BOOK NOW EXPECTED LATE 2023
PRIOR Expected publication 2020 AND AGAIN IN '21 and '22 delayed due to ongoing criminal and civil actions.
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Site updated Februaary 2023
Former Celtic Boys Club Founder
Jim Torbett Found Guilty at Inverness High Court - April 23
- on Child Sexual Abuse charges.
3 year sentence - His 3rd Conviction
•••
Being Put Through Hoops
A True Account of Child Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football
A child's mind before, during and after his experience of sexual abuse
How it affected him, and his family over the next 50 years
TV, RADIO, AND MEDIA COVERAGE HERE
“A child lost himself
Parents lost their son
Siblings lost their brother
Mates lost their friend
Children lost their father
A wife lost her husband”
After coming forward initially in October of 2019 it became clear that to me that many people
just did not understand, perhaps they didn’t want to,
the impact child sexual abuse had on its victims in the long term. The victims, sadly,
live with their experience for the rest of their lives and this same
horrendous experience horrifically affects everyone around them, parents, friends,
siblings, their own children and future relationships.
I felt it was important for the blind-folded public to realise and acknowledge how a young child can be
forced into a life of confusion and how they can never,
even as adults, return to normality. The head in the sand authorities need to read the book and then
explain their despicable inaction and ignorance of the facts for decades.
Due to time and space constraints on media my story wasn’t being heard as it should be.
A book of my total experience from child to pensioner was the way forward to
educate those who needed educated. My book will relay who I was as a child,
my dreams and aspirations before the abuse, and the innocence I had at that time.
It explains my time at Celtic Boys Club and it will clarify some issues that until now
have been mired with inaccuracies and confusion.
The book will further explain how my abuse threw me into a life of compunction,
self-abuse, alcohol, crime and an inability to love my children as I should have been allowed to do.
It involves the sadness when my parents passed with the guilt of what had happened to me.
I came forward after a chance chat with my 10 year old daughter with regards a problem she had at school.
She gave me her reason for the problem arising… "Dad, I had to do the right thing”.
It broke me knowing for 50 years that I had not.
I thought about it long and hard and after explaining to my family and friends,
with great difficulty, for the first time in over 50 years
what had happened to me I also did the right thing and came forward.
If the book helps just one victim of abuse, gives one victim the strength to come forward
or allows just one victim to realise they are not at fault and not alone, it has been worth it!
Book can be pre-ordered by email. No payment will be taken. Expected price £8.50
Simply email me with your contact details for now
You will be contacted on publication for payment and postal address.
An open invitation to all Journalists who feel it important to report on this story to contact me with their questions.
Contact Gordon Woods
gordon@beingputthroughhoops.co.uk
...
Book Order - email below
info@beingputthroughhoops.co.uk
Celtic Officials : Jock Stein, Bob Kelly, Jim Torbett,
Joe, McBride, Billy McNeil, Gordon Woods (Front Right)
Convictions
Jim Torbett
Thrice-convicted Celtic paedophile Jim Torbett formed Celtic Boys Club in 1966 with the approval of Celtic manager Jock Stein. He regularly sat in his Directors Box seat at The Theatre of Shame with his friends and business partners, former Celtic F.C. Chairmen Kevin Kelly and Jack McGinn. Celtic F.C awarded his company a £1 million contract. At one of his trials the jury were told that lifelong Celtic supporter used to take children to his flat and teach them the words of IRA songs before molesting them. Torbetts youngest victim was 5-years-old.
Frank Cairney
Convicted Celtic paedophile was appointed General Manager of Celtic Boys Club following the departure of Torbett and the subsequent Celtic F.C. cover-up as to why he left. At his trial, Hamilton Sherriff Court heard that he had sexually molested Celtic youths in the dressing room at Celtic Park. In addition, he abused a 14 year-old boy between September 1969 and December 1972 and a 15 year-old boy between January 1985 and December 1986 at Celtic F.C.'s Barrowfield training ground. The court was also told that he was paid by Celtic F.C. to act as a scout. In January 2023 Cairney was deemed 'unfit to stand trial, for new charges affecting another 3 victims, due to health reasons. The Judge after a 'statement of facts' said Cairney was guilty of the charges. Due to his health (allegedly) no further action was taken.
