Crewe coach suspended in new inquiry
Crewe Alexandra, the club at the centre of the Barry Bennell abuse scandal that rocked English football, has become embroiled in more controversy after suspending their head of foundation over a separate safeguarding allegation that the Football Association said was now in the hands of the police.
Carl Everall has also been suspended from all-football related activities by the FA while the governing body investigate allegations made about his behaviour.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Everall started working full time for Crewe 14 months ago although he has coached in the League Two club’s academy since 2013.
The FA said the police were also involved. A Football Association spokesman said: “This is a safeguarding and police matter so therefore the FA is not in a position to comment.”
Telegraph Sport has contacted Cheshire Police for comment.
The news is another blow to Crewe, whose reputation has taken a battering in the wake of the scandal surrounding their former coach Bennell, who was described in court as the “devil incarnate” and a “child molester on an industrial scale”. Bennell was jailed for 30 years in February for child sexual offences against junior players from Crewe and Manchester City between 1979 and 1990.
Dario Gradi, the Crewe director of football and the club’s former manager, was suspended by the FA in December 2016, since when he has still not returned to work. Gradi, who has been at Crewe since 1983 and employed Bennell as a youth team coach, was told to stay away from the club and all football activity while his specific role was investigated.
Gradi’s suspension has been shrouded in mystery and it has never been explained if it was related to events at Crewe or allegations that he had visited the house of a 15-year-old Chelsea youth team player during his time at the London club to “smooth over” a complaint of sexual assault against their former chief scout Eddie Heath.
Everall’s suspension is the latest crisis to engulf the club. It is unclear how long Crewe have been aware of the allegations against Everall but talks between chairman John Bowler and staff on Wednesday led to the club releasing a statement after news of Everall’s suspension leaked.
“You will appreciate that it is not appropriate for us to comment in detail at this time,” it said. “I can, however, confirm that all relevant and appropriate procedures have been followed.”
Everall spent 16 months working as be first team manager at Whitchurch Alport, a North West Counties club, and occupied a similar position before then at non league Crewe FC. Between January 2011 and January 2013 he worked as an Under-12 academy coach at Port Vale. Everall has a degree in sports and exercise from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Clive Sheldon, the QC heading up the FA commissioned independent inquiry into the abuse scandal that has shamed football, announced last month that it was being delayed indefinitely due in large part to the possibility of Bennell facing a fresh criminal trial.
Bennell is waiting to hear if the Crown Prosecution Service will press more charges relating to claims from other alleged victims.
Manchester City and Chelsea have conducting their own investigations but Crewe’s decision to renege on a promise to conduct their own internal inquiry has been greeted with a mixture of outrage and disbelief by Bennell’s victims and MPs.
