Former Chelsea player Gary Johnson has reveal to the Daily Mirror that he was paid £50,000 pounds by the club to remain silent with his allegations of sexual abuse by Eddie Heath.
Following reports that a former player was paid by Chelsea to remain silent with sexual abuse allegations, Johnson 57, has claimed he is thatt individual.
"I think that they were paying me to keep a lid
on this," Johnson told the Daily Mirror, which
reported that Chelsea had now removed the
confidentiality clause in Johnson's settlement
made last year.
"Millions of fans around the world watch
Chelsea. They are one of the biggest and
richest clubs in the world.
"I felt shame, I felt my childhood had been
taken away," Johnson said. "I spent my late
teens in turmoil, absolute turmoil."
what went on. I know they asked me to sign a
gagging order and how many others are there
out there?
"They may have paid others for their silence. I
hope and pray no clubs are allowed to cover
this up -- no one should escape justice.
"We need total transparency now for the good
of the game. What makes me so angry is that I
went to them to say I had been abused and
they basically said, 'prove it.'"
Johnson played for Chelsea from 1978 to 1981, but joined the club as an 11-year-old in 1970. Johnson claims he was aware of other victims who had not come to make things public.
Chelsea said on Tuesday they would hold a
formal investigation into a former employee,
with the club refusing to comment on any of
the details.
However, Chelsea have reacted to Johson's claims in a club statement, also retaining an external law firm to carry out an investigation concerning an employee in the 1970s.
"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."
Johnson, 57, was a member of Chelsea's first
team from 1978 to 1981, but joined the club as
an 11-year-old in 1970 and claimed he had
been groomed from the age of 13 by Heath.
Eddie Heath, who is now deceased was the club's chief scout from 1968 to 1979, died before the allegations were made public.
