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      I was abused by Barry Bennell when I was on a youth team – Gary Speed was among four he coached who took their lives

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      ONE of Barry Bennell’s young victims told how ex-Premier League star Gary Speed was among four men who later took their own lives having been coached by the serial paedophile.Former Wales international midfielder and manager Speed played for one of the junior football teams run by sex offender Bennell, who has died in prison aged 70.
      Premier League star Gary Speed was coached as a kid by Barry BennellCredit: PA:Press Association
      Serial paedophile Bennell has died in jail aged 70Credit: PA
      One of Bennell’s victims told a Liverpool Crown Court trial in 2018 how he tried to contact Speed’s parents after their son hanged himself at the age of 42 in November 2011.
      Speed was Wales manager at the time of his death, having played in the Premier League for Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers.
      Bennell’s death was confirmed this afternoon by the Prison Service.
      The Sun understands that the paedophile, who had cancer, died on Saturday morning at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire.
      Read More On Barry Bennell
      Bennell had worked in the 1980s and 1990s as a youth coach at Crewe Alexandra, Manchester City and Stoke City.
      He also had links to youth teams across Cheshire, Derbyshire, Greater Manchester and Staffordshire, exploiting his position to sexually abuse young boys.
      Bennell was first put behind bars for four years in the United States in 1994 after abusing a 13-year-old British boy at a football camp in Florida.
      He later returned to Britain, where his lengthy record as a predator was exposed in 1997 by Channel 4’s Dispatches film Soccer’s Foul Play.
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      Bennell was imprisoned for nine years at Chester Crown Court after admitting 23 charges dating back to the 1970s.
      He confessed in 2015 to enticing a boy under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency in the early 1980s, receiving a further two years in jail.
      More courageous victims then came forward after ex-footballer Andy Woodward went public with how he had been groomed and abused by Bennell for four years, starting when he was aged only 11.
      Bennell was found guilty of more than 50 sexual offences against 22 boys at Liverpool Crown Court in 2018 and sentenced to 34 years.
      That trial heard from a victim who brought up Speed’s name, as he told the court: “Four people from teams I have played with, with Bennell, have taken their own lives.
      “Whether they have taken their lives due to Barry solely, I don’t know, but all I know is how it’s had an impact on me and how it could impact on other people.”
      Speed’s mum Carol has said her son was interviewed twice by police over Bennell and insisted he was never assaulted.
      And his dad Gary said: “I don’t think so – Gary wouldn’t have it. Honestly, no way.
      “He was old enough in the head even at that age he knew what he wanted. He was a clever lad.”
      But an alleged witness claimed Bennell assaulted him while Gary was in the same bed — and said he was “99.9 per cent certain” the future star suffered the same sickening treatment.
      Bennell’s death on Saturday came at HMP Littlehey, a prison for sex offenders.
      Eight men abused by Bennell are reportedly appealing after having their damages claim against Manchester City dismissed by the High Court.
      An inquest into Speed’s death recorded a narrative verdict, saying he died from “self-suspension” but with the coroner unable to say whether he intended to kill himself.
      Hours before his death Speed had appeared as a guest on BBC1 show Football Focus.
      He then watched Newcastle play at Old Trafford against Manchester United alongside former team-mate Alan Shearer, before driving home to Huntington in Cheshire.
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      His widow Louise, who discovered his body, later revealed a poignant letter he wrote about his mental health struggles when aged just 17.
      Louise suffered more heartbreak earlier this year when her new husband Quinton Bird died from brain cancer aged 53.
      If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
      Midfielder Speed’s last club was Sheffield United before he became Wales managerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Bennell was given a 34-year prison term at Liverpool Crown Court in 2018Credit: PA:Press Association More

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      Barry Bennell dead – Paedo football coach who abused more than 20 boys while working at top clubs dies in prison aged 70

