Crewe Alexandra - It's happened again.

[jbet]

Oh Dear.

https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/crewe-alex-football-coach-handed-16254669

How does this keep happening at the same club?

 

[TimeyWimey]

Was also once employed at Port Vale. Dirty paedo club, clearly.

He was rightfully sacked upon his arrest. Not sure how you relate his offences to us other than being employed. There are rotten eggs throughout society, we cannot he held solely responsible for rooting them out. As much as we’d love the knowledge, foresight and power, it’s truly not possible.

Cheap, nasty dig at the club. From a Vale fan, unsurprisingly. Jog on.

End of completely pointless thread, using heinous crimes as oneupmanship in sport. Shame on you jbet.

 

[GTFCfish]

Sounds like as soon as the club found out then he was instantly suspended.

What more are they supposed to do?

 

[shoddycollins]

Oh Dear.

https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/crewe-alex-football-coach-handed-16254669

How does this keep happening at the same club?

Because they're the only club at this level with more than two or three youth coaches? If they shut their academy down like Wycombe they wouldn't have this problem.

And yeah when I saw the thread title I knew exactly what this was gonna be about, and which club's fan had posted it.

 

[jbet]

Was also once employed at Port Vale. Dirty paedo club, clearly.

He was rightfully sacked upon his arrest. Not sure how you relate his offences to us other than being employed. There are rotten eggs throughout society, we cannot he held solely responsible for rooting them out. As much as we’d love the knowledge, foresight and power, it’s truly not possible.

Cheap, nasty dig at the club. From a Vale fan, unsurprisingly. Jog on.

End of completely pointless thread, using heinous crimes as oneupmanship in sport. Shame on you jbet.

Did I touch a nerve?

 

[TimeyWimey]

You’re an idiot.

 

[jbet]

One day you will acknowledge what #TheCreweWay means to the outside football community. Until then, as you were.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Your childish thread roundly condemned and you’re still at it. Using heinous crimes for your own boasts.

Go away. Grow up.

 

[jbet]

'Roundly' condemned by three posters, yourself included.

Stop burying your head in the sand. Acknowledge the 'Crewe Way'.

 

[GodsGift]

This thread is a bit mischievous but there is a debate to be had about the culture of the football club, is there not? The difference between Crewe and many of the other clubs involved in this scandal (Man City, Newcastle, Chelsea etc), is that - correct me if I'm wrong - a lot of those people in charge at the time are still involved with the club to this day? That would concern me.

 

[TimeyWimey]

This thread is a bit mischievous but there is a debate to be had about the culture of the football club, is there not? The difference between Crewe and many of the other clubs involved in this scandal (Man City, Newcastle, Chelsea etc), is that - correct me if I'm wrong - a lot of those people in charge at the time are still involved with the club to this day? That would concern me.

Happy to debate it when it’s not brought about by a complete c***, revelling in someone’s abuse because it’s Vale vs Crewe (wE aReN’T rIvAlS). Again. Jbet has made a complete tit of himself.

I don’t believe there is a “culture”, if you are believing there’s some murky child abuse ring. Barry Bennell was the only man charged with carrying out abuse through the use of powers handed to him by the club. The implications of if anyone else knew could be debated all day long but as yet no evidence, across two separate court cases and a FA inquiry have found anyone else in the know or compliant. That’s all you and I have to go off right now, and it’s right we go off the facts and don’t reduce it to the levels of an “offside decision”.

There are two main individuals still involved from Bennell’s time. Chairman John Bowler and Dario Gradi. Dario has been suspended for over 2 1/2 years and will remain so until the FA publish full findings, which I’m sure the club will accept. Bowler... well, he’s handled this appallingly and I’ve said since it erupted (for the 2nd time) he should have stepped down the day it broke. He should have apologised for the club failing the young players and gone. But he’s remained like the stubborn fool he is and harmed the clubs reputation in the process. Since the the club have been gagged by legal proceedings and lawsuits. It simply can’t have its say yet and so it is continually battered rightly AND wrongly by stories the media know will not be answered. There’s not much I or any other fan can do about that at the moment.

