Manchester City ‘ignored warnings’ and kept Barry Bennell in youth set-up

• Bennell continued scouting and coaching for City, abusing countless boys
• City youth coach Steve Fleet urged club in 1970s to keep away from Bennell

Manchester City, one of the clubs most seriously implicated in the Barry Bennell sexual abuse scandal, have been accused of putting hundreds of boys in danger after it emerged they were warned by one of their own coaches in the late-1970s it was “general knowledge” he was a risk to children.

Bennell, who is facing complaints from another 86 former footballers, continued scouting and coaching for City’s junior teams, raping and molesting countless boys in seven years connected to the club, even though high-ranking officials had been warned to keep away from a man who now faces the rest of his life in prison and has been described as having “almost an insatiable appetite” for young boys.

People would say he was ‘dodgy’ and if his name was brought up everyone would just shake their heads

We found they were quite evasive at the club ... We were probing to try to find out why [Bennell] left

Most of us at Manchester City were held in awe at the coaching ability of Barry Bennell.

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from Children | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2BZznGY