Dario Gradi stripped of his MBE

[ClaretTony]

After survivors of sexual abuse in sport wrote to the Cabinet Office in 2021, asking for Dario Gradi to be stripped of his MBE, it is now happening. Clive Sheldon QC found that Gradi should have done more when abuse by Eddie Heath was reported to him at Chelsea and then there was Barry Bennell at Crewe.

Gradi has been suspended from all football since November 2016 yet has never appealed that suspension. That ban subsequently became a life ban.

Gradi has apparently accepted the decision to take away his MBE.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Good move

[NewClaret]

Good.

[rufus lumley]

James Corden next ?

[Darnhill Claret]

What/Why?

[aclaretinstevenage]

James Corden next ?

I don't like Corden but assume he would have to be guilty of something for that to happen?

Apart from being an annoying t**t of course.

[evensteadiereddie]

I'm sure Gradi is heartbroken at losing his MBE..

[mdd2]

Who knows

[Rowls]

Gradi hasn't committed any crime but (and as mdd2 says, "who knows"?) if he has found any level any decency he'll be ashamed of his actions and inactions.

Gradi's life is done and dusted long before he's dead.

There's a lesson here for all of us when the moment comes. Stand up for what is right.

[COBBLE]

I have detested Gradi since the day Crewe were at TM on the day of the 3:33 (?) protest against the board. His words were to the effect that once the fans had paid their money and entered the ground they had no right to express their opinions. I can bear a grudge as long as it takes so crack open the bin 65.

[4midable]

I don't like Corden but assume he would have to be guilty of something for that to happen?

Apart from being an annoying t**t of course.

For that alone..

[Hipper]

Gradi has done so much for football that it's rather sad that one mistake - and he wasn't the only one - leads to this.

It seems the main reason for him being stripped of the MBE is professional disbarment by the Football Association. So it's really an FA decision.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-s ... e-66580669

[ŽižkovClaret]

Gradi has done so much for football that it's rather sad that one mistake - and he wasn't the only one - leads to this.

It seems the main reason for him being stripped of the MBE is professional disbarment by the Football Association. So it's really an FA decision.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-s ... e-66580669

Tbf it's related to inaction at Chelsea and Crewe, so that's at least two mistakes that have emerged.....

[ClaretTony]

Gradi has done so much for football that it's rather sad that one mistake - and he wasn't the only one - leads to this.

It seems the main reason for him being stripped of the MBE is professional disbarment by the Football Association. So it's really an FA decision.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-s ... e-66580669

One mistake? He covered for Eddie Heath at Chelsea and that, for me, is way beyond a mistake. That was even before anything happened at Crewe.

If it was just a mistake

1. Why has he never appealed the FA ban administered almost seven years ago?
2. Why did he do nothing when the FA made the ban a lifetime one?
3. Why did the Crewe he was involved with never once consider offering an apology?
4. Why has he just accepted the removal of his MBE?

[claretonthecoast1882]

You could argue Dario is lucky he hasn't been stripped of his freedom nevermind his MBE

[PremierLeagueClass]

I’d be amazed if more doesn’t come out about Gradi in the coming years.

[Big Vinny K]

As said above being stripped of his MBE is pretty meaningless and trivial in the scheme of things.
I find it almost impossible to believe that Gradi was not involved.
He was “Mr Crewe Alexandra” - it’s never been a big club and he was for decades at the centre of everything and over such a long period of time how could he be oblivious to what had happened ?
The fact that he was part of an organisation that refused to recognise or apologise (and neither did he individually) was a disgrace in itself but I’m pretty sure there is far more to this than any of us could ever imagine.

[yTib]

I find it almost impossible to believe that Gradi was not involved.

that is spurious at best and possibly libelous.

no doubt gradi turned a blind eye and that is unforgivable but to suggest involvement when there is nothing at all to suggest that he was is just wrong.

[Big Vinny K]

that is spurious at best and possibly libelous.

no doubt gradi turned a blind eye and that is unforgivable but to suggest involvement when there is nothing at all to suggest that he was is just wrong.

“Involved” can mean many things - he was at the club and it could simply mean he turned a blind eye to it. He could have been part of an organisation that did little or nothing to investigate rumours. There could have been complaints made that they did nothing about. These are all pretty likely and in my book “involved”.

[yTib]

a poor choice of language in my opinion.

[Big Vinny K]

a poor choice of language in my opinion.

Which you are entitled to.
Personally I’d say given the scale and seriousness of what happened and his role and the influence and power he had at the club any deliberate decision to be “not involved” equates to him being very much “involved”. He was pretty much in the strongest position of anyone at the club (other than the obvious person) to do something about this and stop it happening.

[Ric_C]

I always found it bizarre how way over obsessed with Crewe the Granada ITV team were in the 90s

[fidelcastro]

I always found it bizarre how way over obsessed with Crewe the Granada ITV team were in the 90s

They really were. Stockport and Tranmere too for some bizarre reason.

[Spike]

After survivors of sexual abuse in sport wrote to the Cabinet Office in 2021, asking for Dario Gradi to be stripped of his MBE, it is now happening. Clive Sheldon QC found that Gradi should have done more when abuse by Eddie Heath was reported to him at Chelsea and then there was Barry Bennell at Crewe.

Gradi has been suspended from all football since November 2016 yet has never appealed that suspension. That ban subsequently became a life ban.

Gradi has apparently accepted the decision to take away his MBE.

If it’s going spare can I have one?

[Acting Claret]

I wonder if the dj Dario G will change his moniker now.

[GetIntoEm]

I can't believe people would describe someone who hung about and covered up for nonces would describe it as a "mistake"

Nonce defending is as bad as saying it's not a problem

[stateofthenation]

About 20 years ago I heard, what I thought, was a pretty wacky rumour about Dario Gradi. The rumour was a explanation about why, despite at the time having a glowingly media reputation as a great manager, had never put himself forward for a bigger job. Apparently he didn’t want any extra spotlight.

The fact that he's been so passive to the retribution handed out for his involvement/lack of involvement makes the rumour seem far less wacky now.

[Guller Bull]

Thank God Bowie turned down a CBE!

[Cleveleys_claret]

He took all he could from Crewe. I have a good friend whose father was a big sponsor there for years and during that heyday of churning out young players and selling for decent fees. He often talks about how Gradi would make a large percentage of the money from each sale.

Things like that are the exact reasons Gradi kept silent about what was going on. Whilst he had a production line of young saleable assets, he didnt care. He was hated by most within the boardroom at Crewe but had so much power there.

[ClaretTony]

I wonder if the dj Dario G will change his moniker now.

He has bigger issues at the moment. He’s fighting cancer.