Jim McCafferty
Convicted Celtic paedophile Jim McCafferty was employed by Celtic Football Club as a coach and kitman. He was convicted at Livingston Sheriff Court of molesting young boys aged between just 12 and 15. The court heard that he tried to rape one victim in the home dressing room at Celtic Park. He is also convicted of sexually abusing children during football tours in Germany and Austria whilst he was at Celtic F.C.
Gerald King
Convicted Celtic paedophile Gerald King is another former Celtic Boys Club Chairman. his convictions included "taking or permitting to be taken, indecent images of children at Barrowfield Football Park at the city's London Road" as well as exposing himself to children. "Barrowfield Football Park" would be more accurately described as the (then) official training premises of Celtic Football Club. His victims were aged between nine and thirteen years old at the time of the offences. In the summer of 1983, he joined senior players from Celtic Boys Club on a trip to Kearney, New Jersey, USA. He wrote an article for the official Celtic F.C. club magazine the Celtic View headlined "Trip of a Lifetime". For some children it most certainly wasn't. It has been claimed that he received regular "expenses payments" from Celtic Football Club. He also worked for twice-convicted Celtic paedophile Jim Torbett at the business he (Torbett) ran with former Celtic F.C. Directors Kevin Kelly and Jack McGinn. He is due to appear on court on Monday 30th January 2023 on new charges.
Neil Strachan
Convicted Celtic paedophile Neil Strachan, the secretary of Celtic East Boys Club (Edinburgh), was a leading figure in a depraved paedophile ring. His list of convictions reference the rape of children, sadism, bestiality, indecent images of children and molestation of children as young as 18 months old. At the High Court in Edinburgh he received a life sentence. The court heard that Strachan, who is HIV-positive, was "sadistic and aggressive". Prior to conviction Strachan had quit as secretary of Edinburgh-based Celtic East Boys Club after it was discovered he had abused a boy of just 5. The abuse had gone on for two years. It has always been claimed that Celtic F.C. had no link whatsoever to the Edinburgh-based Celtic Boys Club. The claim was yet another Celtic F.C. lie.
John Cullen
Convicted Celtic paedophile John Cullen was on Celtic Football Clubs' payroll as official photographer for 30 years. He admitted taking pictures of naked and semi-naked children as young as ten after cleaners had found in excess of 250 images in his store room at Celtic Park. The perverts' photographs had been there for more than 20 years. He also admitted inviting the children to a house in Glasgow between January and December 1982 before getting them to pose for the camera. He pled guilty to a charge of lewd and libidinous behaviour.
Lyness Malley
Lyness Malley, a former coach and official at Celtic Boys Club has been accused of repeatedly abusing a young player at Barrowfield, the Glasgow training ground owned by Celtic F.C. It is alleged he rubbed oil on a boy in the changing rooms on multiple occasions and touched his genitals and buttocks. Malley, served over decades as a coach, treasurer and minutes secretary with Celtic's youth wing.
Ken Divers
A former coach and official at Celtic Boys Club has been accused of abusing a young players at Celtic Boys Club, owned by Celtic F.C. On being charged he fled the country to Vietnam. After many arrest warrants were issued and after years of searching he was eventually arrested by Vietnamese police and returned to Scotland via extradition in 2022 to face trial in May 23.
