The Football Association (FA) stepped up its review into historical child abuse yesterday, with more than 20 former players having come forward with allegations and up to seven clubs now connected.

Since former Crewe player Andy Woodward waived his anonymity to speak about his abuse at the hands of youth coach, and serial paedophile, Barry Bennell the scale of the issue has grown by the day.

Yesterday the FA instructed independent leading counsel Kate Gallafent QC to oversee its internal review, assessing “what information the FA was aware of at the relevant times, what clubs were aware of, and what action was or should have been taken.”