Dario Gradi, director of football at Crewe Alexandra, faces renewed questions on Friday over his attempt to clear the name of paedophile Barry Bennell 24 years ago.
After Bennell was found guilty of 43 sex offences against 11 victims by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, Sportsmail can reveal that Gradi wrote a glowing character reference for the former Crewe coach in 1994.
Gradi’s letter was part of an extra-ordinary campaign of support for Bennell after he had been arrested for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy in the United States in August that year.
Crewe Alexandra director of football Dario Gradi (right) faces questions about why he provided a character reference for serial paedophile Barry Bennell (left)
Former Crewe manager Gradi wrote a glowing character reference for Bennell after the coach had been arrested for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy in the United States in August 1994
Liverpool’s Rob Jones and Middlesbrough’s Craig Hignett — both players Bennell had coached at Crewe — were also among the 58 people who wrote statements in support of the paedophile. Some of the most grievously abused boys, including former Bury defender Andy Woodward and former Crewe midfielder Steve Walters, also contributed.
Manchester City are also facing an accusation they ignored a warning in 1979 that the predator posed a risk to children. Compensation claims have been lodged with City from former youth-team players, with more expected to follow.
Former Crewe boss Gradi, who has been suspended by the FA pending an investigation into sexual abuse in football, wrote a letter to a court in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1994 in support of Bennell, who was facing six charges of child abuse to which he later pleaded guilty.
Bennell was found guilty of 43 sex offences in total at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday
Gradi wrote on Crewe Alexandra headed notepaper to say that Bennell had a ‘great ability to communicate with kids and was responsible for bringing many boys to this club’. He had known Bennell for a decade and worked with him for five years. Gradi said in conclusion: ‘Not once during that time have I ever received a complaint from a boy or his parents of a sexual nature.’
Gradi has not responded to our requests for comment about his letter.
Gradi, described as ‘one of English football’s best developers of young players’ by the National Football Museum, insisted in November 2016 that he knew nothing of Bennell’s crimes until he was arrested in 1994.
Yet Hamilton Smith, a Crewe board member from 1986 to early 1990, said in November 2016 that he was so concerned about Bennell he had convened two management meetings in the late 1980s — the second in Gradi’s office and which Gradi attended.
Former Liverpool player Rob Jones (right) was also among those who supported Bennell
Ex-Middlesbrough striker Craig Hignett was among 32 fooled into backing Bennell’s character
There were 58 letters in all, demonstrating how comprehensively this serial paedophile fooled football. Hignett sent a hand-written note saying he had the ‘greatest respect for Barry’.
But it is the Gradi letter which will be of most interest to an FA-convened inquiry into historic sexual abuse in football. It is already examining a claim that 76-year-old Gradi tried to ‘smooth over’ an allegation of abuse against coach Eddie Heath when the pair worked at Chelsea in the 1970s.
Gradi has said of that allegation: ‘It would be inappropriate and unfair on all parties to comment piecemeal through the media . . . in connection with historic allegations.’
Then-Crewe youth team coach Bennell and manager Gradi with a young player in 1989
Some of the most grievously abused boys, including Andy Woodward, also contributed
There is no suggestion that Gradi is himself under suspicion of abusing minors. Following Bennell’s release from an American prison, Cheshire Police asked young players about Gradi during their first inquiry in 1998 and received nothing but positive comments about him.
Bennell, now 64, will be sentenced on Monday.
A Crewe statement read: ‘Crewe would like to reiterate that it was not aware of any sexual abuse by Mr Bennell, nor did it receive any complaint about sexual abuse by him, either before or during his employment with the club.’
Gradi (pictured in 2017) wrote on Crewe Alexandra headed paper to say Bennell had ‘a great ability to communicate with kids and was responsible for bringing many boys to this club’
There is no suggestion that Gradi is himself under suspicion of abusing minors