National Police Chiefs’ Council says 98 clubs named in alleged historical abuse of players aged from seven to 20

Eighty-three potential suspects have been identified in connection with allegations of historical child sexual abuse in football, police chiefs have said, as the scale of the scandal continues to escalate.

The shock disclosure from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) comes three weeks after the former Crewe defender Andy Woodward waived his right to anonymity to reveal in an interview with the Guardian that he had been a victim of sexual abuse.

Woodward’s account of the horrific abuse he suffered from the age of 11 by one of his coaches triggered an avalanche of allegations from other players. The NPCC revealed on Friday that 98 clubs had been named in information handed to the body in its role coordinating historical sexual abuse claims.



In its update, the NPCC said the previously released figure of 350 potential victims still stood and it further revealed their age range at the time of the alleged abuse ranges from seven to 20. The body said 98% of them were males.

The figure of 83 suspects comes from data collated by police forces and from 639 referrals from the NSPCC children’s helpline.

“These shocking numbers now identified by police reveal the deeply disturbing extent of abuse that has been going on within football,” a spokesperson for the charity said.

After Woodward spoke out, ex-Crewe player Steve Walters alleged he was abused, also in an interview with the Guardian. Other players, including Paul Stewart and David White, then came forward to the newspaper and other media outlets.

The Guardian subsequently reported that an unnamed former Newcastle United player had contacted police with allegations against coach George Ormond, who was jailed for six years in 2002 for numerous assaults over 24 years.

The Football Association appointed Kate Gallafent QC at the end of November to help with its internal review into historical child sexual abuse allegations. And 21 police forces have launched investigations into the claims.

“Allegations received by police forces across the country are being swiftly acted upon,” said Simon Bailey, the chief constable of Norfolk and the lead for the NPCC.



“We are ensuring an efficient and effective service-wide approach to investigating allegations, removing the potential for duplication and enabling the timely and effective sharing of intelligence and information between forces. We are also liaising closely with the Football Association to ensure all relevant information they hold is shared to inform investigations moving forward.”



He added: “As the number of calls being received across the service is higher than usual, it may take longer than normal for an officer from a local force to make contact to follow up from the initial call. Please be assured that the information provided will be taken seriously and acted upon.”