I wholeheartedly don’t believe Bowler or Dario were in cahoots with Bennell though. I truly believe they were hoodwinked and groomed by a manipulative man in Bennell, like he groomed and manipulated his victims & their parents for his own sick gratification.

The coach in question in this thread is a completely separate issue. Not abusing young players, but grooming individuals over social media. There is literally nothing the club could have done anymore than Port Vale could have done to stop him. Anyone who believes it somehow implicates the club further is an idiot.

 

[The Alex]

One day you will acknowledge what #TheCreweWay means to the outside football community. Until then, as you were.

It’s generally just Vale fans, actually. It’s moronic point scoring from you lot.

The man in question was immediately suspended from Crewe when the news came to light. The case in matter also says he was grooming a girl on snapchat, so what does that have to do with CAFC?

There were poor safeguarding measures in the 80s yes and people were let down, but that’s not the Crewe way, the Crewe way still lives on, have a look at our starting line ups and flourishing academy. Bitter clayhead, always envied Crewe and now you’ll laud in all of this shit whilst not actually giving a shit about the matter.

 

[valefan16]

Vale fans have taunted Crewe about it for years, well before it all came out in the national media as it was well known apparently what was going on in the local area.

It’s distasteful certainly but common in football. Can point towards the abuse Evans or Hughes got etc of clubs.

In terms of this, it will probably be blown up in the media because it’s Crewe and what’s gone on there but I don’t think Crewe can be held accountable for this at all, although they’ve been slaughtered in the press for their handling of the Bennell case etc they did the right thing sacking once he was nicked.

In terms of Vale fans being jealous of Crewe. That’s the arrogance of Crewe fans really. Jealous of what? An academy finishing mid table league two is hardly something to be jealous off. We’ve not really focused on our academy although can proudly boast a couple of who’ve made the World Cup in recent years including the last one but in the main it’s not the way we go.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Vale fans have taunted Crewe about it for years, well before it all came out in the national media as it was well known apparently what was going on with Bennell in the area.

Quite a claim to be made.

I mean you might be right but if you’re suggesting it was known outside the club and still covered up, that’s something that needs to be backed up. Who was complicit in this? Whilst Vale fans had bants about it, obvs.

 

[valefan16]

Quite a claim to be made.

I mean you might be right but if you’re suggesting it was known outside the club and still covered up, that’s something that needs to be backed up. Who was complicit in this? Whilst Vale fans had bants about it, obvs.

It was discussed on the Vale forums that rumours were abound about players being abused at lads and dads football it was spoken about. Where do you think the chants came from?

Not saying it’s a claim my point is that it was allegedly spoken about in amateur football circles. Not necessarily who exactly or who knew.

That’s just what was on OVF at one point/Facebook groups discussing it. Obviously this was Decades ago so no way of verifying that. Before I was even born but older generation of local fans seemed to know some instances of rumours.

That’s similar to many of the things that have come out in recent years though outside of football.

They are a couple of articles about how it was known to a degree:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/crewe-were-called-the-paedophile-club-8qlg3xg6h

Various mentions in the thread about talk in the area on OVF as wasn’t Bennell for example coaching locally also?

https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?28153-Paedophile-coach-at-Crewe/page9

 

[TimeyWimey]

You do realise Bennell was arrested and jailed in the 90s and this was national news then? Hence the chants and tit for tat over the last 30 years. It’s not that Vale fans are budding Sherlocks.

I’ve no more to add to this thread. It’s an absolute state. Summed up by the above ovf/Facebook/rumours/“no way of verifying” shambles. Absolutely tragic what’s happened at our club, I really don’t want to disrespect the victims by encouraging anymore of the above.

 

[valefan16]

You do realise Bennell was arrested and jailed in the 90s and this was national news then? Hence the chants and tit for tat over the last 30 years. It’s not that Vale fans are budding Sherlocks.

