Who is Paul Stewart? Ex-England striker and sexual abuse victim – here’s what we know
Paul, 52, kept the abuse hidden from everyone, including his family, for more than 40 years
A FORMER England footballer has recently come out to claim he was sexually assaulted by a youth coach when he was a child.
Paul Stewart said he has kept the secret abuse to himself for years as the man is alleged to have threatened to kill his family if he told anyone.
Who is Paul Stewart?
The 52-year-old played for a number of British clubs and was capped three times at a senior level for England.
He is married to wife Bev, who he met when she was 19 in her home town of Blackpool. They have been married for 29 years.
He has battled addiction, which he says was a coping mechanism for the sexual abuse he experienced.
Stewart started his career as an apprentice with Blackpool and turned professional in October 1981.
He would alternate between midfield and forward on the pitch, before finding his true role of centre-forward.
When he moved on to play for Manchester City he was famously one of three players who scared a hat-trick in a 10-1 victory over Huddersfield Town in 1987.
Throughout his career he played for Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, as well as Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley, Stoke City and Sunderland.
When did he play for England?
Stewart played for England a total of nine times - as part of the under-21, B and senior side teams.
He was capped three times in the early 1990s for the senior side under Graham Taylor.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Blackpool FC when it was officially opened in April 2006.
Fans were asked to vote for their all-time club heroes.
What are the abuse allegations?
The ex-Spurs and Liverpool player said the man vowed to make him a star before launching a campaign of sick sexual abuse when he was aged between 11 and 15.
He kept the abuse hidden from everyone, including his family, for more than 40 years.
He decided to speak out after reading about Andy Woodward, 43, who was abused as a young footballer at Crewe Alexander by predator Barry Bennell, 61, in the 70s and 80s.
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