| Football's Darkest Secret 22:34 - Mar 23 with 2351 views | Garv |
Second episode tonight. Anyone watching?
Eye opening but definitely a hard watch at times. |  |
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 22:57 - Mar 23 with 2304 views | Ipswich24 |
Yes bloody terrible, Barry Bennall is a disgrace |  |
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 00:41 - Mar 24 with 2258 views | Ryorry |
Bloody, bloody, bloody hell.
Didn't see ep 1, but tonight's focussed on Bob Higgins; also looking again at Barry Bennell.
Hundreds of victims age 9 upwards, traumatised for decades afterwards & ongoing, failed by their clubs, by the FA, by the UK's judicial system, UK press, and some members of the general public. Nauseating, horrifying, upsetting.
Incredible courage by those who came forward & waived anonymity, as a result of which criminal prosecutions were able to go ahead, & lives saved.
R.I.P. Billy Seymour |  |
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 01:09 - Mar 24 with 2245 views | north_stand77 |
Have watched all 3 episodes on iplayer.
Not ashamed to say that I had tears rolling down my face most of the time. Absolutely terrible how these brave men were treated, but the courage they showed by talking about something so personal and horrible to them publicly, was phenomenal.
People in- the- know at the time should hang their heads in shame. |  | | |
| Football's Darkest Secret on 07:32 - Mar 24 with 2144 views | Coastalblue |
There are some things in life, wrongdoings, illegal acts, bending the law etc where you can sort of see where people not directly involved could make a decision to turn a blind eye.
There are others where it is totally and utterly unfathomable. |  |
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 07:50 - Mar 24 with 2116 views | Steve_M |
I watched the first two back to back last night. It should be watched but it's not easy.
So many things that shock:
- that Bob Higgins was found not guilty in the 90s because the prosecution could only put one case up at a time rather than six;
- that so many people clearly knew of rumours around Bennell but it was ignored because both Man City and Crewe were more interested in his success at bringing through young players;
- that when Paul Stewart's Mum expressed her guilt that she felt she should have known it was the first expression of contrition in the programme;
- the jury at Higgins 2016 trial, inexplicable decision making.
I'll watch the final part tonight. |  |
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 08:01 - Mar 24 with 2091 views | Guthrum |
| Football's Darkest Secret on 07:32 - Mar 24 by Coastalblue |
There are some things in life, wrongdoings, illegal acts, bending the law etc where you can sort of see where people not directly involved could make a decision to turn a blind eye.
There are others where it is totally and utterly unfathomable. |
People don't want to believe these things are going on under their noses. Plus the perpetrators often put on a "front" of plausibility to renforce that, or they gain the confidence of influential figures in the organisation. And it's a big thing to accuse someone of, without reliable evidence (which the word of children was often not seen as).
Thus there is a psychological resistance to acknowleging what is happening, an almost wilful blindness. "That can't really be true, can it?". [Post edited 24 Mar 2021 8:04]
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 08:07 - Mar 24 with 2077 views | Darth_Koont |
| Football's Darkest Secret on 07:32 - Mar 24 by Coastalblue |
There are some things in life, wrongdoings, illegal acts, bending the law etc where you can sort of see where people not directly involved could make a decision to turn a blind eye.
There are others where it is totally and utterly unfathomable. |
Unfortunately, that willingness to mentally reject what’s happening and turn a blind eye is human nature. There’s any number of examples of that in society today.
One of the most shocking things to come out of the #metoo movement a few years ago was reading the experiences of so many women who had been ignored (or even turned into the villain) when they had tried to raise sexual harassment/abuse incidents. Often this was other women doing this too.
People like to shut out problems. And sometimes the biggest, most shocking ones are the ones they need to shut out the most.
I think it takes a lot of bravery for victims to come forward and also for people to believe them and support them. Wish it didn’t have to be so. |  |
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 08:48 - Mar 24 with 1989 views | davblue |
| Football's Darkest Secret on 07:50 - Mar 24 by Steve_M |
I watched the first two back to back last night. It should be watched but it's not easy.
So many things that shock:
- that Bob Higgins was found not guilty in the 90s because the prosecution could only put one case up at a time rather than six;
- that so many people clearly knew of rumours around Bennell but it was ignored because both Man City and Crewe were more interested in his success at bringing through young players;
- that when Paul Stewart's Mum expressed her guilt that she felt she should have known it was the first expression of contrition in the programme;
- the jury at Higgins 2016 trial, inexplicable decision making.
I'll watch the final part tonight. |
I did watch the 1st one on Monday and it was such uncomfortable viewing, it was horrible. Since having kids this sort of stuff is even worse to watch.
