Media playback is not supported on this device Andy Woodward speaks about being sexually abused by his coach

The Football Association has confirmed it is investigating allegations of sexual abuse in football.

Former footballers have come forward to say they were sexually abused as youth players.

Four police forces are investigating the allegations, and an NSPCC hotline has had more than 100 calls.

The FA said it was working closely with police, adding it "must ensure we do not do anything to interfere with or jeopardise the criminal process".

The FA has instructed independent leading counsel Kate Gallafent QC, an expert in child protection, to assist with its review.

The internal review will look at what information the FA was aware of at relevant times, which clubs were aware and what action was, or should have been, taken.

The Child Protection in Sport Unit, which has assisted the FA in relation to its safeguarding procedures since 2000, will also carry out an independent audit into the FA's practices.

The NSPCC hotline was set up after David White, Andy Woodward, Steve Walters and Paul Stewart all spoke out about abuse.

Ex-Crewe player Woodward, 43, went public on 16 November about his abuse by former Crewe coach and youth football scout Barry Bennell, who was later convicted of sex offences against children. Crewe have begun their own independent review into the allegations.

Former youth team players Chris Unsworth and Jason Dunford also told BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme they had been abused by Bennell.

The players all waived their right to anonymity to speak publicly.

Ex-players Jason Dunford, Steve Walters, Chris Unsworth and Andy Woodward have spoken to the BBC

'Six or seven clubs connected'

Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) chief executive Gordon Taylor says more than 20 former footballers have come forward regarding allegations of sexual abuse.

Taylor said at least "six or seven clubs" including Crewe, Manchester City, Blackpool, Leeds, Stoke and Newcastle were connected with "particular individuals".

Blackpool released a statement saying the club "is yet to receive any information from the PFA or relevant authorities in relation to the ongoing investigations of historical abuse".

Leeds also said it had not been made aware of any allegations but would "take any such complaints seriously and will cooperate fully with the PFA and the FA with any investigations".

Taylor added: "Should any past links with the organisation come to light, the club will provide every assistance it possibly can."

"I am expecting there will be more," he told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek, adding he did not believe it would just be confined to north east and north west of England clubs.

"I am mindful it could be throughout the country where children are there; church, schools and other areas we are well acquainted with over the past few years."

However, Taylor, 71, said none of those who had come forward were currently playing in the top four leagues in England.

He said the alleged abuse occurred to footballers aged six to 16, when players were "vulnerable young people".

"It is the situation they are put in, the fear of telling anyone, the power of the paedophile over him and what he wanted to do for himself and his parents to achieve his dream of being a professional footballer," said Taylor.

'There were no limits to what he put people through'

Former trainee footballer Ian Ackley, who appeared as a witness in Barry Bennell's child abuse trial in 1998, at which he was convicted, told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek he first met Bennell when he was 10 years old and he was abused for three an a half to four years.

I was playing for a local side and he was scouting. He asked me to go along for a trial with his team.

The draw to him was his connections with big teams. He was a good coach, very demanding. He wanted you to commit to a process and if you did then those opportunities might come your way.

He created the image of a charismatic figure in the football world who could make a young boy's dreams come true.

The abuse happened after an initial period of a week or two, just after I had signed. It was the full range of abuse. There were no limits to what he put people through to get what he wanted.

I didn't tell anyone. It was a feeling of being frozen, isolated and not knowing what to do. Who would believe me? I was a young boy still in a time when you were brought up in an environment where children were seen and not heard and to have respect for their elders.

This guy was seen as a very significant person of influence and people in that circle respected him. I knew it was wrong and while the abuse happened it switched a part of me off just to get through it.

Once it finished it was a case of pretending it did not happen. It was almost like a double life. I was trapped in that dream of wanting to make it as a footballer. It was habitual - every weekend, school holiday, football trips.

'Victims must come forward'

Karen Bradley, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has said victims of sexual abuse in football "must come forward".

"Come and give your story, you will be listened to, you will be believed," she told Pienaar's Politics on BBC Radio 5 live.

"The only way that we can find out what happened is by getting the evidence, letting the police do investigations as appropriate and making sure we understand what went wrong"

Bradley has welcomed the FA's inquiry.

She added: "We do need to look at this independently, we do need to make sure the FA and others who I know take this seriously, get to the bottom of this."</s>The Football Association has initiated an internal inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse in the sport.

Independent leading counsel Kate Gallafent QC will oversee the review, which follow several former footballers saying they were abused as youth players.

