Ex-Southampton footballers Dean Radford and Jamie Webb claim they were abused at club as cops say 350 victims have now come forward

TWO former footballers have become the latest players to claim they were subjected to years of grooming and sexual abuse.

Dean Radford and Jamie Webb both said they were victims while playing for Southampton as teens.

4

4

A number of other players have also come forward saying they were abused at the club.

Mr Radford said he would stay over in Southampton and was made to "snuggle up" with a club employee on a couch.

He said: “It was very odd for me because this was the first experience I'd had of that sort of closeness and whatever else you want to call it."

related stories

NO ESCAPE

FA chiefs Martin Glenn and Greg Clarke insist no club immune to punishment in football abuse scandal

BLUES PROBE

Chelsea accused of secret payments to ex-youth player for silence over claims against former scout

VIEW FROM DRESSING ROOM

Brave men need a show of support this weekend after facing up to football taboos

COACH SUSPENDED

Ex Newcastle United trainer at centre of sex abuse scandal suspended from job over harassment claims

Mr Radford continued: "The reasons he gave were that we needed to trust him, he needed to be like a second father to us - if we trusted him, and it worked both ways, then the chances were there that we could become a professional footballer."

Jamie Webb said boys were "groomed" by the club employee who asked them to write him "love" letters.

Mr Webb said: “I recall clearly he tried to move down and put his hand in between my shorts and my tracksuit that I was wearing and I just blocked him."

The two men waived their anonymity to speak to the BBC.

Police revealed today that around 350 people have come forward to say they were sexually abused as children by youth football coaches in Britain, with one police force alone identifying TEN suspects.

The National Police Chief’s Council said a “significant” amount of calls had been made to police following revelations from a string of ex-footballers, including England internationals that began to emerge last week.

Chief Constable Simon Bailey, the NPCC’s lead for child protection said: “We are working closely with the Football Association to ensure that the response to this significant and growing number of victims, at all levels of football, is co-ordinated effectively.”

Fifteen police forces across Britain are now investigating cases that have made daily headlines in the country over the past two weeks.

Today Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said it was investigating reports from 35 victims and has identified 10 suspects.

4

4

Chelsea became the latest club to be implicated in the growing scandal earlier today.

They have been accused of making a secret payment to an ex-youth player to keep his silence over sex abuse claims against former chief scout.

The Premier League side are alleged to have paid off the victim within the last three years after he threatened to go public about being abused by the club’s former chief scout, Eddie Heath.

Former football coach Barry Bennell has been charged with eight offences against a boy aged under 14.

Five former youth players have publicly alleged they were abused by Bennell as youth team players.

Mark Williams, Andy Woodward, Paul Stewart, David White and Steve Walters are the players to have publicly accused the former Crewe Alexandra youth coach.

Southampton FC said it would co-operate fully with any police investigation.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368