Thursday 24 November 2016 11:42, UK
Former Crewe Alexandra player Andy Woodward will meet FA officials on Thursday at Wembley to discuss his account of sexual abuse in football.
In an interview last week with The Guardian, Woodward broke his silence on abuse he suffered at the hands of coach Barry Bennell while at Crewe between the ages of 11 and 15.
Ex-Crewe midfielder Steve Walters and former Manchester City forward David White have since also claimed to have been abused by Bennell, while former England international Paul Stewart has described the abuse he suffered from an unnamed youth coach as a child over a four-year period.
Bennell was jailed for nine years in 1998 after pleading guilty to sexual offences.
Woodward told Sky Sports News HQ a fear of failing to fulfil his dream of becoming a professional footballer prevented him speaking out over the sexual abuse he suffered.
"I was scared, I was frightened, all sorts of emotions that I can't even put into words how I was feeling," Woodward said in an exclusive interview with SSNHQ.
"But the underlying thing was that I knew that man had the key to my future and that threat that he continually gave me was insignificant to what I actually wanted, and all I wanted was to walk out at Old Trafford or Gresty Road - wherever it was - just to become a professional footballer.
"And that is what every other victim has gone through. They needed that so much that this power and control took over everything."
When asked if he felt speaking out would cost him the chance of fulfilling his dream, the 43-year-old added: "Absolutely, and that is what everyone will tell you.
"That fear overrode the desire to play and they knew it, and that power they had over that was just so immense that it was complete control, over football really.
"For many years, I blamed myself for what was happening. It's probably a bit too early to talk about the actual emotions, although I said this a long time ago, it has brought so many memories back.
"But you go through all sorts of emotions of guilt and 'why didn't I tell somebody?' I am at a point now when I know why I didn't say anything because it wasn't my fault... it wasn't my fault what had happened."
Sky News understands that 11 people have now approached Cheshire Police with information regarding alleged football-related abuse and the force are now in the process of contacting them. No arrests have been made.
*A new hotline for footballers who have been the victims of sexual abuse has been launched by the NSPCC. The hotline will be available 24 hours a day on 0800 023 2642.