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      PAEDO football coach Barry Bennell has died in prison aged 70 – after he abused more than 20 boys at top clubs.The Sun understands that the predator, who had cancer, died at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire on Saturday morning.
      Paedo coach Barry Bennell has died in prisonCredit: PA
      The predator abused more than 20 boysCredit: PA:Press Association
      Bennell was a youth coach at Crewe Alexandra, Manchester City and Stoke City in the 1980s and 1990s.
      He also had links to youth teams across Cheshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Greater Manchester – and used his position to sexually abuse boys.
      The paedo was first jailed for four years in the US in 1994 after he abused a 13-year-old British boy at a football camp in Florida.
      Bennell returned to the UK, where his broader record as an predator was exposed by the 1997 Channel 4 Dispatches film Soccer’s Foul Play.
      Read More UK News
      He was jailed for nine years at Chester Crown Court after admitting 23 offences dating back to the 1970s.
      In 2015 Bennell pleaded guilty to enticing a boy under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency in the early 1980s – and was jailed for two more years.
      More brave victims came forward after footballer Andy Woodward revealed he had been groomed and abused by Bennell for four years, starting when he was just 11.
      He was convicted of more than 50 sexual offences against 22 boys at Liverpool Crown Court in 2018.
      Most read in Football
      Handing the monster a 34-year jail term, the judge described him as the “devil incarnate”.
      Bennell was jailed at HMP Littlehey, a prison for sex offenders in Cambridgeshire.
      The court heard how Bennell contacted one of his former victims through Facebook to tell him that his cancer diagnosis was “payback”.
      Eight men abused by Bennell are reportedly appealing after the High Court dismissed their damages claim against Manchester City.
      One of the men slammed City’s “callous” compensation scheme for Bennell’s victims.
      A Prison Service spokeswoman said: “Prisoner Barry Bennell died at HMP Littlehey on 16 September 2023.
      “As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.” More

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      Pro footballer who crashed his car and smashed into driver after taking laughing gas is jailed

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      A PRO footballer has been jailed for a year for causing a horrific car crash after taking laughing gas.Flynn Clarke’s BMW swerved into the opposite carriageway in April last year – and into a motorhome.
      Flynn Clarke has been jailed for a year for causing a car crash after taking laughing gasCredit: Getty
      A court heard the Norwich City player, 20, lost control after clipping a kerb while exiting a roundabout.
      The driver of the motorhome which suffered significant injuries, while a male passenger in the BMW said he feared he’d never walk again.
      Clarke, who has also played for Scotland’s under-21 side, admitted three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
      Peterborough Crown Court heard he also accepts having used nitrous oxide – more commonly known as laughing gas.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      However, there were “unclear and conflicting accounts” whether it had been taken at the time or immediately prior to the collision.
      Jailing Clarke for 12 months and banning him from driving for 30 months, Judge Sean Enright said his actions had led to “immense harm”.
      Prosecutors said witnesses had described the young professional footballer driving in an “indecisive manner” and struggling to stay in his lane prior to the crash, which occurred on the A47 near Thorney, Cambs.
      He was driving with his girlfriend in the front passenger seat and three male friends in the back, the court was told.
      Most read in Football
      Clarke’s BMW then swerved into the opposite carriageway and ploughed head-on into a motorhome.
      The owner of the motorhome vehicle, a HGV driver, said he has been unable to work since the crash which left him with a fractured pelvis, knee, hip and ankle.
      He has since been forced to undergo multiple operations including a hip replacement.
      In a victim impact statement read to the court, he added that his injuries had left him unable to do things he previously took for granted – including playing football with his grandson.
      The victim said: “Over the last 16 months I have been in pain and discomfort.
      “This incident sends a shiver up my back when I think of it, and how the consequences should have been very different.”
      A 21-year-old passenger in Clarke’s BMW told the court he’d feared he may never walk again after being airlifted to hospital with internal bleeding, having sustained a broken collar bone, sternum and vertebrae.
      The young man added he could be in pain for the rest of his life and that, while Clarke did not set out to cause the crash, he “has to live with the consequences”.
      Clarke’s defence counsel, Tommy Dominguez KC, said the crash had occurred due to a “momentary lapse of concentration” and added that Clarke had shown “significant remorse”.
      “He has not looked to offer any excuses,” he said. “He has taken full responsibility for his actions.”
      The court was also told Norwich City was likely to terminate the footballer’s employment if he was sent to prison.
      Judge Enright also banned Clarke from driving for 30 months.
      Clarke, born in Peterborough, Cambs., was signed by Norwich in 2021 after just a handful of senior appearances for Peterborough United.
      He had a brief loan spell with League Two club Walsall last year and was signed on loan earlier this month by National League outfit Dagenham & Redbridge.
      He made his debut for Scotland’s U21 side in September last year and was on the score sheet during a 1-1 draw with Northern Ireland.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      In a statement, Norwich City said they would ‘”consider the matter internally in accordance with its own disciplinary procedure”.
      It is currently not illegal to possess or use nitrous oxide. However, earlier this week MPs voted in favour of making it a Class C drug. More

