John Yems

[Monkey Tennis]

You don't 'mutually agree' to leave without clearing your name unless you're nailed on to be found guilty.

 

[Casey]

Or you realise that nothing you say or do will ever convince anyone you're innocent and being 62 decide to say sod the lot of you.

I really want to see a proper investigation and report because these allegations are a stain, not only on Yems, but our whole club.

Casey

 

[Sestonpoolie]

Its 2022

Hold your horses chaps.

I dont "know" Yems but have spoken to him on occasion since he was manager of Horsham...yonks ago.

While the taking the piss out of Greek music is believable having a segregated training ground is bullshit. The man never stopped going on about how the squad must always pull together, how the whole must strive to be better than the parts etc. Also, three black players at the club signed new contracts with Yems still in charge (before the allegations were made). Honestly, not a hope in hell of that happening if the training ground was racially segregated.

I sometimes get fed up with his curt manner in interviews but going from that to calling him a Victorian bigot is just not on. Let's not forget. The owner until just a few weeks ago was a Turk. The guys who ran it for him on a day to day basis were Turks and Muslims. Can you imagine them allowing some of these things to go on?

The new owners have attended a fans forum , they appear genuine people and have had this land in their lap. I am waiting to see how they handle it and what is released from their investigation.

Casey

I honestly can't see anyone accepting going into different changing rooms depending on your race.
It just wouldn't happen

 

[devilofajob]

Thought you might like the view of a fellow crawley fan and friend of JY -

"It isn't just about him - the allegations alone are enough to cope with - but from the stage where the media are doorstepping you, it becomes about your family and those close to you as well.

We could not imagine the pressure, none of those caring media people seem to have remembered the fate of one of his recent predecessors. But of course he is not worthy of our sympathy, just look at the... erm... facts...!

Academic now but semantics should matter more, even with good intention, "innocent" cannot be used in relation to allegations, only formal charges. We cannot tut-tut about poor victims suffering trauma from inappropriate & offensive language, but not care about our own standards.

Without Prejudice: John Yems: bully, capable of saying & doing the wrong things, racist, idiot...?

Is he a bully: I have always told him things he does not like to his face... and neither of us have a problem with it. In fact, I found his approach to young players to be almost paternal, he is more likely to give senior players the rough end of his vocabulary.

I have known him for circa 16 years, we started as enemies. But I liked that he faced & made his case to me man to man. I did not find him bullying or intimidating, in fact he displayed a decent sense of humour.

A grudging respect grew and we became mates, he even enabled a couple of introductions to people in football circles for me, which were very useful at the time. He earned my respect & loyalty.

However, I am not a kid starting out in football & he is not my boss, which I accept can alter both perception & dynamic.

Is he capable of saying & doing the wrong thing: Yes he is and would likely admit it. I doubt he has always kept up with changes in attitudes or sensitivities. And his use of language & approach reflects a dressing room culture that is becoming less prevalent - but still not uncommon - across the game.

More than anything he says things that he thinks are funny - Dad & Uncle type comments - some will laugh, some will cringe, others could be offended if they chose to be.

I would find the "segregation" comments particularly laughable if they were not so serious. Football is a big village, how could that possibly happen, there are enough big characters at the club that would not allow it.

More likely, personal differences on music, fashion, cars etc can cause peer groups to appear & out of context this could be exploited for malicious purposes.

Fans have not questioned the spirit & togetherness of the squad or heard whispers, on past experience we always got to hear these things fairly pronto.

So do I think he is a racist: NO and my reason is that - subtle subtext alert - I have been mates with him for circa 16 years.

Of course, some people find anyone over 55 to be unconsciously racist, some of them even seem to be looking out for it. Darwin explained how leopards do change their spots, it cannot be rushed.

Is he an idiot: I have told him on regular occasions that he needs to change his act. I believed he was presenting a one-dimensional persona that did not do him justice.

More relevantly, he was underestimating that he was prejudicing certain peoples - in particular the football authorities - opinion of him. No-one would have believed these stories if they were made about Klopp, Guardiola or suchlike. He had left an open goal.

Of course, anyone who ignores my opinions are idiots. He would not have ended up in this position if he had done, but that is another over-simplification.

The reality is that he is actually very intelligent, but not in an academic way. His mind revolves around one thing only, football. He lives for it.

And THAT is his strength & weakness... It is how he gets the bookies favourite for relegation to mid-table, but also how he overlooks things such as my earlier point, that semantics should matter more...!"

 

[devilofajob]

FA hearing on 17th May apparently.

 

[saddler78]

Wonder what he thinks of the new Dr Who?

