THE FA were warned that vile footie coach Barry Bennell was a paedophile but said there was “no case to answer”, it was revealed last night.
Hamilton Smith, who was on the Crewe Alexandra board, wrote to the FA over his fears about the set-up at the club in 2001.
In a letter seen by The Guardian from the FA’s head of education and child protection Tony Pickerin, he was told the FA had “investigated the issues and is satisfied that there is no case to answer.”
It was also revealed Bennell has a secret Twitter account where he bragged of his “need” to watch a child sex-grooming movie.
He wrote “Trust, the film I need to watch, got on DVD” about the picture in which a girl is targeted for abuse.
Related stories
His post was on an account from 2011 in fake name Richard Barry.
A photo emerged yesterday of former football talent spotter Bennell grinning in his Man City kit surrounded by young players at the height of his offending in 1983.
It also emerged police have helped him move from his home in Milton Keynes, Bucks, since he went into hiding over the latest abuse claims made last week.
Last night Robbie Savage, scouted by Bennell for Crewe when he was 11, told how he narrowly escaped abuse.
He said: "I'd hear some of the lads say, 'I stayed at Barry's at the weekend'. And I'd think, 'Why didn't he ask me? Am I not a good enough player? Have I done something wrong?'
"Now I know what happened to some of those boys and I know I'm one of the lucky ones."
According to the Daily Telegraph, a well-placed source identified at least one Premier League team that had paid hush-money to footballers after they signed confidentially agreements.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368
Leave a comment