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@taigs | 2 December 16 |
They talked to the Daily Record which last week lifted the lid off the sex abuse scandal at the boys club. Jim McNally, speaking for all four, said: Apart from sworn statements to Celtic and the police, none of us has ever spoken about what happened. It has been painful and has taken a great toll on all of our lives. Players had been staying in the homes of ex-pat Celtic fans in Kearney, New Jersey, in 1991 for a showpiece tournament. Two were living with exiled Scot, Pat Brannigan. Jim said: Pat Brannigan told me that a boy had made a serious allegation against Frank Cairney. I interviewed the boy after Pat Brannigan came for me very early in the morning. Pat and his wife Diane were there. I asked a second boy who was also staying at Pat's house to leave the room. The first lad was very distraught. He repeated the allegation of a sexual nature against Frank Cairney. He said it happened in Pat Brannigan's basement where the boys were sleeping. Frank had been staying at a hotel nearby. But it wouldn't have been unusual for him to be in the house because he always went around to where the boys were staying, to make sure they were all right. |
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@taigs | 2 December 16 |
Initially I found the whole thing hard to believe. I had never experienced anything like that before in my life. I honestly thought and hoped it was horseplay that had got out of hand a wee bit. Immediately I talked to the other three officials. I told them what had happened. We were visiting a theme park that day and I got the senior players together and told them what had happened. They already knew. I asked them if they would keep their eye on this lad until we got things sorted out. He continued: We decided that we would talk to Frank Cairney and we did. He very forcibly, strenuously denied the allegation. He was very angry. He said nothing happened. While we were talking about it, Pat Brannigan arrived and said he had spoken to his lawyer and the police. I also spoke to Pat's lawyer about the procedure and what we would do. I asked him what would happen if the boy made a formal complaint. And what he told me was the real shocker of the whole thing. He said that Frank Cairney would be charged and that the boy, and the other boy who was staying in the house, would be put in protective custody. Distraught Jim and the officials were terrified to bring in police in case the boys were taken away from them. |
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@taigs | 2 December 16 |
He said:I was absolutely shattered about that. There was no way I could have landed at Glasgow Airport and told two sets of parents that their boys weren't there. After that meeting I immediately contacted Celtic, but it was the Glasgow Fair and I had a terrible job trying to get a hold of people. I tried Jack McGinn, Jimmy Farrell (Celtic directors), but could not get them. I then phoned Sean McMullen and Bobby Creilly, two other boys' club officials. I told them what had happened and I told them of my fear that the boys would be taken into protective custody and that this wasn't for me or even the boy to decide what they should do. I felt his parents should make that decision. This was the Thursday and we were due home on the Sunday. We also booked three tickets to be held just in case the boy wanted home early. I spoke to the lad at regular intervals and he opted to stay at Brannigan's. He seemed to be coping. He continued to play in the tournament. I've always admired the boy and how he coped with all of this. He was only 16 at the time. He actually started officially playing for Celtic on the Monday after he returned home. |
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@taigs | 2 December 16 |
Jim McNally didn't call in the police, but Pat Brannigan may have brought them in. Jim said: If the police interviewed the boy I wasn't aware of it. I think Pat Brannigan felt we weren't handling it correctly. But the reason we handled it the way we did was because I didn't believe it was up to me to decide what to do. Eventually there was a meeting with the boy's parents which Creilly and McMullen had been trying to arrange . We left Kennedy airport, New York, on Sunday, but still there was no word. We stopped over at Boston and this is where it all happened. There was a message at Boston for me to phone home. I was told the meeting had concluded and the outcome was that the boy's parents were quite happy to leave the matter in Celtic's hands, provided Frank Cairney resigned from the boys' club on returning. Myself, Willie Hampson, Bill Gilfillan and John Gallacher, the four officials, met in the cafe at Boston airport and we told Frank Cairney what we had been advised. He agreed to resign when he went home. We arrived at Glasgow and went straight to the park. Jack McGinn organised a meeting at 11am with Frank Cairney and a meeting with me at 2pm. At that meeting, he gave me a copy of Frank Cairney's resignation which said he had resigned because he had got promotion in his company and the pressure of work |
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@taigs | 2 December 16 |
We were still concerned that we weren't quite covered, so we individually consulted lawyers and collectively spoke to a QC for advice. He asked if we could produce any more boys who could quote incidents from anywhere at any time. But we knew we couldn't do that. The deal they had to be part of has left them sad, jaundiced men. All have since left Celtic Boys' Club. Jim added: The boy told me what happened. I cannot say what happened. But the parents wanted the boy to get on with his career and get on with his life, once they had been given assurances he was coping. He added: We were never sworn to secrecy. The boy asked us not to talk about it and we respected his wishes. |
