Guardian - lengthy article on Celtic Boys Club abuse

This is a very moving article, it's hard to read without being angry at CFC but what makes it a powerful piece is its focus on the victims. I hope the lads and their families get justice likewise I believe the entire executive board currently running CFC should be removed and a new leadership team brought in who can atone for what has happened. I never use these horrendous events as banter with celtic fans it's too serious, if the subject comes up I try to diplomatically persuade them that their club has a duty to do the right thing. To date I have had zero success.
 
What an absolutely damning indictment of that horible club.
Hopefully they are sued into financial oblivion and permanently expelled from Scottish football.
Every single person associated with that club, from the boardroom and players to the fans, must now know clearly the behaviour that took place there over decades.
Unbelievably not one of them care.
Still those buffoons Doncaster and Maxwell sit on their hands and say and do nothing.
 
A harrowing read. No surprise to see Kelly and McGinn's names in there either.

McGinn's denial is disgusting given his role at The Celtic View in 1986.

I hope those responsible for the failure to protect children have action taken against them before they die as they're getting very old now.

I firmly believe a now deceased ex-Celtic manager and defender of at least one of the abusers has escaped already from answering questions.
 
Before he slipped into unconsciousness and died on 13 October 2017, his sister says, his last words to her were: “Fight for me and the other wee boys.”-

Dirty scummy animal bastards who did this and those that covered it up.


The threats started when they attended Torbett’s second trial in 2018. “One big man among Torbett’s supporters outside the courtroom even said out loud that my mother and me were ‘dirty lying bastards.’ This was in October 2018,” she recalled. “This was Torbett’s second conviction and there were still people turning up to support him. We were stared at and heard them say that Andy was a ‘dirty lying bastard’ even though my brother was already dead.”

-%^*& me. What CSC was that ?
 
That is a harrowing read. Hopefully the truth will finally out and these victims will get some kind of closure, although as the article says, it's 50 years too late.
 
"Torbett, by then the general manager of the Boys Club, had been sacked by Jock Stein. But at the time there was no mention of any improper behaviour, and no one at Celtic reported the allegations against him to Strathclyde Police. In fact, the November 1974 edition of the club’s official magazine, The Celtic View, crowed that Torbett “bows out after another season of glory”. In the article"

Fucking horrible club
 
That was a dreadful read. These guys have been living in hell, some up to 50 years and after everything we know they are still being treated with disdain by Celtic and a lot of people connected to them.
It’s time these guys and their families get the justice they deserve and hopefully that goes a long way to helping them find some peace.
 
derek145 said:
Mention it to any Tim and they'll reply with Neely and Chalmers. Ask them if they want a full indepth inquiry into football abuse in Scotland, to include who knew and failed to act to protect the children and they go silent
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They don’t get the problem here.
In a nutshell here, these people can be everywhere and anywhere.
You just don’t know.
It’s what you do when you find out that is the issue.
Doing nothing is not an option.
Hiding it worse.
And these two are only the tip of the iceberg as far as Celtic is concerned.
 
Juanito2 said:
Before he slipped into unconsciousness and died on 13 October 2017, his sister says, his last words to her were: “Fight for me and the other wee boys.”-

Dirty scummy animal bastards who did this and those that covered it up.


The threats started when they attended Torbett’s second trial in 2018. “One big man among Torbett’s supporters outside the courtroom even said out loud that my mother and me were ‘dirty lying bastards.’ This was in October 2018,” she recalled. “This was Torbett’s second conviction and there were still people turning up to support him. We were stared at and heard them say that Andy was a ‘dirty lying bastard’ even though my brother was already dead.”

-%^*& me. What CSC was that ?
Click to expand...
Death threats as well. No wonder the poor woman is ill.
 
Hard read that.
Those coming forward are so brave in doing so.
I hope they get the justice that bravery deserves.


One of the things that I can't get my head around concerning these awful events - The absolutely paltry sentences given to Torbett and Cairney compared to BarryBennett in England...Torbett having two convictions makes in jaw dropping imo.

With the photos of Saville and high ranking RC priest's at Parkhead at the time, are those unbelievably soft sentences by means of 'buying' their silence - This needs looking at surely?
 
Rancid, disgusting club who’ve destroyed the lives of so many.

The victims are hopefully finally on the road to getting some justice whether that be a full scale enquiry and compensation or public acknowledgement of their suffering and investigations into why this was allowed to continue and be covered up for nearly 50 years.

This isn’t about one upmanship but that club deserves the most severe punishments that can be handed out.
 
So sad for all involved.

I have a horrible feeling that this rancid club is going to get away with it
 
There were certainly rumours of child abuse circulating at the Boys Club after his return. In an editorial in Celtic FC’s official publication, The Celtic View, on 10 December 1986, the club raged against those who were saying there was sexual abuse going on within the youth side. The editorial claimed that the club had conducted its own investigation and interviewed those under suspicion, but “could find nothing to substantiate the stories that were being circulated”. It contained a warning to the press: “The boys club leaders who have been placed under a cloud as a result of these rumours” were ready to defend themselves in court, it read, “to make sure these scurrilous stories are buried once and for all”.

What a truly despicable, rotten institution they are.
 
Laudrup1 said:
A harrowing read. No surprise to see Kelly and McGinn's names in there either.

McGinn's denial is disgusting given his role at The Celtic View in 1986.

I hope those responsible for the failure to protect children have action taken against them before they die as they're getting very old now.

I firmly believe a now deceased ex-Celtic manager and defender of at least one of the abusers has escaped already from answering questions.
Click to expand...
Well you would hope that if he knew he burns in hell for what was a perverted belief to be the right thing in supporting these beasts.
 
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Very good article and it just highlights the extent of the abuse and the cover ups

Im sure the SFA child abuse review was set up in 2016 and is still not published but if the rumours of the mentally challengeds lawyers getting an advance copy to redact parts of it should be another story itself

Giving a club with 6 associated employees already convicted is a joke

When the report is published Martin Henry’s background and suitability should be questioned given his links to James Rennie and Neil Strachan and their paedo ring activities

Good luck to Gordon and all the victims and families in their court battle
 
Absolutely heartbreaking to read what happened to these young kids.

Kids just kids and these monsters abused them in the worst way possible.

I firmly believe they all knew at boardroom level and throughout that rancid disgusting club.

If the truth was somehow able to come out then that would be the end for that excuse of a club.

Hope all the victims finally get justice even if it is 50 years too late.

Massive respect and thanks to everyone fighting the fight for them.
 
A tough read. Disgusting.

That club's response and treatment of the victims is as equally vile.
 
I honestly feel stick to the pit of my stomach. How can any one support these sick people. The victims deserve the answers and that club should be abolished from Earth.
 
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