the Football Association has announced that its review into child sexual abuse in football will be led by Clive Sheldon QC instead of Kate Gallafent QC “in the light of the increased scope of the review”.
The FA initially appointed Gallafent to oversee an internal review into allegations of sex abuse by former players but conceded at the time “a wide-ranging inquiry may be required in time”.
That time appears to have come sooner than expected, with the scale of the issue growing by the day, and Gallafent has been replaced “with respect to her other professional commitments”.
The FA note Sheldon’s past work includes several investigatory reviews including matters of child protection and safeguarding. He is also described as a specialist in high-profile discrimination claims and disputes involving public figures and senior executives.
The news came as the organisation outlined the full terms of reference for its review, which has been launched with no firm deadline - a result of the passage of time since the alleged abuse.
“The review will commence immediately,” said an FA statement. “The findings of the review will be reported to The FA board. It is accepted that no final date can be agreed at this stage given the passage of time and the time it will take to recall files for review and to locate all those relevant people to interview who no longer work for the FA.
“The precise number of players, alleged abusers and clubs as yet is unknown. The FA has determined that it is necessary to instruct external leading counsel to conduct a review into what if anything the FA and clubs knew about these allegations at the relevant time, what action was taken or should have taken place;
“The FA continues to work closely with the relevant authorities and respects the on-going investigation by the police being coordinated by Operation Hydrant into childhood sexual abuse in football.”
Greg Clarke, who became chairman of the FA in August, had previously stated that the sexual abuse crisis “is certainly the biggest one I can remember. Institutionally, all organisations in the old days used to protect themselves by keeping quiet and closing ranks. That’s completely inappropriate and unacceptable today.”
Meanwhile, the former Southampton manager and prominent Premier League boss Harry Redknapp has said the Football Association could have done more to monitor Bob Higgins, an ex-Southampton coach accused of historical sexual abuse.
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Redknapp said he thought allegations broadcast in a 1997 Channel 4 Dispatches documentary would have brought Higgins’s career in football to an end. He added that he was “amazed” to hear Higgins had stayed working in football.
Higgins, who denies all allegations and was acquitted of sexual abuse charges in 1992, left Southampton in 1989.
Redknapp, who was manager of the club from 2004 to 2005, said: “Until you can actually prove something, or there is a bit of evidence, it’s very difficult; but I certainly think the FA could have certainly done a bit more to monitor him and make sure he wasn’t allowed back in football.”
Redknapp said he thought allegations broadcast in a 1997 Channel 4 Dispatches documentary would have brought Higgins’s career in football to an end.
“I’m just amazed that he’s still been involved in football since that day - I thought that would have been the finish of him,” commented Redknapp.
Redknapp has had a long association with south coast football and also managed Portsmouth and Bournemouth. “Southampton’s a great football club, and it’s run by fantastic people there now,” he said. “They had a great manager, Lawrie McMenemy. If Lawrie had suspected anything I’m sure Lawrie would have well and truly booted him out. But until you can actually prove something or there’s a bit of evidence, it’s very difficult.”
Higgins worked at Winchester City FC for a few months after he left Southampton but left after the allegations in the TV programme were brought to the club’s attention.
Higgins was most recently working at Fleet Town on an “informal unpaid basis” but has since departed.
The Football League issued a letter warning clubs about Higgins in 1989, but apart from Fleet Town, where he was still working recently, he was also involved in coaching at Peterborough United.
Mr Redknapp said if he had seen such a letter, he would not have had him “anywhere near a football club I managed”.
Over the weekend the BBC reported that it had spoken to six former Southampton youth players who had made allegations about Higgins. Hampshire police are understood to be investigating the claims, and Southampton have stated they are “committed to working together” with the Hampshire force to investigate any allegations.
The Guardian has not been able to contact Higgins about the allegations.
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