FOOTBALLER Andy Woodward wept as Steve Walters, Chris Unsworth and Jason Dunford spoke of being abused by ex-Crewe Alexandra coach Barry Bennell in an emotional TV interview.
Police in Britain are widening their enquiries into the historical sexual abuse of young footballers after receiving allegations against more than one person.
Last week Mr Woodward became the first to speak out publicly about his ordeal with Barry Bennell, a former coach who sexually abused young boys across three decades from the 1970s onward.
Former Manchester City youth team player Jason Dunford has alleged a paedophile ring was running in professional football and that it was covered up as part of a conspiracy.
Mr Dunford claims the scandal is bigger than the one involving former television presenter Jimmy Savile and that football clubs failed to protect youngsters.
"I believe there was a conspiracy and paedophile ring," Mr Dunford told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme. He said he had been staying at a Butlins holiday camp after winning a football competition when Bennell attempted to touch him in bed.
"There were people at those clubs who had a duty to look after boys coming through their system.
"I think Savile looks like a choirboy compared to this fella."
Chris Unsworth was another former Crewe youth team player to come forward with allegations against Bennell, claiming the club turned a blind eye to what was happening.
"It could have been prevented," he told the programme.
"Everything we have been through has been brushed under the carpet and that is why we are here today.
"Hopefully others will come out and join us."
Crewe refused to comment on the latest allegations, referring to the response given by club officials on Thursday.
"There is no press conference or any comment other than the statements made by club chairman John Bowler and Dario Gradi," said a statement.
Mr Dunford and Mr Unsworth appeared on the programme alongside Mr Woodward and Steve Walters, all of whom waived their right to anonymity.
Mr Walters, who still holds the record as Crewe's youngest first-team player, felt the system had failed youngsters and while improvements had been made in recent years he called for a complete overhaul after recent allegations.
"My parents put their trust into a football club and surely they should have vetted and made sure the person looking after us was a 'normal' person," he said.
"All the organisations who are supposed to be responsible for football and looking after children have a duty to protect us.
"The whole of football needs ripping apart, this can never ever happen to any young footballer again."
A tearful Mr Woodward, who was first to go public with his story, admitted he had been taken aback by the support he had received.
With more allegations emerging he felt it was now time to combine them with the much larger independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, prompted by the Savile abuse case, which is investigating whether public bodies and other non-state institutions have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse in England and Wales.
"If it helps for all of us to move forward in football and it will help safeguard everyone in sport then that is fine," he said.
"I've spoken to the Football Association and I will do everything I can to help those young kids.
"I know there are more out there and they can do it (come forward), they really can do it."
Meanwhile, Newcastle have pledged their full assistance with any enquiries after The Guardian reported an unnamed former player had contacted police to make allegations against George Ormond, a coach in the north-east who was jailed for six years in 2002 for carrying out numerous assaults across a 24-year period.
"Clearly Newcastle United will co-operate fully with the police and relevant authorities and provide every assistance we can if or when the club receives further information," said a statement.
"The club would encourage anyone with information about possible child abuse in our game to report their concerns to the police, the football authorities or the NSPCC."
Bennell, who worked for Crewe, Manchester City, Stoke and several junior teams in north-west England and the midlands, was given a four-year sentence for raping a British boy on a football tour of Florida in 1994 and then a nine-year sentence in 1998 for 23 offences against six boys in England.
He was jailed for a third time in 2015 when he pleaded guilty to abusing a boy at a football camp in Macclesfield in 1980.
That prompted more former players to come forward and the subsequent publicity, and the setting up of a dedicated helpline by the NSPCC has sparked a response from a number of other potential victims.
"We can confirm that a growing number of disclosures have been made to Cheshire Constabulary, including referrals received from the NSPCC in relation to non-recent child sexual abuse linked to football," said a statement from Cheshire Police.
"These have included allegations made against more than one individual.
"Officers continue to contact all those individuals who have disclosed information.
"Cheshire Constabulary understands that this is an extremely difficult and emotive subject, and hard to talk about, but anyone who has been directly affected by this is encouraged to contact police on 101.
"If you don't feel you can speak to the police, or you have information that could help, you can call the NSPCC/FA helpline on 0800 023 2642."
