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The Celtic Scandal - Silence Is No Longer An Option Written by: General Schomberg Saturday, 20th April 2013 In recent weeks, we’ve seen two large organisations’ reputations left in tatters following revelations of vile sex scandals in their midst. The British Broadcasting Corporation has reeled amid accusations of sleazy cover-ups, gagging clauses, bullying and intimidation in relation to the Jimmy Savile paedophilia scandal. Following the Pollard Report, one senior BBC executive resigned and another three were moved from their jobs. BCC Director General George Entwistle had already resigned in disgrace last November. The Roman Catholic Church in Scotland has shamed itself, its adherents and the nation as a whole in the way it tried to minimalise the Cardinal O’Brien scandal. Initially O’Brien denied claims of sexual impropriety through rent-a-quote spokesman Peter Kearney. A week later, O’Brien, a man who had been only too keen to moralise to the rest of society, admitted his guilt. Observer journalist Catherine Devenney had been dogged in her quest for truth and justice, and O’Brien’s fate was sealed. The normally quote-happy Kearney has since disappeared up his own backside it would seem. Meanwhile the Daily Express ran the headline “Disgraced Cardinal Keith O’Brien sorry for ‘drunken fumblings”. In both cases, the media duly investigated and reported events as they unfolded. That is what they are paid to do. The days of pressure being applied by the guilty and “softly softy” responses from a compliant media are over. Paedophilia and sexual deviance are no longer tip-toed around by British newspaper editors and radio/TV producers. I was quite amazed when BBC Radio Scotland allowed Catherine Devenney to reveal, unequivocally, that the Roman Catholic Church had lied when claiming details of the allegations against O’Brien had been unknown to them. Ms. Devenney shot their untruths to pieces when she told of sending concise details by email to Kearney and co. and asking them to respond, to no avail. It’s worth remembering that in both cases, the shameful acts took place decades ago. So, with this new-found era of openness, transparency and refusal to be silenced so prevalent in the written and broadcasting British media, one subject still seems taboo; the Celtic paedophilia scandal. That this despicable episode in Celtic Football Clubs’ history continues to be covered up to this day is another scandal worthy of investigation in its own right. To jog the memory; a number of officials and employees of Celtic Football Club were aware the vile sexual molestation of young boys, some as young as 12 and 13, by the paedophile Jim Torbett, who ran Celtic’s youth structure. Included in the “those who knew” list were Celtics board of directors, manager Jock Stein and club captain Billy McNeil. Torbett was eventually sentenced to 2 years in prison for his crimes. Sheriff Margaret Gimblett, passing sentence said that only letters pleading for leniency “stopped her sending Torbett to the High Court, where a far longer sentence could have been imposed”. Who wrote these letters remains unclear. Those who covered up Torbett’s activities were never brought to task and forced to explain why they did so. No official apology was made. Celtic paid no compensation to victims, many of whom had their lives ruined by. Sickeningly, Torbett was actually allowed to RETURN to Celtic after his “indiscretions” were brought to the fore, enabling him to molest more children. If I may recap on evidence heard at Glasgow Sheriff Court and reported in various newspapers during the Daily Record’s expose and Torbett’s subsequent trial: 1. “Jock Stein and the Celtic board covered up allegations made against Boys' Club founder Jim Torbett…… He (witness Hugh Birt) told how he took the allegations against Torbett to the Celtic board and Stein and even told the then vice-chairman, Kevin Kelly, about them at a meeting…… I was told by Jock Stein to keep the name of Celtic Football Club clean at all times." (1) 2. “Kevin Kelly (former Celtic Chairman), still honorary president of the (Celtic) boys' club, is a fellow director of Torbett's company The Trophy Centre, and current board member Jack McGinn is an employee……it is not clear why a man widely regarded as a child abuser was allowed back into a position of responsibility at the boys' club.” (2) 3. “Birt claims he was concerned about the behaviour of both Cairney and Torbett - who wheedled his way back in after Stein's death – and raised the matter with the club. Before he knew it Birt was asked to resign. When he stood his ground and refused, Celtic withdrew his ticket to the directors' box and he had no option but to get out.” (2) 4. “Why didn't they blow the whistle?.......a pervert was allowed to prey on a succession of vulnerable kids……while those (at Celtic) in authority looked the other way…… why - despite the stream of accusations of sexual abuse - was Torbett still acting for Celtic in an official capacity as late as 1993?...... why did former Celtic chairman Kevin Kelly - who was made aware of the allegations - give Torbett his endorsement by becoming a director of his Trophy Centre shops? …….The police must carry out an immediate criminal investigation……” (3) 5. “A disturbing aspect is the allegation of a cover-up to maintain Celtic's image. That is shameful…… (4). 