A NSPCC helpline was launched earlier this week in light of the allegations; it has since been reported that over 100 calls have been made to the number.

The FA said: “We are working closely with the police to support their lead investigations and must ensure we do not do anything to interfere with or jeopardise the criminal process.

“The internal review will look into what information The FA was aware of at the relevant times around the issues that have been raised in the press, what clubs were aware of, and what action was or should have been taken.”

English football’s governing body also confirmed that “a wide-ranging inquiry may be required in time”.

Gallafent will provide recommendations “to ensure these situations can never be repeated”.

The Child Protection in Sport Unit, which has helped form the FA’s safeguarding policy since 2000, will carry out its own independent audit into the governing body’s current practices in early 2017. This will not consider the historic allegations.</s>England's Football Association (FA) launched an internal investigation into the allegations Sunday after more than 20 players came forward alleging abuse in their youth, according to England's Professional Footballers Association (PFA).

The PFA's chief executive Gordon Taylor adding that "six or seven clubs" were potentially implicated.

"We are aware of the allegations," said a FIFA statement. "FIFA considers the protection of children and young people as fundamental in football and we will monitor the situation closely."

At least four UK police departments are investigating separate allegations and the FA said it will work closely with police to "ensure we do not do anything to interfere with or jeopardize the criminal process," according to a statement from the English governing body.

A hotline set up for victims who suffered abuse while playing soccer as children received over 50 phone calls shortly after being set up on Thursday Visit cnn.com/football for more news and videos Journalist Deborah Davies, who worked on a 1997 TV documentary about abuse in football, said the FA ignored "so many warnings." "Let's find out exactly what you knew, when you knew it and what you didn't do about it," Davies told ITV's Good Morning Britain. The internal investigation -- led by lawyer Kate Gallafent -- will focus on what the FA and individual clubs knew at the time of the alleged abuses and "what action was or should have been taken," the English governing body statement said. One club, Crewe Alexandra Football, said Sunday it has launched a "review of the way the club dealt with historical child abuse allegations," after former Sheffield United player Andy Woodward publicly told his story explaining how he was abused by coach Barry Bennell while playing for the club in the 1980s and 1990s. Cheshire Police, in northern England, said Friday they had received a "growing number of disclosures" relating to "non-recent child sexual abuse linked to football." "These have included allegations made against more than one individual," police said in a statement. The allegations have rocked England's soccer world. On Friday, the captain of England's national team Wayne Rooney urged victims to use the hotline. "It's awful that some of my colleagues have suffered this way whilst playing the sport that I and they love," Rooney said.</s>The Football Association has appointed an independent legal counsel, Kate Gallafent QC, to assist its review into historical child abuse allegations.

Gallafent will oversee the association's internal review into claims of sexual abuse made by a growing number of former youth footballers.

The FA suggested a fully-fledged inquiry may follow but the initial review would explore "what information the FA was aware of at the relevant times around the issues that have been raised in the press, what clubs were aware of, and what action was or should have been taken."

Gallafent will then provide recommendations "to ensure these situations can never be repeated".

The FA's move came as Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Players' Association, revealed the number of players making allegations of abuse is now more than 20.

Taylor, speaking to Radio Five Live's Sportsweek, said up to seven clubs were connected to those allegations and he only expected the issue to widen in scale.

"From that time, of those who became apprentices and senior players, over 20 players have come forward," said Taylor.

Asked to name the clubs that had been connected to allegations thus far, Taylor said: "We'd start at Crewe, go to Man City, Stoke, Blackpool, Newcastle, Leeds...I'm expecting there will be more. I think we have six or seven clubs.

"I can't believe it's just going to be in the north west and north east. We need to be mindful this could be throughout the country in the same way it's been in other professions where children are there - in the church, in schools."

Press Association Sport has contacted Leeds and Blackpool, clubs who had not previously been linked with the current raft of allegations, for comment.

Barry Bennell, the former youth coach and convicted paedophile who has been named by players including Andy Woodward, Steve Walters, David White and Ian Ackley, worked with Crewe, Manchester City, Stoke and several junior clubs in the north-west.

The Metropolitan Police, Hampshire Police and Cheshire police have said they are investigating allegations of abuse in the football community.

Northumbria Police said it was investigating an allegation by an unnamed former Newcastle player that he was abused in the club's youth system.

