Victims Of Ex-watford Physio Feel Club Have ‘swept Allegations Under The Carpet’

J.B · Mar 22, 2021

Worrying story from The Athletic this morning. Seems that 'the original family club' are once again acting in a pretty shameful way:

Survivors of alleged sexual abuse by Watford’s former youth and first-team physiotherapist Phil Edwards in the 1990s have expressed their “disappointment, hurt and anger” at what they feel is the club’s attempt to “sweep all the allegations under the carpet”.

In light of the Football Association’s independent review into historical sexual child abuse, overseen by Clive Sheldon QC, four men have asked us to publish an open letter to Watford with questions they want the club to answer.

Sheldon considered information and documents provided to him by Watford from their own investigation about Edwards and recorded allegations that Edwards was referred to as “paedo Phil” by some in and around the football club. Sheldon also notes it has been alleged some Watford staff knew Edwards asked boys to remove their clothes for “treatment” and his alleged abuse was disclosed to a member of staff.

Since the report was released last Wednesday, Watford have not issued any information to the public or survivors to update them on the progress of their internal investigation, which began after Edwards was arrested on a charge of sexual activity with a teenage boy in May 2019. Seventeen days later Edwards, then aged 60, was found dead at his home near Tring.

Hertfordshire Police have since received 18 allegations of abuse by Edwards, with the alleged offences taking place over a 30-year period from 1989 to 2019. The Sheldon report says that, as of June 2020, Watford’s investigation had received 21 complaints, with at least 12 alleged to have taken place while he was a club employee.

Here is the survivors’ letter in full:

“When survivors first contacted the Head of Safeguarding at Watford Football Club (Kim Pearce) to disclose the abuse Phil Edwards had subjected us to as children, whilst he was the club’s physiotherapist, she assured us she was fully committed to investigating Edwards and that we would be kept updated as the investigation progressed. However, no updates have been forthcoming. Watford didn’t even have the courtesy to contact survivors before the Sheldon Report was released despite the fact it is on such a sensitive topic.

“We were therefore very keen to read the report. Our hope was that we would read how sorry they were for failing to keep us safe from Edwards’ abuse. We were shocked and dismayed however to find that only two pages out of the 710-page publication related to abuse perpetrated by Edwards.

“When we read those two pages, we felt disappointment, hurt and anger. Watford has let all of the survivors down all over again. They are the only club featured in the report that has failed to conclude their investigations. They say their investigations have been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in an age where virtual interviews have become the norm, we cannot accept this vague excuse. Watford need to tell us exactly what investigations they have carried out over the past 18 months and what these have revealed.

“In particular, we want to know why they haven’t published the specific time period when the incidents took place and subsequent findings related to Edwards employment during the 1990s when it is known he was both youth and first-team physio and was sexually abusing players.
“Clive Sheldon QC has said he will only issue an addendum to his report, setting out the conclusions of Watford’s investigation, and evaluating the adequacy of their investigation, if he is requested to do so by the FA. We have no confidence at all that Watford will ever finish their investigations or publish their conclusions. We feel as though all the allegations against Edwards are being swept under the carpet and that Watford are simply doing all they can to avoid taking responsibility for their own failings. The fact they haven’t even publicly acknowledged the Sheldon Report is hugely disappointing. So many lives have been devastated by what we went through — can’t they have the decency to at least acknowledge us?

“We are now asking Watford to provide all survivors with an apology for not only failing to protect them from Edwards, but also for failing to complete their investigations. We require a detailed explanation as to what investigations have been carried out so far; what these investigations have revealed to date; how exactly the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented them from concluding their investigations; the investigations still to be carried out and a timeframe. We also urge the FA to make sure Clive Sheldon QC issues an addendum to his Report once Watford’s investigations are complete so they can be properly scrutinised.”

Following the publication of the Sheldon report, The Athletic asked Watford a series of questions relating to the timetable of their investigation, likely date of completion, whether the investigation will be made public, inaccuracies in the information supplied to the report and whether apologies or compensation have been offered to the survivors.

In a statement, Watford said they were “fully co-operating with Hertfordshire police in its investigation” and “complied promptly and fully with its regulatory obligation in referring the allegations” to the FA, Premier League and Sheldon report. They highlighted that their own “extensive investigation” is continuing and insisted it is being “properly co-ordinated and completed” and ongoing legal proceedings mean commenting on specific details isn’t “possible or appropriate”.

They added, “The club is committed to providing support and guidance to any individual who believes that they have been affected by Mr Edwards’ actions. Affected individuals have been provided with guidance and signposting to support services that will be best suited to addressing the specific needs of that individual. The club is fully committed to providing support and assistance to anyone who contacts them in relation to these matters.”

In the independent review, Sheldon says: “I am satisfied that the Club (Watford) is diligently investigating both its connection with Edwards and what was known by the Club about Edwards’ conduct.”

The allegations in the Sheldon report paint a picture of a predatory paedophile who it seems took advantage of his position to manipulate and abuse those under his care over a prolonged period.

It records the suggestion Edwards would ask players to remove all their clothing during “treatments” and squat naked while he lay on the floor beneath them. Former youth players make allegations of unnecessary groin examinations, touching of boys’ genitals and that he “put his fingers where he shouldn’t”. Players were hosted on behalf of the club at his home, he would give them alcohol and it’s suggested he would “get them to perform sexual acts with an adapted stuffed toy”. One abuse victim is said to have alerted club staff and the “host mother” he lodged with about the nature of the abuse, but it continued after the disclosure.

