On November 16th, ex professional footballer Andy Woodward decided to break the silence on the sexual abuse he suffered as a youth team player. The 43-year-old revealed Barry Burnell, a convicted pedophile coach, had raped him during his time at Crewe Alexandra's youth team. Since speaking out on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire's program, more players have come forward in what is becoming the biggest scandal to rock English football. Mike Fox has more.

Its every boy's dream to be a professional footballer but for these brave individuals their time playing the beautiful game is a huge nightmare.

They call it the football factory. Crewe Alexandra has a reputation for producing top talent.

Former England captain David Platt. Ex Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy. And more recently powerful forward Dean Ashton, are just a few to come through the ranks at the Alex.

But for Andy Woodward, who had an unremarkable career in the lower leagues, it was a time of abuse at the hands of this man, Barry Burnell.

A convicted paedophile whose association extends to Manchester City and Stoke. The now 62-year-old has been convicted 3 times for child abuse, once in America, but with more and more ex pros coming forward the questions are starting to be asked. How much did the clubs know at the time?

Crewe chairman John Bowler, has denied any knowledge of Bennell's crimes while he was employed by the club while a piece in the Guardian newspaper has claimed they were aware of his actions. All this has promted action. The league 2 club and the F.A. have set up their own investigations and a hotline has been set up for ex footballers to contact which has already recieved a large amount of calls.

For fans of the clubs at the centre of the allegations its stretches beyond the badge and weather its a fan of 4th tier Crewe or Manchester City, being found complicit will be unforgiveable.