before 1980, which then resumed from around 1981.
However, he said: “The evidence suggests that Bennell was not an employee of MCFC and that he was not in a relationship with MCFC that is akin to employment. Further, even if his relationship with MCFC is taken to be akin to employment, his abuse of the claimants did not take place in the course of that employment.”
McClenaghan said: “We do not accept the decision as being correct and will be appealing the decision in the higher courts where we are confident we will secure the correct and just result.”
The eight men claimed damages for psychiatric injuries, with six of them also claiming damages for loss of potential football earnings.
Bennell, who used to live near Buxton in Derbyshire, had abused schoolboy footballers after inviting them to stay at his home. Despite having been convicted of abusing six of the claimants, Bennell accused four of them of lying. Johnson said they were not lying and praised the claimants, saying their actions had helped to ensure “future generations of children are better protected”.
A City spokesperson said the club had “both personally and publicly apologised without reservation for the unimaginable suffering that each survivor experienced as the result of abuse they suffered” and reiterated the apology to all those affected.
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Thanks GOG, much appreciated.
 
Huckleberry said:
Such a large proportion of their history is a complete shitshow, however the impact on the victims is incalculable, time for them to face the consequences.
Yes as history has shown us they will be in denial ,deflecting the truth and spinning their lies, they have far too much to lose not to.
Let's hope justice prevails, the victims get some sort of closure and the world can see them for what they really are.
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Words are wasted on those people
 
Grumpy Old Git said:
Thinking of the Russell Brand story breaking over the weekend and previous situations like Saville and various politicians I wonder whether the situation with Celtic FC will ever reach such proportions.
In those instances we have documentaries telling the stories and suggestions that bosses of the respective TV companies could be called before a Government Select Committee.
The Met Police making public appeals for complainants to come forward.
Pages of front page coverage from the major dailies.
At this point no allegations against Brand have been proven in court.

Contrast this with Celtic FC.
The newspaper coverage has been non existent in comparison.
Politically on every level has been swept under the carpet.
Indeed the SNP government even when deciding to look at child abuse in Scottish Society left Football out.
Peculiar behaviour when there was a known issue and criminal convictions especially at one certain football club.

Scottish Football looks into child abuse appoints someone with a vested interest with a business relationship with an individual connected to the abuse and unsurprisingly comes out with a glowing endorsement of Celtic FC and holds them up as an example for other Scottish Clubs to follow.!!!
Meanwhile our media stands back and does not question the appointment of the individual appointed to chair the SFA enquiry or their recommendations when they are aware of the multiple convictions child abuse related to that football club.

For me this myth perpetuated that all parties waiting on the link between the boys club and Celtic FC to be established does not wash.
Disgraceful behaviour.
If it doesn’t stand with Brand and other public figures how does it stand with Celtic FC??

The other misnomer I would like to mention in my rant is that the reason under the surface for as they see it that there is a sectarian campaign against Celtic FC with this abuse.
Do people not get it that even if the motives for pursuing this matter are sectarian it is wholly irrelevant.
The key and only question is the establishment of whether children were abused at Celtic Boys Club.
9 criminal convictions and victims in 3 figures testifies to this.
It is blindingly obvious that Celtic Boys Club were a branch of Celtic FC and the only reason they are stating to the contrary is to avoid responsibility.
So forget sectarianism and focus on whether there were victims at Celtic FC.
That is the only important aspect.
The victims need to be recognised.

Scottish Society has failed these victims undoubtedly.(SNP Government/Scottish Football Authorities/Scottish Media)

Scotland’s shame.

Any details I’ve got wrong in my rant I stand to be corrected and apologies if from me if that’s the case:
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Very well said. SFA obviously have no shame
 
HB-Lee said:
Did anything happen to the clubs down south involved in this shit? I think the main culprits were Crewe and Chelsea. Bennel obviously got the jail and I think Dario Gradi lost his MBE or whatever title he had, but I dont actually think anything happened to the clubs.

Its damage limitation for that mob on a financial/reputational level, but Im not sure any precedent has been set to go on in terms of club punishment, which may be their "Get out".
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They will be found guilty in court and the victims/ survivors will have their day (which, in the end is the important bit).

However, there is no chance of SFA sanctions. The Scum have that side of it sewn up copmletely.

In short financial mismanagement >>>>>> industrial scale paedophilia. Really quite sickening.
 
Grumpy Old Git said:
No doubt in my mind that Celtic Boys Club were synonymous with Celtic FC.
As a boy and I’m talking 50+ years ago played against Celtic BC they wore the exact same strip and came to games with the Celtic blazer flannels and even shoes and deported themselves as the young official Celtic team.
Moving forward onto my son and it was exactly the same when I went to see him play against them.
It doesn’t matter a jot if they called them Juniors or any other name used to describe Celtic Boys Club they were seen as the official boys club representing Celtic FC.
Add in the multitude of written words in their club newspaper/programmes and elsewhere and other evidence it is crystal clear what they were.
A boys arm of Celtic FC.
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Thinking back to my own experience, I am fairly certain the badges that were ironed onto their strips, trackies, blazers and bags were Celtic badges, the “Celtic Football and Athletic club” comes to mind.
I cannot recall ever seeing CBC anywhere.
 
Timardim said:
Keevins is part of a clique , and refuses to talk about the scandal because he knows he doesn't have the savvy to argue or answer any awkward questions put to him and would be exposed as the liar he is. Remember this is the guy in 1999 at the 3-0 victory at the piggery when Dallas got hit with a coin at the celtc end , near the corner flag whilst Rangers were taking a corner , arguing with a caller on the radio phone in , who was condemning the celtc supporters behaviour, and asking him how he knew it was a celtc fan that threw the coin. ? That's the level of thinking they all have whether it's ex players , managers , directors , fans , even " impartial " pundits . They think if they keep ignoring the facts and telling the same lies over and over , eventually it will come true.
Dirty immoral lying bastards to a man .
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Correct.

Deny and deflect, the Celtic way.
 
jim_baxter1960 said:
They will be found guilty in court and the victims/ survivors will have their day (which, in the end is the important bit).

However, there is no chance of SFA sanctions. The Scum have that side of it sewn up copmletely.

In short financial mismanagement >>>>>> industrial scale paedophilia. Really quite sickening.
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If that does happen, which i very much doubt, then it is up to us as a support to march in numbers to Hampden and demand they be kicked out and sent down to the botom division, at the very least.
 
RWL12 said:
The Aitken that Hugh Keevins wrote in a 1988/89 article... was associated with Celtic for 17 years (from age 13)

Screenshot-20230911-115629-Chrome.jpg
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Every journalist in Scotland would write stuff like that, everyone and his dog knew the Boys Club was Celtic, at no time did the club or anyone else for that matter say - "The Boys Club have nothing to do with Celtic"

This is Ian Archer writing what was accepted throughout as common knowledge.

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