 

[Casey]

After the match on Saturday the Athletic interviewed Lewis Young. Temporarily in charge of the team and Yems assistant.

Here is an extract.

“Is it true that Crawley Town have, at any stage, had segregated dressing rooms for white and black players?”

Lewis Young, Crawley’s interim manager, shifted uncomfortably and his awkwardness was understandable as a black man who, until recently, was the assistant to John Yems, the man at the centre of this alleged scandal.

Young started off by pointing out he was restricted in what he could say while an investigation was ongoing. Yet here was a man, unmistakably, who was stung by the suggestion that he, or anyone at Crawley, would have allowed themselves to be part of such a set-up.

“I’ve tried to stay calm,” said Young. “But we, as individuals inside the dressing room, who are living it, know there are certain things we wouldn’t stand for. And if that (black and white dressing rooms) was to go on, something would have been said. We know what we would stand for, and what we wouldn’t.

Whatever the outcome of the investigation into Yems I think that answer puts paid to the ludicrous allegation that the was segregation at the training ground along racial lines.

Casey

 

[Casey]

I know a man who knows a man. Strong rumour in other words.

I was told today that the allegations against John Yems have been found to be "without foundation in fact" by the investigation on behalf of the club (Crawley Town).

I was also given other information about the FOUR people making the allegations.

The club are said to be waiting for the FA to come to a conclusion with their report before releasing their findings.

Casey

 

[Casey]

Double post

Casey

 

[chipmunx]

I know a man who knows a man. Strong rumour in other words.

I was told today that the allegations against John Yems have been found to be "without foundation in fact" by the investigation on behalf of the club (Crawley Town).

I was also given other information about the FOUR people making the allegations.

The club are said to be waiting for the FA to come to a conclusion with their report before releasing their findings.

Casey

*new owners obviously waiting for verdict before appointing Yems as new manager....
(that's said firmly tongue in cheek - but stranger things have happebed in football)

 

[Railway Blue]

I’m sure there’s a Non League club in Essex that will take him on.

Needs a diversity training course at the very least.

 

[Railway Blue]

It’s a really odd one, especially with the exposure with the Mark Wright stuff and the documentary’s around that.

To keep a lid on the type of things that we’re accused is some going but as mentioned before some of these accusations are abhorrent, how on earth has it took this long to be reported if it is true?

It’s all a bit bizarre but if it does turn out to be true then he shouldn’t work in football again.

Is that the Mark Wright that racially abuse a youth team player while manager of Chester?

 

[Casey]

No. Its the Mark Wright who appeared on TOWIE and has an actress wife.

He was a youth player at Spurs was released and started playing at National league levels. He was on loan at Crawley at one point. Gave up football to become a media personality.

He made a documentary about giving it one last shot to be a pro footballer, signed for Crawley and managed half a game before being hooked.

Casey

 

[Chris FGR]

After the match on Saturday the Athletic interviewed Lewis Young. Temporarily in charge of the team and Yems assistant.

Here is an extract.

“Is it true that Crawley Town have, at any stage, had segregated dressing rooms for white and black players?”

Lewis Young, Crawley’s interim manager, shifted uncomfortably and his awkwardness was understandable as a black man who, until recently, was the assistant to John Yems, the man at the centre of this alleged scandal.

Young started off by pointing out he was restricted in what he could say while an investigation was ongoing. Yet here was a man, unmistakably, who was stung by the suggestion that he, or anyone at Crawley, would have allowed themselves to be part of such a set-up.

“I’ve tried to stay calm,” said Young. “But we, as individuals inside the dressing room, who are living it, know there are certain things we wouldn’t stand for. And if that (black and white dressing rooms) was to go on, something would have been said. We know what we would stand for, and what we wouldn’t.

Whatever the outcome of the investigation into Yems I think that answer puts paid to the ludicrous allegation that the was segregation at the training ground along racial lines.

Casey

We had Lewis Young here briefly a few years back, nice lad can't imagine him sitting back and allowing stuff like that to go on, especially given the shit his brother has got on social media etc.

I mean this is a football club, not the mafia, people would be kicking off well before now surely? Never heard of a segregated training ground how would that even work. Surely you just wouldn't sign any black players if you didn't want them around.

 

[Railway Blue]

No. Its the Mark Wright who appeared on TOWIE and has an actress wife.

He was a youth player at Spurs was released and started playing at National league levels. He was on loan at Crawley at one point. Gave up football to become a media personality.

He made a documentary about giving it one last shot to be a pro footballer, signed for Crawley and managed half a game before being hooked.

