Football’s abuse allegations – Timeline of events

Andy Woodward: Made the initial allegation

Andy Woodward: Made the initial allegation

The football world has been shocked recently by allegations of historic abuse.

Here is a timeline of events so far…

November 16: In a harrowing interview, former Crewe youth player Andy Woodward tells The Guardian how he was sexually abused as a boy in the 1980s by a former coach and scout. The 43-year-old, who went on to play for Bury, waived his right to lifelong anonymity to speak out.

November 22: A second Crewe player, Steve Walters, tells The Guardian about his abuse by the same coach, while former Spurs, Liverpool and England forward Paul Stewart speaks to the Daily Mirror about his treatment by a different youth coach in the 1970s. Cheshire Police confirms “a number of people” have come forward with allegations in the wake of Woodward’s interview and Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor tells Press Association Sport the number of former footballers to contact the union with similar claims is in “double figures”.

November 23: Former England and Manchester City forward David White becomes the fourth former footballer to go public as a victim of sexual abuse.

November 24: Crewe director of football Dario Gradi releases a statement saying he knew nothing about the allegations at his club until a coach was convicted in 1994. Manchester City announce they are ”undertaking a thorough investigation” into allegations of wrongdoing in their youth system in the 1970s and 1980s. England captain Wayne Rooney publicises a new, confidential, 24-hour helpline set up by the FA and the NSPCC – the child protection charity later reveals it received 50 calls in its first few hours.

Crewe Alexandra: Accused Barry Bennell's former employer

Crewe Alexandra: Accused Barry Bennell’s former employer

November 25: Two more former Manchester City youth players tell the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme about the abuse they suffered as boys, while police in Hampshire, London and Northumbria confirm they too are investigating new allegations.

November 26: After mounting pressure, League Two side Crewe announce the club is to launch an independent review into how they dealt with child abuse allegations in the 1980s and 1990s.

November 27: The Football Association announces that Kate Gallafent QC will lead an independent review of its response to the allegations in the past.

November 29: A former coach is charged with offences between 1981 and 1985 against a boy aged under 14. Chelsea say in a statement that they have retained a law firm to carry out an investigation concerning an one of their 1970s employees, who is now dead. A spokesman said the club would provide the FA with ”any relevant information arising out of the club’s investigation”.

FA chairman Greg Clarke tells reporters this is one of the game’s “biggest” crises, and former darts world champion Eric Bristow is dropped by Sky Sports after a series of insensitive tweets about football’s sex abuse victims.

November 30: Former Newcastle player Derek Bell tells the BBC Radio 5 Live he wanted to kill his abuser George Osmond, who was convicted in 2002, while Stewart names former Blackpool youth coach Frank Roper, who died in 2005, as the man who abused him.

December 1: Two former Southampton players are interviewed by BBC South on the sexual abuse they endured from an unnamed coach, Newcastle player David Eatock tells The Guardian he was abused by Osmond aged 21 and NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless says the helpline had 860 calls in its first week.

December 2: Southampton contact Hampshire Police following information supplied to the club in relation to historical child abuse within football. Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror reports that former Chelsea youth-team player Gary Johnson signed a confidentiality agreement with the club in 2015 in return for £50,000 after he alleged he had been abused by chief scout Eddie Heath, who is now dead, in the 1970s. With many questioning the ethics of such an agreement, the club waived it, allowing Johnson to speak out.

December 3: Chelsea issue a lengthy statement. In it, they “apologise profusely” to Johnson, who was sexually abused and “suffered unacceptably” while a youth-team player at the London club in the 1970s. The Blues say they have “no desire to hide any historic abuse we uncover from view” and are “fully committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all children and young people who are in our care or attending our premises”.

December 5: Woodward, Walters and ex-Manchester City youth-team player Chris Unsworth launched The Offside Trust – a new, independent trust that will “fight for justice” and support victims. Walters said he and Woodward also wanted an apology while Edward Smethurst, a lawyer representing victims, claimed there are still individuals in the game who “need further investigation” and that gagging orders have been used by “a number” of clubs.