Chelsea accused of paying ex-youth player for silence over sex abuse claims

Claims former youth team player was paid off by the club (Photo: Getty)

Chelsea has been dragged into the sex abuse scandal over allegations a former youth player was given hush money after reporting attacks.

The Premiership side is alleged to have paid off the victim after he threatened to go public about being abused by the club’s former chief scout Eddie Heath.

Heath, who has since died, was influential at the club for more than a decade in the 70s.

It is alleged the payment was made in the last three years and agreed on condition the victim, his family and lawyers were banned from talking about the abuse claims. It is understood the club did not accept liability.

Chelsea last night confirmed it was investigating a former employee over claims relating to historic sexual abuse.

In an official statement published on Chelsea’s website last night (tues), the club said: “Chelsea Football Club has retained an external law firm to carry out an investigation concerning an individual employed by the club in the 1970s, who is now deceased.

“The club has also contacted the FA to ensure that all possible assistance is provided as part of their wider investigation. This will include providing the FA with any relevant information arising out of the club’s investigation.

“While the club’s investigation is ongoing, we will make no further comment on this matter.”

Heath, who had died before the allegation was made and was therefore unable to defend himself, was Chelsea’s chief scout from 1968 to 1979 and discovered some of the club’s greatest players, including Ray Wilkins.

One former Chelsea youth player, who is understood not to be the alleged victim, told how Heath was known as “someone to avoid” by young players and said: “Everyone would say ‘don’t let Eddie Heath see you in the showers or get you alone in his car.”

But last night Wilkins, the former Chelsea and England captain, said he was astonished by the accusation. “I knew Eddie very well. It makes no sense whatsoever to me. Eddie was a great guy,” he said. “Eddie Heath was fantastic as far as I am concerned. I have never heard anything like this [about Eddie].”

Fomer Newcastle United player Derek Bell is the latest player to waive his right to anonymity and speak about abuse he suffered between the ages of 12 and 16 as he played for a local boys’ side in the 70s

The coach who attacked him went on to work at Newcastle United in various roles for around three years before leaving the club in 1998.

Bell, now 52, said the coach would impose control with threats and blackmail that he could block the boy’s football progress if he did not conform to the acts. He won the trust of Bell’s parents and began to drive him home, stopping in car parks to sexually abuse him.

He said: “He had groomed us for a couple of years and … he thought it was normal. Deep down in my mind

I knew it wasn’t normal, but I was so scared to speak and come out and say it wasn’t right.”