“Survivors deserve more than sympathy:” United face legal battle as horrific sexual abuse incident comes to light

Manchester United have been enjoying rising success this season, both on and off the field. Still, the club could face a new, disturbing issue as a harrowing court case unfolds. Following Man United’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month, retired midfielder Owen Hargreaves made an exciting prediction about his former club, claiming that they could clinch a place in the Premier League top four this season. In addition to its success on the pitch, United appear to be boosting their financial prospects as well, with the club believed to have received approval to host a basketball team for the new NBA Europe tournament. But even amid so much positive news, the club faces a truly troubling legal proceeding that could have dire consequences. Understanding the case “Manchester United are the subject of legal action in the High Court over allegations of sexual abuse relating to a former member of staff at their old Cliff training ground,” The Athletic reported. “Billy Watts, who died in 2009, was employed by the club for an unspecified number of years in a variety of roles, including caretaker, kit-man and groundsman, during Alex Ferguson’s time as manager. Watts had been the subject of a number of allegations of sexual misconduct from a period at the Cliff when some of the club’s more celebrated players were coming through the ranks. The identity of the victims is not publicly known, but there is no suggestion they include any of those star players,” the article continued. According to the report, United took internal disciplinary action against Watts in 1989, moving him to a new role at Old Trafford, which saw him depart the Cliff, where the club’s youth team trained until United moved to Carrington in 2000. “He was not sacked, however, and remained at the club in a way that might have seemed unthinkable if football clubs in that era operated with the kind of safeguarding rules that would be commonplace today,” the report noted. “United supplied details of the case to the Sheldon inquiry — the four-year investigation, published in March 2021, into football’s abuse scandal — and it can now be revealed that an alleged victim of Watts has begun a civil case to seek damages from the 20-times Premier League champions. The claimant is not an ex-player.” But while it was an individual who allegedly committed such ghastly acts, the club could be held legally liable due to a massively disturbing issue. United in hot water “Lawyers representing the man, who is entitled to anonymity because of the nature of the alleged abuse, say United have ‘so far declined to engage constructively with the legal process,’” the article read. Kate Hall, a lawyer at Simpson Millar who specialises in such abuse cases, explained, “While Manchester United contributed to the Sheldon Review, its approach to this legal claim has been disappointing. Survivors deserve more than sympathy – they deserve meaningful engagement and accountability.” She added that United allegedly failed to protect the claimant during his time at the club. Some of the horrific accusations against Watts from the Sheldon inquiry include “making comments of a sexual nature,” forcing an individual into his office against his will, attempting to touch people inappropriately in the showers, and “following an individual into a sauna at the Cliff and wrestling with him.” According to the Simpson Millar law firm, United failed to match its public statements with genuine support, adding that “the club’s failure to cooperate fully has meant that the survivor has had no option but to issue formal court proceedings.” While it remains to be seen if United will be legally charged for its inaction, it is nonetheless disturbing that an alleged predator be allowed to continue working so close to his victims following his discovery. Hopefully, cases such as this can help put an end to such horrific abuse while encouraging clubs to not just speak out but follow through with action. The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Mathew Cohen A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.