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      I’m David Ginola’s secret lovechild – we met for first time in 28 years, he said I was ‘a real Ginola’ then cut me out

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      FOOTIE legend  David Ginola’s lovechild has revealed she met him for the first time after 28 years and he said “Yes, you are a real Ginola” — then cut her adrift again.Joy Pinquier wept as the former France international finally admitted he is her dad and hugged her during an emotional meeting in her home town of Marseille.
      Joy Pinquier wept as former France international footballer David Ginola embraced her after nearly three decades apartCredit: Louis Wood
      Joy now says dad David has cut her adrift ever since their emotional meetingCredit: Rex
      David had met mum Joelle Pinquier in France where he was playing his football at the time
      But now devastated Joy claims she feels abandoned all over again  as following their hour-long meeting he severed any further contact.
      In an exclusive interview Joy said: “He looked me up and down and said, ‘Yes, you are a real Ginola.’ I replied, ‘Why did you ever doubt it?’
      “He took me in his arms and embraced me and it was a very special moment.
      “I had tears in my eyes because it was the hug I had always dreamed of having with my dad.
      READ MORE DAVID GINOLA
      “We talked for about an hour and it felt like we were connecting.
      “He kept saying we would go to a restaurant to get to know each other better but, 18 months later, I still haven’t seen him.”
      Ginola, 56, agreed to meet Joy after appearing on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! in 2021.
      Joy, now 30, said: “Two years ago I wrote to him through his Instagram account and, much to my surprise, he replied.
      Most read in Football
      “I gave him my phone number and he called. We must have spoken on the phone for about two hours and after that we started exchanging messages on WhatsApp.
      “One day I saw he was going to Marseille, where I live, to play boules with his friends. I decided to head over to meet him.
      “I sent a text to let him know I was there and, as I walked over, I saw he had a big smile on his face. Now I realise that he never had any interest in being my father, he was just being polite.
      “It’s a horrible thing to say, but I feel like I have been abandoned a second time.”
      David with ex-wife Coraline, who is mum to his son Andrea and daughter CarlaCredit: Getty
      The meeting came despite Ginola refusing to have contact with her for the first 28 years of her life.
      He was married and already had his first son Andrea, now 31, with model wife Coraline, 54 — also mum to his 28-year-old daughter Carla — when Joy was conceived during a fling with Joy’s mum in 1991.
      A French court ordered Ginola to take a DNA test confirming paternity three times but he always refused.
      Under French law, he was then automatically declared the father.
      Ginola was ordered to pay €450 (£345) a month in child support until Joy turned 18.
      Her mum Joelle Pinquier, 56, was working as a secretary in Brest, where Ginola was playing for the local club, when they met.
      He went on to play for Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Everton.
      He was also capped 17 times by France before retiring in 2002.
      Ginola continues to work as a commentator in England and France and was one of the biggest stars of the 21st series of I’m a Celebrity, where he finished fourth.
      Joy said: “Mum had no idea he was married — he must have hidden his wedding ring in his pocket. I found out that he was my dad when I was six years old.
      “I remember we were playing a child’s game with a sticker album and when I came to his photo, I drew a heart on it.