The Guardian said an unnamed former Newcastle player had contacted police to make allegations against George Ormond, a coach in the north east who was jailed for six years in 2002 for carrying out numerous assaults across a 24-year period.

Newcastle said they would co-operate with authorities "if or when the club receives further information".</s>LEEDS United is one of a string of football clubs that have been connected to allegations of abuse, according to the chief executive of the Professional Players’ Association.

Gordon Taylor said today that the number of players making allegations of abuse is now more than 20, with up to seven clubs – including Leeds – connected to the allegations. Asked to name the clubs that had been connected to allegations so far, Taylor told Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek: “We’d start at Crewe, go to Man City, Stoke, Blackpool, Newcastle, Leeds...I’m expecting there will be more.

“I think we have six or seven clubs. I can’t believe it’s just going to be in the north west and north east. We need to be mindful this could be throughout the country in the same way it’s been in other professions where children are there - in the church, in schools.” Barry Bennell, the former youth coach and convicted paedophile who has been named by players including former Sheffield United and Halifax Town player Andy Woodward and former Leeds and Sheffield United player David White , worked with Crewe, Manchester City, Stoke and several junior clubs in the north-west. The Metropolitan Police, Hampshire Police and Cheshire police have said they are investigating allegations of abuse in the football community. Northumbria Police said it was investigating an allegation by an unnamed former Newcastle player that he was abused in the club’s youth system. The Guardian said an unnamed former Newcastle player had contacted police to make allegations against George Ormond, a coach in the north east who was jailed for six years in 2002 for carrying out numerous assaults across a 24-year period. Newcastle said they would co-operate with authorities ‘’if or when the club receives further information’’. Meanwhile, The Football Association (FA) has appointed a senior lawyer to assist with its review into historical child sex abuse allegations. Kate Gallafent QC will oversee the internal review which has been set up following a string of allegations by former youth footballers. Andy Woodward became the first to speak out last week about abuse he suffered at the hands of convicted child abuser Barry Bennell, a former Crewe Alexandra coach. The FA said that a “wide-ranging inquiry may be required in time” but said it was supporting police with their investigations and “must ensure we do not do anything to interfere with or jeopardise the criminal process”. It added: “The internal review will look into what information the FA was aware of at the relevant times around the issues that have been raised in the press, what clubs were aware of, and what action was or should have been taken.” The FA said Gallafent will make recommendations “to ensure these situations can never be repeated.” Crewe Alexandra is to launch an independent review of the way it dealt with historical child abuse allegations, the football club said in a statement. A string of former footballers have come forward since Andy Woodward became the first to speak out last week about abuse he suffered at the hands of convicted child abuser Barry Bennell, a former Crewe Alexandra coach. Bennell, who worked for Crewe, Manchester City, Stoke and junior teams in north-west England and the Midlands, abused young boys from the 1970s onwards.

He was jailed for four years for raping a British boy on a 1994 football tour of Florida, and given a nine-year sentence for 23 offences against six boys in England in 1998. He was jailed for a third time in 2015 after admitting abusing a boy at a 1980 football camp in Macclesfield. “Crewe Alexandra Football Club can today announce that it is to launch an independent review of the way the club dealt with historical child abuse allegations,” the statement said. “The club is determined that a thorough investigation takes place at the earliest opportunity and believes an independent review, to be conducted via the appointment of external legal counsel, is the correct way forward in the circumstances.” A former Crewe board member said the club was told Bennell had sexually abused one of its junior footballers. Hamilton Smith, who was on the board between 1986 and 1990, told the Guardian he called for a meeting after being told a boy had been abused. Bennell was allowed to stay on but orders were issued that he should not be left alone with boys, Mr Smith said. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) said it was “watching events closely” and opened the door to examining allegations in the growing scandal as England captain Wayne Rooney urged anyone who may have been assaulted to seek help. According to The Daily Telegraph, leading football clubs made secret payments to buy the silence of young players sexually abused by coaches. Those to have made allegations against Bennell include former Manchester City star David White and youth player Jason Dunford, plus ex Crewe player Steve Walters and youngster Chris Unsworth. Former England international Paul Stewart has also spoken out about being sexually abused by a coach as a child. The Guardian reported that an unnamed former Newcastle United player had also contacted police with allegations against George Ormond, a North East coach jailed for six years in 2002 for carrying out numerous assaults spanning 24 years. A “significant” number of other alleged victims of abuse are likely to come forward and other sporting governing bodies may report similar problems, said Chief Constable Simon Bailey, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for child protection. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think it’s probably a little bit too early to speculate but I suspect that in the next few days and weeks that we will see a significant increase in the numbers that are currently reporting allegations of abuse to us.” The Norfolk Chief Constable added: “We are receiving reports of abuse in all sorts of different institutions. I am not in the least bit surprised that we are now seeing the lid lifted on exploitation within the world of football and I suspect there will be other sporting governing bodies - again in the next few days and weeks - who will come forward and who will identify the fact that they have similar problems.” The Metropolitan Police and forces in Hampshire, Northumbria and Cheshire said they are investigating abuse allegations. Some claims came from the NSPCC which this week set up a dedicated hotline - on 0800 023 2642 - for football-related cases. The Premier League said it is “very concerned” by the allegations. Newcastle United said it would co-operate with authorities “if or when the club receives further information” and Manchester City said it is reviewing Bennell’s links with the club. Operation Hydrant, which oversees the investigation of allegations of historical child sex abuse within institutions or by people of public prominence, is trying to pinpoint the scale of the alleged abuse. It has contacted all forces in England and Wales asking them to forward details of the allegations they have received following the recent publicity.</s>England’s Football Association has launched an inquiry into allegations of historic child sexual abuse as English football is being rocked by what may be the biggest scandal in its history.