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@taigs | 2 December 16 |
Celtic last night set up a counselling service to provide support for families struggling to cope with the trauma of the Boys' Club revelations. Announcing the hotline, chairman Fergus McCann said: Celtic Football Club has been receiving many calls from people and families in distress over the alleged incidents. In addition to asking people to report allegations to the police, it is obvious many need advice of trained specialists. The support and advice Hotline opens today and will run for a week between noon and midnight. It is costing Celtic pounds 5000. McCann also offered his support to current officials of the Boys Club. He added: It is a great pity their good work should be tarnished by these alleged incidents. Boys' Club chairman Tony McGuinness said: The hotline is a very welcome gesture. Lorraine Rochford of Network Scotland, who have selected the specialists, added: Celtic Football Club have to be commended for providing this service. |
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@taigs | 2 December 16 |
HOW WE EXPOSED SCANDAL The Daily Record exclusively revealed the Celtic Boys' Club sex abuse scandal a week ago. In a series of exclusive stories, Scotland's No 1 newspaper unmasked Jim Torbett and Frank Cairney. We exposed how frightened young players were fondled by the club bosses they trusted. We revealed how Cairney lied to a local newspaper with claims he didn't know one of his victims. And we told how pervert Torbett was booted out of the club - only to be allowed to return years later. After the Record's sensational reports, Torbett was again kicked out by the boys' club. And detectives have confirmed that they plan to quiz the wealthy businessman |
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@taigs | 2 December 16 |
When Tommy Burns was appointed Parkhead boss in 1994, he tried to bring his mentor Frank Cairney back to Parkhead. But the move to end his three year exile was blocked by Celtic chief Fergus McCann. Last night at his home in Viewpark, Uddingston, Cairney said: I have nothing whatsoever to say. Speak to my lawyers. Tommy Burns was also at Cairney's house to give him his support. He said: He has the whole of my backing and that of Celtic Football Club to a man. He has trained some of the great names of Celtic, including Roy Aitken, Paul McStay, George McCluskey, Alan Brazil, Pat Nevin, Peter Grant, Andy Ritchie and myself. Ever since I knew him he's been a great friend and a great influence on me and a lot of other players who had the pleasure of playing on his team. (Daily Record 14/08/1996) Last night, Mr Burns said of Mr Cairney: He has my backing and I'm sure he will have the backing of several members of the first team who played for Frank at the under-16 level. (The Scotsman 15/08/1996) Burns describes the 56-year-old as a fantastic help and a true friend. When Cairney was unmasked by the Record earlier this week, Burns rushed to his side. Sitting in his pal's living room, he stormed: He has the whole of my backing. But the calls from boys who claimed Cairney terrorised them were still flooding in to the Daily Record. (Daily Record 16/08/1996) |
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@taigs | 2 December 16 |
Away from first-team and club matters, which were bad enough, another issue was beginning to raise its ugly head at the club. Within a month of my arrival one of the young players asked to see me in my office. 'Here we go,' I thought. 'That didn't take long. Here's a youngster in to complain about not being in the team. Straight away he's going to be into me to give him his chance.' He sat down and told me that he had had problems on a trip to North America with the youth team. One of the fellas in charge had made advances towards him. As a manager you expect to have to sort out all sorts of problems. But this wasn't one I ever saw coming. I was staggered. To be frank, I didn't know how to respond for the best. Clearly the kid was distressed about what had happened, but I felt I couldn't just approach the accused and ask him to explain himself without proof. My hands were tied, in a way. I felt completely stuck and out of my depth. I spoke to my staff. They were shocked. My gut feeling was that the kid was speaking the truth, but there was no mechanism within the club or within my experience to deal with it. It was a police matter if anything. Any investigation had to start with them. And that's exactly what happened. A couple of years later it all came out. Celtic Boys' Club founder Jim Torbett was convicted of sexual abuse of three players, including Alan Brazil. Frank Cairney, the manager of the Boys' Club, was charged but not convicted. It emerged that years earlier Jock Stein knew all about Torbett and kicked him out of the club. The wish to maintain the good name of Celtic, if that were ever a good enough reason, was the only thing that kept the issue from coming to light at that point. There was a string of allegations by young lads whose dreams of playing for Celtic were exploited, but it was the testimony of Alan Brazil, David Gordon and James McGrory that brought the matter to court, and Torbett to justice. [from Football, My Life. by LOU MACARI] |
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@oysten | 6 December 16 |
'a club like no other' thankfully
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