      “That’s when my mother said to me: ‘I have a secret to tell you about that man, but I will tell you about it when you are old enough to understand.’
      “I said, ‘Tell me now’ and kept insisting. Eventually, she admitted he was my father.
      “It was difficult to comprehend. I loved watching football and he was a magnificent player and such a big star in France.
      “I would watch him on television all the time and I was in awe of him. Not having him around, it felt like a huge hole in my life.
      “I couldn’t understand why he didn’t want to be my dad.
      “A father plays such a hugely important role for a little girl.
      “Anyone that misses that is going to have a hard time and my childhood was tough. I stayed with my grandparents in Paris a lot as my mother struggled to raise me alone and we didn’t have much money.
      “I missed my dad and I needed his love and his guidance, but he did not want to take responsibility or own up to his mistake.
      “He was told to have a DNA test by the court — the first time was when I was ten or 11 years old — but he refused.
      “He started paying child support when I turned 13, but still he refused to see me and I felt his absence more and more as I got older.”
      Joy laid eyes on her dad for the first time when she turned 15.
      She said: “He asked to meet me at a lawyer’s office in Marseille, to see if we looked alike, but at the last minute he changed his mind.
      “When I got to the lawyer’s office, he was already leaving.
      “We saw each other across a spiral staircase and he looked at me and smiled.
      “To me, it looked like a smirk. It was horrible. By the time I got home I was in floods of tears.”
      Joy’s next close encounter with her dad came in May 2016, when she was 22. Ginola, who had recently separated from Coraline, collapsed during a charity football game in the south of France that month.
      He had suffered a cardiac arrest and was clinically dead for eight minutes but survived because his friend and fellow footballer Frederic Mendy performed CPR.
      Ginola was airlifted to hospital in Monaco where surgeons performed a six-hour quadruple bypass.
      Joy drove 136 miles to the hospital from Marseille as soon as she heard the news.
      She said: “I didn’t want the first day I met my dad to be when he was dead.
      “I got as far as his room. The staff outside asked to see my ID then refused to let me in.
      “Later that year, I was watching one of the games at the Euros in France when David appeared as a commentator on the big screen. I immediately burst into tears.”
      It would be another five years before their next contact.
      Joy said: “After we first spoke on the phone, he would write to me on WhatsApp and say ‘Happy birthday’ and things like that.
      “It gave me hope, but he never ended his messages ‘Dad’, he always ended them ‘David’.
      “Also, he refused to apologise. He told me he was not sorry because he had told my mother that he did not want to have a child — he was very harsh about the situation. I now realise that I can’t force him to be my father.
      “I am not interested in his money and I never wanted to attack him publicly. I always felt it my responsibility to defend his reputation.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “But it’s got to a point where I feel a terrible anger and resentment towards my dad.
      “More than anything, I want to finally look him in the eye and ask why he treated me like he did.”
      Ginola enjoyed a successful career in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and EvertonCredit: Getty
      He appeared on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! in 2021 and later agreed to meet JoyCredit: PA More

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      Ex-Spanish FA boss Luis Rubiales to be hauled in front of judge in criminal probe over World Cup kiss with Jenni Hermoso

