Newcastle United’s investigation into allegations of racism and bullying against Peter Beardsley will continue this week after he met with the club’s hierarchy at St James’ Park on Monday.
Sportsmail revealed on Sunday that African players in the academy had made allegations of racial abuse and that the Under-23s coach was set to meet with chief executive Lee Charnley and head of safeguarding Steve Swinyard the following day. That hearing has now concluded but no decision was made on Beardsley’s future.
We also reported that five of Beardsley’s players had given witness statements in support of Yasin Ben El-Mhanni, who accuses the former England international of bullying. El-Mhanni, 22, has his grievance meeting on Thursday.
Newcastle’s investigation into allegations of racism against Peter Beardsley will continue
Newcastle chiefs met on Monday but no decision about Beardsley’s future was reached
The Premier League are aware of the case but are not involved at this stage. If Newcastle find the allegations against Beardsley to be proven, it is expected that he will lose his job.
Sportsmail understands that concerns about Beardsley’s treatment of players were first raised last year when England youth international Lewis Gibson quit the club for Everton in a deal which could rise to £6million.
We have been told that one coach at Newcastle even advised Gibson to leave the club, so unhappy had he become.
The Premier League are aware of the case but are not involved at this stage
Sources have also spoken of the 56-year-old’s unpopularity among many of the players and staff at the academy, where he is now based after manager Rafa Benitez decided to make the club’s training ground exclusive to the first team.
The former England international and Newcastle captain is in his second spell as a coach with the Magpies.
In 2003 he and academy director Kenny Wharton were cleared by the Premier League after allegations of bullying were made by youth-team players James Beaumont, Ross Gardner and Neale McDermott, the son of former Newcastle assistant manager Terry.