Former players have revealed that they suffered years of sexual abuse while they were in youth academy systems and mounting evidence indicates that the clubs were aware of the abuse but took no action.

There are now as many as seven professional football clubs embroiled in a growing child sex abuse scandal, with more than 20 former players alleging they were victims. Officials warn that the current cases are likely to be only the tip of the iceberg.

The wave of abuse allegations began when former professional player Andy Woodward told the Guardian what had happened to him at the hands of then-coach Barry Bennell while playing in the Crewe Alexandra youth system. Woodward says he was raped by Bennell many times in the 1980s, between the ages of 11 and 15.

Following Woodward’s mid-November bombshell, at least four other men have said they were also abused by Bennell at Crewe Alexandra and at least two more men have accused other youth coaches of abusing them as boys. George Ormond, a former Newcastle United youth coach, is one of the accused, the BBC reports.

The UK Football Association has set up a hotline for victims to report abuse.

Steve Walters, a former player for Crewe who alleges he was abused by Bennell, told the BBC, “I just had to pretend it never happened and block it out. I knew it could never come out and I was absolutely petrified because I thought that if it did ever come out that would be it for my career — finished. All these years, I’ve had this secret inside me…. I have to do this, and I just hope it will help bring more people forward, too.”

Both Bennell and Ormond were later convicted of other crimes against boys. Bennell has been jailed three times for sexual abuse of children, Fox Sports Australia reports, receiving a four-year jail sentence for raping a boy in 1994, a nine-year sentence for 23 offences against six boys in 1998 and a two-year sentence in 2015 for sexual abuse of a boy in 1980.

Ormond was given a six-year sentence in 2002 for 15 counts of indecent assault on seven boys between 1975 and 1999, the BBC reports.

The story has stoked fears that sexual abuse may be even more widespread in British youth sports than previously suspected — and also that while parents have not known what was happening, clubs have, and they’ve been covering it up for decades.

Hamilton Smith, a member of the Crewe board throughout the late 1980s, told the Guardian that he himself convened talks with the club about Bennell, but that rather than dismissing the coach, it was decided to simply prevent Bennell from being alone with boys or traveling with them overnight.

Club spokesmen from the time say they had no reason to be concerned about Bennell.

“I’m incredibly angry the club continue to refute that they knew anything about suspicions of Bennell’s activities,” Smith told the Guardian. “This was discussed at the club’s top level and, as much as I tried to resolve this, regrettably I couldn’t. I dread to think how many victims there are, and my heart goes out to them.”

Other players have said the abuse was “swept under the carpet.”

Jason Dunford, who played with the Manchester City youth league, said that not only was he attacked by Bennell while on the youth league as a child, but that clubs were purposefully covering up extensive abuse. “I believe there was a conspiracy and paedophile ring,” he told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme.

“There were people at those clubs who had a duty to look after boys coming through their system,” he said.

The Telegraph reported November 27 that top football clubs have been making secret payments to buy the silence of young players who were abused by coaches. Multiple clubs, including premier league clubs, have compensated victims — but only after signing strict confidentiality agreements barring the victims, their lawyers and their families from ever acknowledging the cases in public.

