Former football, Yan Nowacki, has made a startling revelation that he fears he may have been the first victim to be sexually abused by football coach Barry Bennell, according to reports in The Sun.
The world of football remains in turmoil after news recently emerged that several former players suffered sexual abuse from Bennell during their time as academy players.
EXCLUSIVE: A former footballer says he fears he may be paedophile coach Barry Bennell's first victim https://t.co/VzFshC2kky pic.twitter.com/snWW1jR4pu
The former coach, who has served three previous prison sentences for child sex offences, was well known for his work with Crewe Alexandra in the 1980's and 1990's.
Whilst the League Two clubhave launched aninternal investigation into the matter, more and more victims are coming forward to tell their stories of sexual abuse.
And now Yan Nowacki has revealed that he fears he was the first to be abused by Bennell in the 1970's, when he was as young as 13.
Former Crewe manager Dario Gradi has released a statement expressing sympathy to the victims of Barry Bennellhttps://t.co/kWMR3eIuqX pic.twitter.com/xFGXyU02BG
Nowacki told The Sun:"The first season was fine but the abuse happened in the second season. In the changing room, he would rub everyone's legs. Right up your thighs with the cream.
"On one occasion he asked me to go round to watch a film. He had a flat in Hulme but also stayed at his mother's in Fallowfield, which I went to.
"I went round one evening and he said 'oh, stay the night'. He said I could sleep in his room but his mother said 'no, put him in the spare room.'
When I started talking to Barry Bennell's victims, I had no idea how deep abuse ran in football https://t.co/p8hI5QsyUF
"He ignored her and I ended up in his bed. It was supposed to be head-to-toe but it didn't end up that way.
I remember falling asleep and waking up to find his hands on me. The groping would wake me up.
"The night it happened he had his hands everywhere, moving all over. I was probably 13. He was feeling my buttocks and my genitals.
"He acted like he was asleep and didn't know what he was doing - pretending. I got out and slept on the floor.
I didn't know what to do and I was only 13, and he was my coach so I was scared to say anything. I wanted to be on the team. A week later he invited me back but I made up an excuse.�
Ex-Crewe football coach Barry Bennell, at centre of sex abuse scandal, in hospital after incident attended by police https://t.co/b4Y4fGlJ2d
I feel terrible. If I was his first victim and had told police perhaps all this wouldn't have happened.�
Whilst the investigation into the allegations is likely to be a lengthy one, the developing story took another twist on Monday as news emerged thatBennell had reportedly been rushed to hospital after being found unconscious at his home in Stevenage.
His current condition is not yet known.