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Celtic FC is set to announce it has secretly conducted a two-year investigation into the child sex abuse scandal at Celtic Boys’ Club.

The club is expected to reveal the probe on Sunday amid a growing clamour for justice for victims.

Pressure has been intensifying since four vile paedophiles were convicted of a catalogue of abuse spanning decades - and Daily Record revelations that boys’ club leaders were investigated and cleared of any wrong doing by the Celtic FC board in 1986.

Our story detailed how the club probed claims that boys were arriving home late from training, boys were being taken out socially and boys were being taken to weekend tournaments that did not exist.

The then Celtic FC board branded the 1980s claims as “scurrilous” and said that they should be “buried once and for all”.

(Image: Daily Record)

The Record revelations appeared to be at odds with the club’s position that the boys' club was an “entirely separate” organisation.

On Sunday Celtic FC is expected to say that the secret investigation has been taking place over the past two years.

The club will say that it has been unable to announce the probe until now because of the criminal investigations and court cases involving beasts Jim Torbett, 71, Jim McCafferty, 73, Frank Cairney, 83 and Gerald King, 66.

The results of the new investigation are not yet known.

Our story - from May 17 - documented that Celtic had been aware of allegations involving Torbett and Cairney as far back as the mid 80s.

(Image: Daily Record)

Celtic FC had previously said it first became aware of allegations in the 1990s.

The fact that the Celtic FC board had investigated and cleared the boys’ club leaders in 1986 also appeared to undermine the club’s position that the boys’ club was totally separate.

Many of Torbett’s vile crimes happened after Celtic had cleared the boys’ club leaders and endorsed them.

Today a well-placed source close to the club revealed: “The club have been looking into this issue for the last two years.

“It’s expected that they will issue a statement soon confirming that an investigation has been on-going, but because of the on-going legal process they have been unable to discuss it.”

Celtic FC has faced intense criticism over its response to the convictions, insisting the main club is separate from the Boys’ Club.

(Image: SNS Group)

Days after Torbett’s jailing in November Celtic FC said: ”Celtic Football Club wishes to express our deep regret that the incidents took place and sympathy for the victims who suffered abuse.

“We are grateful for the courage of those who have come forward to report abuse and to give evidence after such a long period of time.

“We have great respect for them and their families as they continue to cope with the distressing effects of the abuse they suffered.

“Allegations regarding abuse at Celtic Boys’ Club first emerged in the 1990s.

“Although Celtic Football Club is an entirely separate organisation, we have always taken these allegations extremely seriously because of our historic contacts with Celtic Boys’ Club. All investigations by the police and other inquiries were given our full support.”

But the Record’s revelations showed how Celtic had reacted to allegations of wrong doing in the 1980s involving boys’ club leaders.

We published a statement from the club from December 1986.

(Image: SNS Group)

It said: ”A Sunday newspaper recently carried a story which cast a shadow over the Celtic Boys’ Club in general, and some of the leaders in particular.

“It also included a clear inference that the Celtic Football Club had not taken appropriate action with regard to the allegations contained in the article.

“In actual fact, the Celtic Board investigated the rumours and interviewed the men concerned in depth and could find nothing to substantiate the stories that were being circulated.

“During the course of the last 10 days, Celtic Football Club and the boys’ club have been in receipt of hundreds of letters and phone calls from boys and their parents, past and present, stating their complete support and backing of all involved with the boys’ club.

“It must be clearly emphasised that apart from this newspaper article, inspired by the former chairman of the boys’ club, not one single complaint has been received by any other person with a Celtic connection.

“The boys’ club leaders who have been placed under a cloud as a result of these rumours have instructed their lawyers to take the appropriate course of action and, if necessary, to go to a court of law to make sure these scurrilous stories are buried once and for all.”

(Image: Daily Record)

At the time of the 1986 investigation by the Celtic FC board, their then vice-chairman Kevin Kelly was also president of Celtic Boys’ Club.

He was also an employee of Torbett at his trophy business in Glasgow’s Shawlands.

At the boys’ club AGM in 1987 – just months after the allegations came to light – Kelly said that because of the way “true friends” had rallied round, the “criticism” of the boys’ club had made it stronger.

Patrick McGuire, a partner with Thompsons Solicitors, who are representing the victims, said of our story in May: “These new revelations uncovered by the Record go further than ever before in disproving the ridiculous assertion that the boys’ club and Celtic were separate organisations.

“The survivors my team represent deserve answers from the club about these investigations and they continue to be shocked and insulted that the board maintain that the boys’ club and Celtic FC are separate organisations.

“The survivors must receive an official apology from the club and be properly compensated for the terrible things that happened to them when, as children, they were under Celtic’s care.”

At the club most associated with serial child sex offender Barry Bennell in England - Manchester City - a fund has been set up to offer compensation to victims.

But Celtic’s actions to date have shown no sign of following that lead.

Life-long Celtic fan James Dornan MSP published a letter criticising the club’s stance on Thursday saying that Chief Executive Peter Lawwell’s stance had brought “shame” on the club.

Celtic responded on Thursday night claiming the comments were “unfair” and “misguided”.

Lawwell has since written to both Dornan and Tory MSP Adam Tomkins in response to criticisms they levelled at him and his club.