The Telegraph source said “These cases are subject to strict confidentiality agreements. They relate to allegations against football clubs. One of them is a Premier League club. It is not possible legally for the victims to say anything about the cases. That’s how the clubs have dealt with it.”

Police and child protection officials have warned that the current cases are likely to be only the tip of the iceberg, and that the football abuse scandal could spill over to other sports, as victims are emboldened to come forward.</s>The Football Association was today urged to begin a wide-ranging inquiry into the full scale of the child sex abuse scandal, as more players revealed they were victims.

Damian Collins, chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport committee, called on the FA to order an investigation similar to the one carried out by Dame Janet Smith into the BBC’s culture and practices during the Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall years.

The Conservative MP told BBC radio: “They need to make it clear that this is a full investigation, the person leading it can take it in whatever direction they want, that anyone in football who is called as a witness is compelled to give evidence.

"It should not just investigate individual allegations made in the past but ask the question, ‘Should people in football have known more, was it reasonable that they could have known more, should they have done more at the time, and are there problems with the whole culture within football that meant this problem went undetected and unresolved for so long?’”

He said the inquiry’s author must be able to publish any report in full.

As many as seven professional football clubs are now embroiled in the growing child sex abuse scandal, with more than 20 former players alleging that they were victims. Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, said: “We’d start at Crewe, go to Man City, Stoke, Blackpool, Newcastle, Leeds ... I’m expecting there will be more.”

The FA stepped up its response to the crisis by appointing lawyer Kate Gallafent QC to assist with its review into historical child sex abuse allegations dating back to the Seventies. Fifa is to monitor the situation.

Last week Andy Woodward became the first ex-player to speak out about abuse he suffered at the hands of convicted paedophile Barry Bennell, a former Crewe Alexandra coach who was jailed three times in 20 years for abusing young boys.

Others who have made allegations against Bennell include former Manchester City star David White, ex-Crewe player Steve Walters, youth players Chris Unsworth and Jason Dunford and Anthony Hughes, who represented England at the 1993 World Youth Championships. Former England international Paul Stewart has also alleged he was sexually abused by a coach.

The Premier League said it was “very concerned” by the claims. The Metropolitan police and forces in Hampshire, Northumbria and Cheshire said they were investigating abuse allegations.

An FA spokesman said: “With acknowledgement that a wide-ranging inquiry may be required in time, we are working closely with the police to support their lead investigations and must ensure we do not do anything to interfere with or jeopardise the criminal process.”</s>Detectives in Greater Manchester have launched an investigation into allegations of historic sexual abuse in youth football.

GMP revealed it had joined the Metropolitan, Cheshire, Hampshire and Northumbria police as well as the Football Association in investigating allegations of historic abuse.

The force said it has received ‘a number of complaints’ in recent days from former youth players who say they were assaulted by adults within the game.

The scandal was sparked when former footballer Andy Woodward revealed he was abused by former coach Barry Bennell while a youth player at Crewe Alexandra.

Ex-Manchester City players Paul Stewart and David White are also among those who have revealed they also suffered abuse as part of the scandal, which involves fresh allegations against Bennell as well as others who were adults within the sport.

Bennell, now in his 60s, has three convictions for child abuse but is currently out of prison on parole. He was found unconscious and taken to hospital on Friday night in what police called a “fear of welfare” incident.

Launching a new investigation into claims of widespread abuse, GMP urged more victims to come forward and said complaints would be treated seriously, no matter when the the alleged incidents took place.

A GMP spokeswoman said the force was unable to say how many complaints it had received at this time, or which football clubs they related to.

Assistant chief constable Debbie Ford said in a statement: “Following recent media coverage, Greater Manchester Police has received a number of calls from people reporting historic sexual abuse whilst they were in the youth football system.

“We have now launched an investigation and our specially trained officers are supporting those who have come forward so far.

“We are co-ordinating our investigation with forces nationally and with Operation Hydrant, the national co-ordination hub for historic child abuse investigations concerning persons of public prominence.

“I would encourage anyone who was a victim of sexual or physical abuse to come forward and speak to us as soon as possible.

“I completely understand that for many people, making disclosures about such traumatic events can be difficult but we will offer advice and support throughout.

“For those who do want to come forward please call police on 101. Your complaints will be treated seriously no matter when the incident took place.”

The Metropolitan Police, Britain’s biggest force, said it “has received information relating to non-recent sexual abuse in football clubs in London”. The clubs involved were not named.