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      FORMER Spanish FA chief Luis Rubiales has been called to testify in court following a criminal probe for suspected sexual assault and coercion.It comes after the disgraced football president, 46, sparked outrage when his country won the Women’s World Cup earlier this month and he kissed Jenni Hermoso without her consent.
      It comes after Rubiales kissed Jenni Hermoso, 33, without her consent after the Spanish team won the Women’s World Cup
      Hermoso paved the way for Rubiales’ prosecution by admitting she “felt vulnerable and the victim of aggression”, after the kissCredit: Enterprise
      He is set to be questioned today at the Audiencia Nacional court in Madrid by judge Francisco de Jorge who is conducting the criminal probe.
      It emerged yesterday he had opened his investigation into the 46-year-old after a formal complaint was lodged by prosecutors.
      A spokesman for the court said the judge would be requesting footage of the kiss and other relevant videos as part of his probe.
      It comes after Hermoso, 33, paved the way for Rubiales’ prosecution by admitting she “felt vulnerable and the victim of aggression”, after the kiss.
      READ MORE ON RUBIALES
      The judge agreed to launch his investigation less than 24 hours after Rubiales sensationally quit as FA chief and UEFA vice-president following the scandal.
      Rubiales previously doubled down on the scandal, promising to “defend his innocence” after announcing his resignation on Sunday night.
      After news of his resignation broke, the disgraced football star tweeted: “I will defend my honour. I will defend my innocence.
      “I have faith in the future. I have faith in the truth.
      Most read in Football
      “Thanks everyone.”
      A statement from Spain’s highest court previously said: “Prosecutors from the National Court have opened a preliminary investigation to look into the facts, which could constitute an offence of sexual assault.”
      Prosecutors also reportedly received complaints of “obscene exhibitionism before a minor” when Rubiales appeared to grab his crotch in the stands next to Spain’s Princess Infanta Sofía.
      He apologised to the Spanish royal family previously for the display, saying: “I apologise to the Queen and the Infanta for a very unedifying gesture. I do not justify myself: sorry.”
      But in the same breath, the deluded footballer claimed the kiss was “affectionate” and Hermoso had “consented”.
      Hermoso herself hit back the following day, denying the former FA chief’s claim that the kiss was consensual.
      In a revealing sit-down with Piers Morgan on TalkTV tonight, deluded Rubiales will sensationally compare his kiss with Hermoso to one he might give his daughters.
      He is set to double down on his position in the astonishing interview as he tells Piers: “My intentions were noble, enthusiastic, 100% non-sexual, 100%, I repeat, 100%.”
      “There was no harm, no sexual content, no aggression, nothing like that.
      “The significance of the kiss to Jenni would have been exactly the same as a kiss to one of my daughters.
      “Between friends and family, that’s very, very common.”
      The FA president will say that he understands he “should have acted in a more solemn, cold and diplomatic way”.
      Striker Hermoso lodged the sexual assault complaint in person at the State Attorney General’s Office – setting the wheels in motion for the public ministry to present an official complaint against Rubiales.
      She described the kiss as “an impulsive, sexist act, out of place and without any type of consent on my part.”
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      The football star has been lying low since the scandal, which caused a shockwave across the international football world, as numerous figures called for Rubiales’ resignation and Spanish prosecutors opened their criminal investigation.
      Rubiales will be questioned in private on Friday, as is normal in Spain where only trials take place in public. More

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      Former England international footballer Ashley Cole banned from the road and fined £3k over string of driving offences

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      FORMER England international footballer Ashley Cole has been banned from the road and fined £3,000 over a string of driving offences.The star pleaded guilty to two speeding charges and one count of failing to provide information about a driver.
      He pleaded guilty to three driving offencesCredit: Getty
      A judge at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court fined Cole £3,340 and banned him from driving for six months.
      Former Arsenal and Chelsea star Cole was not present at court, with his guilty pleas entered through his lawyers.
      District Judge Timothy Bosworth said “bearing in mind his means” it was fitting that Cole paid the maximum fine of £1,000 for each offence.
      Cole had faced two other charges of failing to provide information about a driver – but they were dismissed after the prosecution formally offered no evidence.
      Read More Football
      Prosecutor Vincent Yip said that on March 11 last year Cole drove his Mercedes at 40mph down Leeds Street in Liverpool, which has a 30mph speed limit.
      On January 11 this year he drove a different Mercedes at 41mph down Garston Way, which has the same limit.
      Cole also failed to respond to a notice asking who was driving speeding car registered to him which went past a camera on December 11 last year.
      The judge said that Cole, currently the assistant manager of the England under-21 side, already had three points on his licence – with the new offences “totting up” more than 12 points.
      Most read in Football
      DJ Bosworth said: “As Mr Cole’s lawyers indicate, he is well aware of this – and does not seek to put forward any reasons why he should not be disqualified and being disqualified in absence.”
      He added that there was no requirement for Cole to attend proceedings – and that “no criticism attaches to him not being here today”. More

