Manchester United is facing legal action over sexual abuse allegations against former employee Billy Watts during the 1980s.
Watts, who worked in several roles including caretaker, kit man, and groundsman at the club’s Cliff Training Ground, is accused of subjecting the man to sexual and physical abuse when he was a child. Watts died in 2009.
The civil claim, issued in court by Simpson Millar, representing the survivor, alleges that Manchester United failed to protect the claimant from abuse while he was under the club’s care and supervision.
In court cases relating to sexual abuse, any compensation awarded serves as both a formal recognition of the harm suffered and a means of accessing essential support, including therapy and counselling, to help survivors begin to recover from their experiences.
However, lawyers at Simpson Millar say the club has so far declined to engage constructively with the legal process, despite its participation in the 2021 Sheldon Review, which documented multiple allegations of abuse involving Watts and confirmed internal disciplinary action against him in 1989.
Kate Hall, Abuse Law Expert at Simpson Millar, said: “Our client has shown enormous courage in coming forward after so many years. He, like many survivors, has had to relive incredibly painful memories in order to seek justice.
“While Manchester United contributed to the Sheldon Review, its approach to this legal claim has been disappointing. Survivors deserve more than sympathy—they deserve meaningful engagement and accountability.”
According to Simpson Millar, the club’s failure to cooperate fully has meant that the survivor has had no option but to issue formal court proceedings. The firm says the case exposes a clear gap between the public commitments made by institutions following historic abuse inquiries and their private handling of individual claims.
Simpson Millar continues to represent survivors of abuse across sport, education, religious, and care settings, and is calling for all organisations to match public statements of concern with genuine accountability and consistent support for those affected.