I’ve no more to add to this thread. It’s an absolute state. Summed up by the above ovf/Facebook/rumours/“no way of verifying” shambles. Absolutely tragic what’s happened at our club, I really don’t want to disrespect the victims by encouraging anymore of the above.

I would say it was tragic what happened in that whole era inside and outside of football with what’s come out over the past five or six years. Hopefully not in vain for the victims throughout that lessons are learnt throughout society and it never happens again.

 

[Soz]

It's officially a ring I think.

And for the record, I'd demand an immediate and full investigation if there was ANY allegation of misconduct whilst he was at Vale. These messages started in 2018 according to the article so nothing to do with us unless it turns out he's done it before, much earlier.

I do find the attitude of many Crewe fans/media/staff to have been despicable during this whole thing. Listening to them, they are victims in all of this.

 

[jbet]

Happy to debate it when it’s not brought about by a complete c***, revelling in someone’s abuse because it’s Vale vs Crewe (wE aReN’T rIvAlS). Again. Jbet has made a complete tit of himself.

I don’t believe there is a “culture”, if you are believing there’s some murky child abuse ring. Barry Bennell was the only man charged with carrying out abuse through the use of powers handed to him by the club. The implications of if anyone else knew could be debated all day long but as yet no evidence, across two separate court cases and a FA inquiry have found anyone else in the know or compliant. That’s all you and I have to go off right now, and it’s right we go off the facts and don’t reduce it to the levels of an “offside decision”.

There are two main individuals still involved from Bennell’s time. Chairman John Bowler and Dario Gradi. Dario has been suspended for over 2 1/2 years and will remain so until the FA publish full findings, which I’m sure the club will accept. Bowler... well, he’s handled this appallingly and I’ve said since it erupted (for the 2nd time) he should have stepped down the day it broke. He should have apologised for the club failing the young players and gone. But he’s remained like the stubborn fool he is and harmed the clubs reputation in the process. Since the the club have been gagged by legal proceedings and lawsuits. It simply can’t have its say yet and so it is continually battered rightly AND wrongly by stories the media know will not be answered. There’s not much I or any other fan can do about that at the moment.

I wholeheartedly don’t believe Bowler or Dario were in cahoots with Bennell though. I truly believe they were hoodwinked and groomed by a manipulative man in Bennell, like he groomed and manipulated his victims & their parents for his own sick gratification.

The coach in question in this thread is a completely separate issue. Not abusing young players, but grooming individuals over social media. There is literally nothing the club could have done anymore than Port Vale could have done to stop him. Anyone who believes it somehow implicates the club further is an idiot.

So, in summary:

Anyone who disagrees with you on this serious subject is an idiot or a c*nt and you wholeheartedly don't believe that Dario had any knowledge that any of this was going on despite being the figurehead and living embodiment of the 'Crewe way' for three decades.

Can't help thinking that some fans of a Crewe Alex persuasion have been mentally groomed and hoodwinked over this issue and just can't see it, yet. God speed to you TimeyWimey.

 

[jbet]

It’s generally just Vale fans, actually. It’s moronic point scoring from you lot.

The man in question was immediately suspended from Crewe when the news came to light. The case in matter also says he was grooming a girl on snapchat, so what does that have to do with CAFC?

There were poor safeguarding measures in the 80s yes and people were let down, but that’s not the Crewe way, the Crewe way still lives on, have a look at our starting line ups and flourishing academy. Bitter clayhead, always envied Crewe and now you’ll laud in all of this shit whilst not actually giving a shit about the matter.

i) Is Oliver Holt a Port Vale fan?
ii) We beat you home and away during one of our worst seasons in history, playing you off the park on both occasions. Long live 'The Crewe Way'.
iii) I envied you when you had Dean Ashton, but that was a long time ago now. We're in the era where if we want one of your players we just offer them a bit more money and they jump at the opportunity to join a bigger club.

 

[Si Robin]

Given Oliver Holt was doing the old "Salford is a fairytale" schtick on Twitter last week, it's hard to take anything he says seriously to be fair.