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      Man jailed for attacking Newcastle manager Eddie Howe at Leeds match

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      A LEEDS fan has been jailed for attacking Newcastle manager Eddie Howe when he invaded the pitch during a match.David Derbyshire, 35, stormed the Newcastle dug-out at Elland Road in May this year.
      David Derbyshire shoved Eddie Howe in the dug-out
      He was later dragged away by stewardsCredit: Reuters
      The football fan rowed with Howe before shoving him in the arm during the injury time attack.
      He was then dragged away by staff at the Leeds ground as the drama was watched by thousands on BT Sport.
      After he was arrested, Derbyshire told cops: “I went on the pitch, I went on the pitch, I am a d**k.”
      He has now been jailed for 12 weeks and slapped with a six-year football banning order.
      Leeds Magistrates’ Court was previously told Derbyshire has been served with a lifetime ban from Elland Road.
      Following the assault, Howe said: “He confronted me, said something that I can’t repeat and was then led away.
      “I’m OK. Moments like that do make you think about the safety of staff and players is paramount for me at any matches in the Premier League and Football League. We need to be mindful, security is so important.
      “I don’t know if I had time to be fearful because it was over in a flash but it certainly makes you think ‘what if’ and I think it is moments like this that should make people look and analyse how we can improve safety for staff and players.
      Most read in Football
      “No one should have to face that, playing a sport we love and trying to entertain the country, no one should feel like their own personal safety is violated. It is something for us to reflect on.”
      More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online.Thesun.co.uk is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
      Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun. More

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      Who is Geoff Konopka? Ex-Man Utd women’s manager found guilty of assault against girls under 14 & 16

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      MANCHESTER United has been slammed for inviting a convicted paedophile to be a “special guest” at a women’s match.Geoff Konopka, 79, was Manchester United Ladies manager from 1983 to 2001.
      Geoff Konopka was Manchester United Ladies manager from 1983 to 2001Credit: Manchester United
      In 2011, he was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of 19 offences of indecent assault and gross indecency against girls aged under 16 and 14, reports The Times.
      But Konopka was recently welcomed to Old Trafford as a special guest – despite him having an “active suspension” from working or coaching for any team.
      Who is Geoff Konopka? 
      Geoff Konopka was the manager of Manchester United Ladies from 1983 to 2001.
      The team played in informal fixtures at Wembley in 1994 and again in 1996 – and were one of the first women’s squads to do so.
      Read more on Man Utd
      Konopka was quoted praising the club for helping the squad, adding: “We were so well looked after.”
      When did Geoff Konopka manage Manchester United Ladies? 
      Geoff Konopka was in charge of Man Utd’s ladies team from 1983 to 2001.
      Manchester United recently welcomed him to Old Trafford as a special guest – despite him having an “active suspension” from working or coaching for any team.
      In March last year he attended a Women’s Super League game to watch the team play against Everton at home. 
      Most read in Football
      The match smashed attendance records – with 20,000 fans turning up for their teams.
      What crimes did Geoff Konopka commit?
      Konopka was sentenced to four years in prison in 2011 after being found guilty of 19 offences of indecent assault and gross indecency against girls aged under 16 and 14, reports The Times.
      He had also been placed on the sex offenders list for more than a decade.
      In one email to the club, a complainant said: “The women’s game is ever evolving and there are a lot of vulnerable girls wanting to pursue their dreams who will be reading and looking at your website and possibly looking at him as a role model.
      “I am sickened and disgusted to see this vile man online.”
      The club said in a statement: “Manchester United has recently received information around these convictions, and as a matter of urgency has been in contact with the relevant legal and football authorities to substantiate the facts.
      “The club has taken appropriate action after receiving this information and will have no further connection with the individual. More