THE DAILY RECORD - OCT 2019
GLAsgow Evening times - OCT 2019
the scottish sun - Oct 2019
THE TIMES - OCT 2019
THE DAILY RECORD - MARCH 2020
THE DAILY RECORD - June 2020
TRUE CRIMES WEEKLY AUSTRALIA
THE GUARDIAN 4 PAGE PULLOUT - Oct 2020
The Scottish Sun - New charges - May 2021
the scottish sun - Court - Aug 21
Scottish Daily express - snp - jan 22
Scottish daily express - westminster - Jan 22
Scottish Daily Express - Sturgeon - Jan 22
Scottish Daily Express - Book - Oct 22
Scottish Daily Express - NEW LAW - NoV 22
Scottish Daily Express - Overseas - Jan 23
Scottish Daily Express - Cairney - Jan 23
Daily RECORD
April 23
TORBETT CONVICTED
AFTER A 3 YEAR FIGHT LAWSUIT GIVEN
GO AHEAD IN SUPREME COURT MARCH 22
SCOTTISH DAILY EXPRESS
BBC RADIO SCOTLAND interview
with John Beattie drivetime
BROADCAST CANCELLED BY HIS BBC SCOTLAND BOSSES? WHY? STINKS!
neither john nor the BBC have given me, at any time, any justifiable reason for not airing the interview
of course they have a history of protecting and covering up for paedophiles as can be seen with their handling of jimmy saville scandal
@goldberg RADIO interview
Listen
True crimes - AUSTRALIA RADIO interview
Listen
In september '21 Gary did a 1 hour special on Child abuse and kindly asked me to answer a couple of questions on my experience with Celtic Boys Club as a 5 minute segment within the broadcast.
Listen
September 21 Broadcast by RENEGADe Radio IN AUSTRALIA
Listen
.
..
...A few BOOK extracts
before
"Predators work alone, predators work in groups, predators, tragically, know how to remain invisible to everyone other than their poor child victims. Predators are professional paedophiles. Whilst authorities take an amateur approach in outing them our kids are still in danger"!
I was an ordinary Glasgow kid. Well, at least I thought I was. at 10-years-old I played kerbie, kick-the-can, football, caught bees in jam jars then smashed the jar running away, sometimes not as fast as the bees could fly, unfortunately. I had even begun an interest in the girls at school, purely platonic of course.
"At 12 years old I had dreams and aspirations that most kids have but mine was different. I was reaching for the stars, being an R.A.F. Pilot, an Author or a Veterinarian was on my agenda and even my parents laughed when I told them".
after
I was silenced for 50 years. I am a single father, and I have had my 10-year-old daughter, on my own, since she was 10 months old. She recently had a problem at school. She came home & told me "Dad, I had to do the right thing". It broke me knowing for 50 years I had not. I took her advice & "I did the right thing".
"When Ch4 aired I was quite emotional. I managed to control it but a tear did fall. My little one noticed & she asked if I was OK, she leaned over, kissed my cheek, & whispered: “I'm proud of you Daddy”. That made my questionable decision to come forward so sad but so rewarding".
"Torbett hasn't won. I imagined the filthy bastard reveling in his past crimes. Thinking of his victims, I got away with that one, & that one, & that one too! I am now satisfied that when he thinks of me after 52 years he will have to accept, I didn't get away with that one"!
When I first came forward in September 2019 I advised my legal team and the press what I sought from Celtic. A formal face to face apology, an acceptance from them they were responsible & a generous donation to Children’s Charities. That offer was time limited & has now expired.
during
"These animals just don't care about the damage done. Not just to the young lives they trespass into but also the damage they inflict on the adults who morph from those abused children. As they grow old the children still have to live with the guilt & the horrific memories".
"I had been reprieved by Torbett and accepted into The Celtic Family. He had seen something in me that he liked, was it my skills? Had he discovered a new boy wonder who he would soon release to the world? No, I was caught in paedophiles trap, a target, a Torbett target, a target before I had even kicked a ball for Celtic in earnest".
"That was the day in Dumfries when Jock Stein had wanted to teach me, Torbett, and every other Celtic Boys Club player a lesson they would never forget, and he had gone a long, long way out of his remit to do so. He was successful, I've not forgotten it to this day".
"A toy shop should be the ultimate joy for children. Joe's Toy Shop on the Maryhill Road, owned by a Celtic Boys Club official, became a living hell for me. To this day, I have feared going into toy shops, even with my own three children. I could never explain to them why I always wanted to leave and leave them disappointed".