I will watch the last 2 but probably not back to back as it's not a good watch. |  | | |
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 09:48 - Mar 24 with 1928 views | Radlett_blue |
| Football's Darkest Secret on 07:50 - Mar 24 by Steve_M |
I watched the first two back to back last night. It should be watched but it's not easy.
So many things that shock:
- that Bob Higgins was found not guilty in the 90s because the prosecution could only put one case up at a time rather than six;
- that so many people clearly knew of rumours around Bennell but it was ignored because both Man City and Crewe were more interested in his success at bringing through young players;
- that when Paul Stewart's Mum expressed her guilt that she felt she should have known it was the first expression of contrition in the programme;
- the jury at Higgins 2016 trial, inexplicable decision making.
I'll watch the final part tonight. |
So under the old law, it would also have been near impossible to convict slime ball Max Clifford as well. No wonder very few of these cases even made it to the courts in those days. |  |
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 10:16 - Mar 24 with 1908 views | Steve_M |
| Football's Darkest Secret on 09:48 - Mar 24 by Radlett_blue |
So under the old law, it would also have been near impossible to convict slime ball Max Clifford as well. No wonder very few of these cases even made it to the courts in those days. |
It would appear that way, put a successful, obvious very charming middle-aged bloke in front of a jury versus one complainant recollecting what happened when they were a teenager. It's hard to see that reasonable doubt doesn't prevail without the weight of evidence of several, very similar claimants.
That's why Higgins 2018 trial - one guilty count, one not guilty and 48 where the jury couldn't reach a verdict was so odd.
I'll add David Conn's piece here too:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/mar/21/you-cant-carry-it-how-the-victi | |
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 10:33 - Mar 24 with 1878 views | BtreeBlueBlood |
Yes - watched No1 last night- will definitely watch 2 and 3
😢
Preying on young people’s dreams -
Higgins conveyer belt of young meat! 😡😡😡😡😡
Hidden and Under cover Paedophile!
More compulsive when you recognise some of the abused! |  | | |
| Football's Darkest Secret on 20:18 - Mar 24 with 1775 views | Steve_M |
Just watched the third one, even with guilty verdicts the impact in the survivors remains high. Coming forward does at least seem to have provided some help to many though. [Post edited 25 Mar 2021 11:22]
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 00:02 - Mar 25 with 1693 views | Ryorry |
| Football's Darkest Secret on 01:09 - Mar 24 by north_stand77 |
Have watched all 3 episodes on iplayer.
Not ashamed to say that I had tears rolling down my face most of the time. Absolutely terrible how these brave men were treated, but the courage they showed by talking about something so personal and horrible to them publicly, was phenomenal.
People in- the- know at the time should hang their heads in shame. |
Couldn't help but join you tonight with those tears.
One of the victims told of how he's never been able to show affection to his kids and wife because of what happened, and how he doesn't think he ever will.
As SteveM said above, some clubs put footballing success above young lives -
shocking beyond comprehension.
The text update at the end of the programme said that abuse of children had ben found at 332 clubs - three hundred and thirty two - can't get my head round that, must mean non-league clubs too. | |
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 11:12 - Mar 25 with 1552 views | north_stand77 |
| Football's Darkest Secret on 00:02 - Mar 25 by Ryorry |
Couldn't help but join you tonight with those tears.
One of the victims told of how he's never been able to show affection to his kids and wife because of what happened, and how he doesn't think he ever will.
As SteveM said above, some clubs put footballing success above young lives -
shocking beyond comprehension.
The text update at the end of the programme said that abuse of children had ben found at 332 clubs - three hundred and thirty two - can't get my head round that, must mean non-league clubs too. |
I know - its absolutely shocking.
Someone I know was abused by his coach I the mid 1970s - he was playing in under 14 side in a small Suffolk Town. He wasn't the only one but i can't remember anything particularly happening about it. I know it affected the person well into his adult life. So yes, all levels of football.
I see the Crewe chairman has just resigned. | | | |
| Football's Darkest Secret on 11:23 - Mar 25 with 1542 views | Steve_M |
| Football's Darkest Secret on 11:12 - Mar 25 by north_stand77 |
I know - its absolutely shocking.
Someone I know was abused by his coach I the mid 1970s - he was playing in under 14 side in a small Suffolk Town. He wasn't the only one but i can't remember anything particularly happening about it. I know it affected the person well into his adult life. So yes, all levels of football.
I see the Crewe chairman has just resigned. |
"I see the Crewe chairman has just resigned."
Yes, about 30 years too late though. | |
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| Football's Darkest Secret on 08:54 - Mar 30 with 1335 views | Swansea_Blue |
Only started watching this last night. Oh my life. Awful, just awful.
I also hadn't realised Billy Seymour was killed by a drunk driver, nothing to do with the case. Poor sod didn't have much luck did he and presumably didn't get to see Higgins go down for his crimes. |  |
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