 

[shoddycollins]

Well clearly if everyone on the PVFC forum knew about Bennell's activities long before he was arrested then perhaps we should have an inquest into why they were also complicit into this big cover up, choosing to use their knowledge to mock Crewe rather than passing the evidence they had onto the police.

Or you know, perhaps the Vale fans like nearly everyone else in the country knew fuck all about any of it.

 

[valefan16]

Well clearly if everyone on the PVFC forum knew about Bennell's activities long before he was arrested then perhaps we should have an inquest into why they were also complicit into this big cover up, choosing to use their knowledge to mock Crewe rather than passing the evidence they had onto the police.

Or you know, perhaps the Vale fans like nearly everyone else in the country knew fuck all about any of it.

Without going over it again, there are a few articles easily found suggesting it was known or at least rumoured. Hence opposition teams players knowing them as per the article posted.

 

[Soz]

I can't believe Vale fans are the villains in this story

Let's just all take a step back and remember that we're talking about potentially decades of child sexual abuse at one club by multiple people with strong evidence that the club knew about it and did nothing.

The disdain that Crewe have had for the victims and for anyone who has questioned their conduct in the whole affair has been criminal in its own right, in my opinion.

 

[T.A]

Vale fans only care so much because its a local rival - lets not kid ourselves here. If this was a team down south that had this situation there wouldnt be continued digs from Vale fans.

 

[valefan16]

In all fairness it’s probably one of the only times it been raised on here by a Vale fan and to be honest I don’t think this was the right issue to raise, had the press reports a few weeks ago or around the trial been raised then fair enough.

It’s an issue that should be discussed and not in terms of Crewe but football as a whole as lessons need to be learnt. The confusion is that even Crewe fans don’t discuss it, barely a mention on the forums they have and it’s usual. Had it been at Vale our fans would of been demanding answers and absolutely mortified by it.

I don’t take pleasure from it myself, I think it’s a horrific thing and the victims are more important than football ‘banter’.

I think the issue a lot of Vale fans have had with Crewe is our fan base generally see theirs as arrogant and self righteous, in the early part of the decade for example every mention of our fans getting in trouble they’d be on it, under Adams we had a couple of players in trouble with the law and they were always on about it (oddly half of them through the Alex academy system!) so certain sections are going to slaughter them for it. Oddly their fan slapped our keeper and that was ‘passion’ for example.

I find the Alex fans attitude strange on the subject of the trouble and you see the defensiveness on this here but each to their own.

The overall debate about what happened at Crewe and elsewhere both in the game and outside of the game should be learnt from however. That doesn’t happen by ignoring it though.

 

[The Alex]

i) Is Oliver Holt a Port Vale fan?
ii) We beat you home and away during one of our worst seasons in history, playing you off the park on both occasions. Long live 'The Crewe Way'.
iii) I envied you when you had Dean Ashton, but that was a long time ago now. We're in the era where if we want one of your players we just offer them a bit more money and they jump at the opportunity to join a bigger club.

Lol. Is that really the best you’ve got? Well done, you’re better at wasting money you sign our rejects pal, like the lad you’ve signed from Leek Town, we took players like Dave Brammer of you for half a million.

 

[GTFCfish]

I get the impression from reading this thread that Crewe and Vale fans might not really get on.......

 

[lordofthepies]

Vale fans have taunted Crewe about it for years, well before it all came out in the national media as it was well known apparently what was going on in the local area.

Yeah, because Barry Bennell went to jail in the mid 90s.

 

[lordofthepies]

I can't believe Vale fans are the villains in this story

Let's just all take a step back and remember that we're talking about potentially decades of child sexual abuse at one club by multiple people with strong evidence that the club knew about it and did nothing.

The disdain that Crewe have had for the victims and for anyone who has questioned their conduct in the whole affair has been criminal in its own right, in my opinion.

No, not potentially decades, you moron. He was employed for about 4-5 years. Nobody in their right mind is suggesting that multiple people were involved in abuse. 1 man was jailed and one man (who was employed part-time at the same time) was found not guilty in court.