6. “It (Torbett’s crimes) was an open secret at Parkhead” former Celtic captain Billy McNeil (5) 7. “Dark secret that took 30 years to expose; NO MORE COVER-UPS: HOW THE RECORD BROUGHT AN END TO THE CANCER THAT EXISTED IN CELTIC BOYS' CLUB………from the boardroom to the dressing room, it was murmured that Celtic Boys' Club boss Jim Torbett was molesting young stars….. to a man, the Celtic board did nothing to expose the pervert and the dreadful scandal…….if ever a story had been hushed up it was this one…the shameful silence only helped the man who preyed on the teenage hopefuls, knowing they would be too afraid to reveal the truth”. (6) 8. Victim 1 – “the burly six-footer broke down in tears as he recalled the abuse that ended his football career and has left him depressed and lonely.” Victim 2 – “Now an alcoholic, the man had carried his burden for 23 years. He told through tears of the night Torbett performed a sex act on him as other boys slept nearby on a Boys' Club trip to Norway. He was 13 years of age.” Victim 3 – “He said that he had been abused by Torbett and he believed there were other victims. (He) had also been molested in Torbett's home.” (6) 9. “HUGH Birt's 25-year crusade has been to unmask perverts like Jim Torbett. Today, 12 years after he quit as chairman of Celtic Boys' Club over the sex abuse cover- up, Hugh is still angry. He is convinced that there are dozens of other Torbett victims suffering in silence……."Jock said to me to keep its (Celtics) name clean…..he (Birt) said (Celtic Chairman Kevin) Kelly, who had just been given a plum job at Torbett's Trophy Centre, promised to investigate and the claims were reported to the Boys' Club committee. But minutes from that meeting have vanished. Hugh claims he finally quit after a row with Kelly over the abuse claims." (6) It is beyond any reasonable doubt that Celtic Football Club and specifically its board and manager covered up the sordid crimes of Jim Torbett. Only a Celtic fan suffering from an acute case of denial and delusion could contest this. In the USA, an almost identical case came to light last year. The officials of NCAA football club Penn State were found to have “looked the other way……top officials at Penn State concealed accusations for fear of bad publicity” as coach Jerry Sandusky “brought boys onto the campus and molested them” (7) In doing the honourable and decent thing, Penn State Football accepted the NCAA punishments. A $60 million fine; 4 year ban from playing; 111 victories over 14 years erased. Further, one of the coaches involved in the cover-up, Joe Paterno, had his statue removed from the Penn State campus. NCAA President Mark Emmert stated that the penalties “reflect the magnitude of these terrible acts'' and stated that the NCAA had considered “imposing the death penalty” for the club. What we have here is a very curious situation. On the other side of the Atlantic a sport’s governing body fine a member club $60 million and strip them of 14 years of victories, as well as putting them out the game for 4 years, for covering up paedophilia in their midst. Here in Scotland, in an identical case, the Scottish Football Association don't as much as impose a £5 fine on a member club guilty of the same. Why the huge disparity? Celtic Football Club covered up the most heinous of crimes. Lives were destroyed because of their actions, or more to the point, their inactions. Meanwhile another member club, Rangers, are fined £250,000 by a governing body for clerical errors. Something stinks. Who at the Scottish Football Association decided Celtic would not be punished in any way, shape or form? Which Procurator Fiscal decided no charges would be brought against those at Celtic who by their disgraceful cover-up regards Torbett's crimes sentenced children to a life of misery? Is the blind eye turned to the Celtic cover-up part of a wider circle of dishonour and deceit? We need answers to these questions and many others surrounding Celtic's shame. Too late to do anything? Savile (were he still alive) and O'Brien may disagree. The days of cover-up often aided by a complaint media are gone. Perhaps not entirely in this country, time will tell, but certainly elsewhere. Just ask Penn State Football. Some of you may care to seek those answers. You could do worse than asking the good and honest people running Operation Yewtree to investigate as a starting point. Perhaps Fox News may be interested in this clear perversion of justice? Something needs to be done, or what remains the greatest sporting scandal in British history will never result in closure. (1) Daily Record, 11th July 1998. (2) Scotland on Sunday 18th August 1996 (3) Daily Record 12th August 1996 (4) Daily Record 13th November 1998 (5) Billy McNeil, Evening Times 13th November 1998 (6) Daily Record 13th November 1998 (7) Fox Sports 24th July 2012