These allegations came from the victims with dates, times and places where the alleged abuse took place. Yet Watford state in the Sheldon report there are “no Human Resources, Personnel or payroll records regarding Edwards” and offer only that he is “mentioned in some match programmes from the 1984-85 season” and “a press clipping from the 1989-90 season includes a reference to Edwards leaving as he could not commit to working full-time”.

There are pictures of Edwards sat on the first-team bench in the late 1990s alongside manager Graham Taylor, countless listings in Watford programmes as the sole “physiotherapist” and he is also included in the 1997-98 official club photograph.

One survivor has outlined the abuse he suffered took place from 1996 to 1999. “I want Watford to report the facts and acknowledge what went on,” he says.

Another victim, who says he was abused by Edwards before the age of 10 and then throughout his time in Watford’s youth team, attempted to take his own life while in his teens. He vividly remembers Edwards visiting the hospital soon afterwards to check on his condition. He told The Athletic, “I was eagerly waiting for the report and was hugely let down. My biggest fear is actually what is happening. They know the severity of this, they’ll be hundreds of victims and the scale of it doesn’t bear thinking about.

“The silence is deafening and I want somebody to say sorry. I’m tainted and have scars because he normalised these situations (of abuse). Watford are the love of my life but they are acting in a grey area.”

Edwards, who lived alone in a flat in Wilstone, Hertfordshire, ran a private physio clinic at Woodside Leisure Centre in Watford where alleged offences took place, as well as at his own home. He is also known to have been a drugs tester for the FA, who were unwilling to confirm any details of his employment when asked by The Athletic.

He kept in touch with some of those that he allegedly abused after he left Watford in 1999 and socialised with them and their families. Some considered Edwards a loyal family friend and he was regarded as a skilled physiotherapist. He would frequently give his victims expensive gifts and pay for lunches and trips.

Kim Pearce is a former Hertfordshire police officer who has experience of historic sex abuse cases and has led Watford’s investigation for nearly two years, listening to the testimonies of survivors on behalf of the club. Group counselling sessions were also organised in the initial period after Edward’s death.

“We will treat individuals with respect and their views will be valued,” says Pearce on the safeguarding section of the club’s official website. “We will act on any information that may suggest an adult or child is at risk of harm.”

The Sheldon report said that Pearce provided them with a “detailed investigation strategy document” in October 2019 “to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation” took place. The scope of the investigation includes identifying “whether individuals with positions of responsibility within the club knew of the allegations or whether there were objective factors that should have put them on notice as to potential sexual abuse factors which should have caused them to make further enquiries”. The ultimate aim is to assess the criminal behaviour of Edwards and whether those that knew “failed to report” or “respond properly to the allegations made during the period of abuse or subsequently”.

“The failure by Watford to complete its investigations and its failure to properly explain the delay, simply cannot be justified,” Abbie Hickson, a specialist solicitor who works with abuse survivors, told The Athletic. “Those abused by Edwards require honesty and transparency from Watford.

“Watford now needs to do the right thing by completing its investigations in a timely fashion and ensuring that the survivors’ and victims’ accounts have been properly and thoroughly assessed. Otherwise, those who have spoken out will rightly feel it has all been a worthless exercise when in fact they deserve acknowledgement and justice for what they have been through. Watford surely owes them that at least.”

Watford continue to invite individuals who have been affected or who have relevant information to make contact with Pearce via the following contact details: kim.pearce@watfordfc.com /07876 786910.

In the UK and Ireland, The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123

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Moose · Mar 23, 2021

Not entirely sure why this is in ‘the Safe’? The article is freely distributed and it’s of obvious importance to the club and fans right now.

A very troubling story and your heart goes out to those who suffered. Let’s hope the club, albeit slowly, is doing the right thing.

J.B · Mar 24, 2021

You might say the thread has been 'swept under the carpet'. Any mods want to explain this?

UEA_Hornet · Mar 24, 2021

J.B said: ↑

You might say the thread has been 'swept under the carpet'. Any mods want to explain this?
Click to expand...

I imagine the answer is whoever moved didn't realise this article isn't behind the normal paywall.

Bwood_Horn · Mar 24, 2021

J.B said: ↑

You might say the thread has been 'swept under the carpet'. Any mods want to explain this?
Click to expand...

c&p of the extremely litigious "The Athletic" article?

wfc4ever · Mar 24, 2021

I guess the only thing that can be said on this generally as an issue is that hopefully all abuse like we have heard is thing of the past and those who suffered get the apologies they deserve.

Or if it does people can have the confidence and supper to speak up rather than be bullied into keeping quiet.

Smudger · Mar 28, 2021

The thread is locked for reasons which I have explained to J.B but I will also outline here. There are current ongoing investigations with legal ramifications which cannot be prejudiced. Furthermore as is the past we cannot as moderators allow the exceptional possibility of comments being made which are litigious in nature and thereby imperil the forum. These are the times we are living in. So for now the thread is being locked but moved back to the Nest. The article J.B has linked to is more than well worth reading as is watching the three part series on the BBC Football's Darkest Secret which casts a very dark shadow indeed over the sport and in which ones hearts and love can only go out to those who have suffered this abuse and in some cases committed suicide.

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Victims Of Ex-watford Physio Feel Club Have ‘swept Allegations Under The Carpet’

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