Casey

Yes I saw that match. Was it against Leeds in the cup?

 

[Casey]

He was subbed onto the game v Leeds to waste a bit of time.

Wright started against Hartlepool or Harrogate....or Barrow can't quite remember now but he was hooked at half time and nothing was ever seen of him again.

Not a terrible player but not league 2 standard.

Casey

 

[Casey]

If I made this up you wouldn't believe it.

One of the people who seem to run Wagmi United is being sued in America for a racially motivated assault!

Appears a group attacked a restaurant owner in California and shouted a few racial slurs.

Now, I don't know the ins and outs of the story, and everyone is innocent until condemned by the press, but this is not good.

Casey

 

[Indian Dan]

Needs a diversity training course at the very least.

Doesn’t seem to have the build for a dance act.

 

[kieran_vale]

If I made this up you wouldn't believe it.

One of the people who seem to run Wagmi United is being sued in America for a racially motivated assault!

Appears a group attacked a restaurant owner in California and shouted a few racial slurs.

Now, I don't know the ins and outs of the story, and everyone is innocent until condemned by the press, but this is not good.

Casey

Hope am wrong for your clubs sake Casey but can’t help thinking Bradford had a lucky escape with the crypto-bros. And that’s even with their present owner not being especially great either.

Assuming it’s Betsy who takes over going to be a tough task as a first job for him I feel with this lot in the background.

 

[Casey]

They've mucked up getting rid of Yems. If they wanted their own man it would have been harsh but that's football.

They've mucked up the appointment of Betsy. The delay may not gave been their fault but stupid to say it was because the Queen asked them not to clash with the jubilee.

They appear to be unlucky and I'm just hoping they don't muck much else up.

Casey

 

[BarraMatt]

Can't help but think that Crawley are looking like relegation material.

 

[Casey]

Seems that Crawley have stopped investigating the allegations against John Yems and are just waiting for the fa and pfa to tell them what to do.

Slightly different from what I was told a couple of weeks ago.

Sky news report

Crawley Town: Alleged racists incidents at League Two club not reported to police

Seven Crawley players reported incidents of racist language and behaviour to the PFA last month; The FA has not made the club aware of any findings that would necessitate the filing of a police report, and we have acted in accordance with their recommendations, said a club spokesperson

www.skysports.com

Casey

 

[PuB]

Seems that Crawley have stopped investigating the allegations against John Yems and are just waiting for the fa and pfa to tell them what to do.

Slightly different from what I was told a couple of weeks ago.

Sky news report

Crawley Town: Alleged racists incidents at League Two club not reported to police

Seven Crawley players reported incidents of racist language and behaviour to the PFA last month; The FA has not made the club aware of any findings that would necessitate the filing of a police report, and we have acted in accordance with their recommendations, said a club spokesperson

www.skysports.com

Casey

I know your new owners are US based, but I assume they have someone running the things day to day there?

Just asking out of interest.

 

[Sestonpoolie]

They've mucked up getting rid of Yems. If they wanted their own man it would have been harsh but that's football.

They've mucked up the appointment of Betsy. The delay may not gave been their fault but stupid to say it was because the Queen asked them not to clash with the jubilee.

They appear to be unlucky and I'm just hoping they don't muck much else up.

Casey

You make your own luck in life.
They just sound like loose canons.

 

[E10rifle]

Won’t be overly sorry to see them disappear into the void, but everything about Crawley is unfortunately screaming basket-case this year.

 

[Casey]

I know your new owners are US based, but I assume they have someone running the things day to day there?

Just asking out of interest.

There is someone....blowed if I can remember his name though.

General manager is Tom Allman but I think he is more in charge of the backroom staff etc.

Casey

 

[Casey]

Won’t be overly sorry to see them disappear into the void, but everything about Crawley is unfortunately screaming basket-case this year.

I know we aint the biggest club in the world but that's a bit harsh!

I wouldn't wish harm on any club.

Casey

 

[E10rifle]

I know we aint the biggest club in the world but that's a bit harsh!

I wouldn't wish harm on any club.

Casey

‘The void’ in this instance being the Conference, not oblivion. Don’t like to see any club* go pop. Just appears to me that Crawley are cooking up a recipe for behind-the-scenes disaster which as we all know tends to translate to on-field struggles.

*Franchise not included.

 

[Super_horns]

Now been charged by the FA.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1552622916952592385

 

[Casey]

Has until the 4th August to respond.

Given his age and how he has been mucked about by us and Bournemouth it wouldn't surprise me if he told them to go play with themselves.

Casey