Sam Allardyce reveals Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne did not tell him about Adam Johnson’s confession
- Sam Allardyce has revealed Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne did not inform him that Adam Johnson had confessed to grooming schoolgirl
- Allardyce continued to select Johnson due to the winger's expected plea
- Sunderland boss was shocked to find out Johnson pleaded guilty
- Former England and Sunderland winger faces maximum of 10 years in jail
Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne did not tell manager Sam Allardyce about Adam Johnson’s child-sex admissions.
The Black Cats boss has revealed Byrne did not inform him that Johnson had confessed to kissing and grooming a 15-year-old schoolgirl in police interview transcripts she saw in May of last year.
Byrne also had a copy of the 834 WhatsApp messages they exchanged, including Johnson saying he wanted to ‘get her jeans off’ in the back of his Range Rover.
Adam Johnson was found guilty on one count of sexual activity with a child on the 14th day of his trial
Johnson arrives at court on Wednesday, followed by his former partner Stacey Flounders
Allardyce was appointed in October and was told by the club that Johnson intended to protest his innocence, and that was the reason he continued to pick him.
Johnson, though, pleaded guilty to kissing and grooming the girl on February 10 and was sacked by Sunderland the following day.
The 28-year-old was found guilty of more serious sexual activity with a child on Wednesday after a three-week trial at Bradford Crown Court and is now facing a maximum 10-year prison sentence.
Allardyce says he has no sympathy for the disgraced former England international, but insists he did not know of the documents Byrne had her in possession which suggested Johnson’s guilt.
Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce claims he was told Johnson was going to plead not guilty before the former England international admitted his guilt in court
Asked if he knew the content of those transcripts, Allardyce said: ‘No. I’m the manager, why would I know that?’ It was then put to Allardyce that, as a family man, Johnson’s actions were ‘revolting and disgusting’, to which he replied: ‘Absolutely’.
Allardyce, who was addressing journalists at the club’s training ground ahead of Saturday’s trip to Southampton, added: ‘He’s gone through the process, and the process has proven that he’s guilty. Now he has to serve his sentence, and there’s not a lot of sympathy here for Adam Johnson. There’s no doubt about that.
‘I’m hugely disappointed on Adam Johnson, but my sympathies don’t lie with him, they lie with the victim and the family.
Sunderland chief executive officer Margaret Byrne did not know Johnson would plead guilty, claims the club
'Now the judgement has been made, we all feel extremely let-down by what has happened and by what Adam has done.’ There followed an exchange between reporters and the club’s press officer in which it was asked why Byrne was not fronting up to questions instead of Allardyce.
But the manager went on: ‘I’m trying to take some responsibility on behalf of what has happened with it and to answer some questions. The difficulty is that I am not a lawyer, I’m a football manager. I’m not an academic and I don’t want to slip up with any of the answers I might give because it can make headlines.
'So I can only answer as much as I can answer and I move on.’ Allardyce had earlier outlined his reasons for playing Johnson as recently as the 2-2 draw at Liverpool last month, a match in which the winger scored.
‘As far as I knew, Adam was pleading not guilty all the way through from the day I arrived. Obviously this incident had happened well before I got here,’ he said.
Allardyce was appointed in October and was told by the club that Johnson intended to protest his innocence
‘The information to me was that he was pleading not guilty to all charges, and that was why we continued to let him train and play for us. ‘We were all at the football club stunned and shocked the day before the trial started when we heard a guilty plea come out. ‘I was sat at home when it came on the news, and I was just gobsmacked because as far as we were concerned, it was going to be not guilty on all charges.’ Meanwhile, the Football Association has also hit out at Johnson, who earned 12 England caps.
‘Adam Johnson’s conduct in this case is to be condemned,’ a statement read.
‘Our thoughts are with the victim and her family as they look to rebuild their lives after this traumatic ordeal.’
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