Hampshire Police said its detectives are investigating non-recent child abuse “within the football community”.

Northumbria Police said an allegation made by an unnamed former Newcastle United player was being investigated.

And Cheshire Police said it had received “a growing number of disclosures” and that allegations have been “made against more than one individual”.</s>The Football Association has confirmed it is investigating allegations of sexual abuse in football.

Former footballers have come forward to say they were sexually abused as youth players.

Four police forces are investigating the allegations and an NSPCC hotline has had more than 100 calls.

The FA said it was working closely with police, adding it “must ensure we do not do anything to interfere with or jeopardise the criminal process”.

The FA has instructed independent leading counsel Kate Gallafent QC, who is an expert in child protection, to assist it with its review.

The FA added that the internal review will look at what information the FA was aware of at relevant times around the issues, which clubs were aware and what action was, or should have been taken.

The Child Protection in Sport Unit, which has assisted the FA in relation to its safeguarding procedures since 2000, will also carry out an independent audit into the FA’s practices.

The NSPCC hotline was set up after David White, Andy Woodward, Steve Walters and Paul Stewart all spoke out about abuse.

Ex-Crewe player Woodward, 43, initially went public on the 16 November about his abuse by former Crewe coach and youth football scout Barry Bennell, who was later convicted for sex offences against children. Crewe have launched their own independent review into the allegations.

Former youth team players Chris Unsworth and Jason Dunford also told BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme they had been abused by Bennell.

The players all waived their right to anonymity to speak publicly about abuse they suffered.</s>The country's third largest police force has launched a probe into allegations of historical child sex abuse in youth football after recent media reports prompted people to come forward.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) joined the Metropolitan Police and the Football Association in investigating the growing scandal, which was sparked when ex-player Andy Woodward spoke out about the abuse he suffered at the hands of convicted paedophile Barry Bennell.

It comes after it emerged that Bennell, a former Crewe Alexandra coach, was treated by paramedics and taken to hospital on Friday night after being found unconscious, in what police called a "fear for welfare" incident.

GMP urged more victims to come forward and said complaints would be treated seriously.

Assistant Chief Constable Debbie Ford said: "Following recent media coverage, Greater Manchester Police has received a number of calls from people reporting historic sexual abuse whilst they were in the youth football system.

"We have now launched an investigation and our specially trained officers are supporting those who have come forward so far.

"We are co-ordinating our investigation with forces nationally and with Operation Hydrant, the national co-ordination hub for historic child abuse investigations concerning persons of public prominence.

"I would encourage anyone who was a victim of sexual or physical abuse to come forward and speak to us as soon as possible.

"I completely understand that for many people, making disclosures about such traumatic events can be difficult, but we will offer advice and support throughout."

On Sunday the FA instructed independent leading counsel Kate Gallafent QC to oversee its internal review, assessing "what information the FA was aware of at the relevant times, what clubs were aware of, and what action was or should have been taken".

Her recommendations will be considered but the FA accepts a full, wide-ranging inquiry may yet be necessary.

Damian Collins, chairman of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, accused the FA of being slow in responding to the growing scandal.

The MP for Folkestone & Hythe told the BBC: "This internal review needs to go much wider. They need to make it clear that this is a full investigation. The person leading it can take it in whatever direction they want, that anyone in football who is called as a witness is compelled to give evidence.

"We have seen allegations that clubs paid off players to keep quiet. People have come forward saying that people within their club knew, that they made complaints that weren't acted on, the people at the FA knew, and, therefore, what did the FA do with the evidence they were given?

"I think too often, particularly in football, where independent investigations are launched, they often have very narrow terms of reference and their findings are kept private."

The Metropolitan Police, Hampshire Police and Cheshire Police have already said they are investigating allegations of abuse in the football community.

Northumbria Police said it was investigating an allegation by an unnamed former Newcastle player that he was abused in the club's youth system. Newcastle said they would co-operate with authorities "if or when the club receives further information".

UEFA has given its support to the FA as it conducts a review into the allegations.

"UEFA is aware of the allegations of sexual abuse made by several footballers in the English media," UEFA chief of communications Pedro Pinto said.

"We are very concerned by these disturbing revelations and would like to state categorically that any kind of abusive behaviour in the game is completely unacceptable. We send our support to the Football Association, who we trust is doing all it can to investigate the matter."
The Football Association sets up an internal inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse in English football.