He signed for Hartlepool United on loan from newcastle a few month back got one game as sub and was not seen again, he looked fast and small

sometimes you think you have seen bad football I have been to a few Hartlepool matches this season and the football i have seen is dire deep dire, then i watch this rubbish. must be up there with one of the worse football matches i have watched. keep the faith we can win this 1-0 mon the rangers.

Second half must be better, we cannae do any worse than what we did in the 1st half. must play the ball faster and on the floor.

R.I.P sorry to hear this one of the older gents.am sure he will be in my blue heaven joining in the chat and putting his point across.

Doddie love scoring with diving headers.think i was at most if not all of these games

Dave King put your money on the table and buy the club, if not then go away. leave it to people who are trying to do the best they can for the club, but you keep popping up and stiring up bad feeling. as we get back to where we belong in top division the value of the club goes up people like king see the money that can be made if he get enough money from the season tickets and bugger off back to SA with all your money. I'm sure he thinks hes doing well but he not. so King so us your own money or bugger off back to SA and stop trying to cause our down fall again.

In need of cough anyone help out thanks

lol just like me to be late lol

BT Sport on virgin media is free this weekend dont know what matches are on arsenal match on saturday lunch time. french ,german, matches and of of course other sports and espn is also free. 6pm friday to 6am monday. Dont thank me all at once lol

Fantastic video and the tune was good, the troops look like the had a great day. thanks for putting this on. Cheers

glasgow perthshire. i use to go see them when i could not get to rangers matches in the 70's, 80's and 90's possil lad

Dad stays a kick in the arse from Ibrox stadium was might to say in the last post.

Rangers will always be my team, my boy is a season ticket holder and my dad stays a kick in the arse for the stadium, i went to games for over 35 years but have moved to Hartlepool and now go and watch Hartlepool United Fc season ticket holder £150 for the season is to good to miss. but will be looking for the rangers score every match. Rangers Fc, Glasgow Perthshire, Hartlepool United are my teams

did we not have to play them at arsenals ground after the game end in a draw on agg, am sure i had the program from that match. the ref made a mistake about pens and done the coin toss which had been done away with so the need for the final match at highbury. if am wrong then sorry. minds not the same old age catching up.

http://rangers.co.uk/index.php/tickets/season-tickets/#FAQs

thought i read somewhere that a ticket for tomorrows match would be deducted for the price of your ST if you have to buy a paper ticket if you ticket has not arrived in time. not sure where i read it. Might have been a dream, like Rangers scottish football league 3 division club have 35, 000 season tickets. sometimes dreams do come true. WATP

Rangers twitter has it 4-0 to Rangers IX at half time.

if he gets the rangers tops in sports direct am all for it, went round to JJB shop to in the retail park in Hartlepool, said to the lad wheres the Rangers tops he says you will need to order it and come back next week. They are opening a new sports direct in the town centre here so please let mike sell the strips in his shops please. I was at Hartlepool V Newcastle match last tuesday night which newcastle won 5-1 and half their team were reserve players some very good players.

they have won it 3 times. so maybe they were showing off.

were they not one of the lower league clubs who have won the cup. am sure they are read it somewhere or seen it somewhere.

Who Cares !!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats it.

Nice Touch by Charles Green, coming over and thanking the fans, waiting in line for tickets at Ibrox. @RFC_Official @rangersfctrust noticed this on twitter. well done the man makes you feel better if you have been standing a while.

still looking for that one more manager. anyone fancy giving it a go.

My league in xperteleven is looking for new blood, i have lost a couple of managers and need two in for the new season. i needed two new managers i have already got one manager to join so one place left. so do you want to be number 20 we then will have to divisions of 10 http://www.xperteleven.com/?lid=92057 take a team from the job centre or start a new team you choose.