Cormac dreamed of being a football star, so he did not speak out about being abused by his coach
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Cormac was thrilled to be spotted by a scout for a First Division football club.
He was afraid to report that his coach was sexually abusing him, in case he spoiled his chances of success.
Cormac was a talented footballer and was invited to attend the academy of a major club when he was 12 years old. He says it was ‘fantastic – it’s every boy’s dream to become a professional footballer’.
In the club’s youth academy, he was coached by a man called George. Some of the boys who lived far from the club would stay overnight with George, who was married with children.
The first time Cormac stayed with the coach he saw two boys on the sofa with their arms around George. He remembers thinking they must be the coach’s children, but he soon realised they were other youth players.
Cormac says he accepted this physical contact was ‘normal’ for the boys who stayed with George. He thought ‘They’re doing it so it must be ok’, especially as George’s wife and children were in the room too. So he would sit and cuddle up to the coach in the same way, sometimes sitting on his lap.
When he was in the car with George, the coach would put his hand on Cormac’s leg, or hold his hand.
After a while, George started coming into his room when he stayed overnight. The coach would sit beside Cormac in the dark, talking to him about his future. He told Cormac that if he wanted ‘to get on in football’ he would have to trust him.
Cormac remembers that the way George said this made him feel uneasy, and he thought ‘It’s not right’, but he didn’t want to mention it to anyone in case they thought he was being stupid.
But eventually Cormac did tell his dad that he didn’t like the way George behaved and he didn’t want to stay overnight with him any more. But, he adds, George ‘was the one who could make or break you’ and he was worried about jeopardising his football career, so his dad spoke informally to another official in the club.
The official said George was ‘genuine … and not that way inclined’ but promised he would speak to George and make sure nothing like it happened again.
However, Cormac says, nothing changed. George continued to touch the boys’ legs in the car, getting them to sit on his lap and hold his hand. But none of them wanted to speak out because of their dreams of success. ‘You want to be that next superstar’ says Cormac.
On a couple of occasions the youth team went abroad to play. Cormac says that on these trips, George would make the boys undress and massage their groins. He told them this sort of ‘treatment’ was ‘usual for professional footballers’, and the boys accepted his word.
Cormac didn’t become a professional footballer. For many years after leaving the club he put George’s behaviour out of his mind. But after revelations about sexual abuse of junior footballers began to emerge, he decided he should tell his family and report what had happened to him.
The police took a statement from Cormac. Some months later he was informed that this information could not be used against George. It turned out that several years previously, following other complaints made about him, the coach had been charged with abusing boys.
However, because of legal issues George was acquitted.
Cormac feels very let down by the football club who were aware of George’s behaviour but did nothing to prevent it, and also the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.
The police have admitted that they made mistakes in the case. They say there is nothing they can do, and Cormac finds this very frustrating.
Cormac says it is vital that sports clubs have strong safeguarding policies and he would like to receive an apology from the people involved for the major failings that took place.