Paul Stewart: Sex abuse victims could number hundreds

Paul Stewart believes that the number of children sexually abused in English football could run into 'the hundreds'.

The former England and Tottenham player, who revealed this week that he was abused by a coach for four years as a child, thinks the sport could face allegations on the scale of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Former Crewe Alexandra player Andy Woodward broke his silence last week about the abuse he received while at the club as a youngster at the hands of then-coach and now-convicted paedophile Barry Bennell.

Following Woodward's revelations, fellow Crewe player Steve Walters and former England player David White publicly confirmed they were also abused by Bennell.

Stewart then told the Daily Mirror that he had been abused by an unnamed coach for four years up until the age of 15 when a move to Blackpool took him away from his tormentor.

Speaking in an emotional interview with the BBC, Stewart confirmed his suspicions about the extent of the abuse across clubs.

"Yes, I do, for sure [believe it could be as big as the Savile enquiry]," he said. "I would almost guarantee it as long as the victims are willing to come forward.

"This has not been easy for me to do.

"But I felt that I needed to do this so other people will come out and with the hope that it may stop anyone who may be thinking of doing it again, in any walk of life - not just football.

"The access to children at sport level is very easy and it is the perfect ground for them to prey."

Stewart also spoke of the heartache showing the Daily Mirror story to his family had caused and said such was his anguish, he was unable to show his son and two daughters in person.

The NSPCC confirmed that over 50 people had rung a helpline within two hours of it being set-up.

Photo (©Getty Images/Bob Thomas)

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