Brian Eley

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Ernie Lazenby
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by Ernie Lazenby » Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:28 pm

People forget that Brian Eley was subject of a report on BBC1's crime watch as being wanted by interpol. The situation deemed so serious as to warrant that. Several years after he jumped bail I got information that he was living in Amsterdam and I contacted crime stoppers who said they would pass the information on. I repeated that several years later when another source confirmed he was quite easily to be found in Amsterdam. I have always found it troubling that he was never apprehended and brought back to the UK to answer the allegations against him. I rather suspect we will never find out why that never happened.
The man is dead but that ought not stop a final examination of the allegations and see what lessons could or have been learned.
As a retired Policeman I have always taken the view that if he had nothing to hide why did he get onto his toes (sorry, a police expression) and do a runner. A massive indication of guilt.
Last edited by Ernie Lazenby on Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Nick Ivell
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by Nick Ivell » Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:31 pm

Totally out of order that Terry didn't get the support he deserved.

Another example of justice not being done.

Nick Ivell
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by Nick Ivell » Tue Jun 21, 2022 6:08 pm

I should also point out that Eley was team manager of the 1977 Glorney squad, held outside Dublin.

How the hell did he keep getting these important jobs? My question is rhetorical; I don't expect it ever to be sensibly answered.

On a separate note, Dublin 77 will live in infamy as the worst accommodation ever offered to a national squad.

Tim Harding
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by Tim Harding » Tue Jun 21, 2022 8:07 pm

Nick Ivell wrote:
Tue Jun 21, 2022 6:08 pm
I should also point out that Eley was team manager of the 1977 Glorney squad, held outside Dublin.

How the hell did he keep getting these important jobs? My question is rhetorical; I don't expect it ever to be sensibly answered.

On a separate note, Dublin 77 will live in infamy as the worst accommodation ever offered to a national squad.
Franciscan College, Gormanston, County Meath, was the venue, actually a school north of Dublin.
I was there in 1977 as a trainer for the Irish Glorney and Faber teams. I don't remember Eley being there but I am not contradicting you.
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James Plaskett
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by James Plaskett » Tue Jun 21, 2022 9:32 pm

The whole thing stinks.
Since 1979 the late David Anderton was well apprised of what the guy was up to. Bartden has long known too.
In 1985 Dunnington told Keene in no uncertain terms what Eley had tried to do with him.
I asked Dunnington, "Do you think he´s buggered people?"
He replied. "I´m sure he´s buggered people!"
Stewart Reuben has long opined that Answerton simply did not want the scandal.
I agree.

I am near certain that two people who have each held very senior positions in the BCF are spies who worked for MI6.
I hear that Eley was fluent in Russian...

His not infrequent attendance in Amsterdam cafés was well known.
Strings were being pulled to save that bastard´s neck.

The whole thing stinks.
Last edited by James Plaskett on Fri Dec 23, 2022 2:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

John Cox
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by John Cox » Tue Jun 21, 2022 9:38 pm

I was also in that 1980 Glorney Cup team, along with Julian Hodgson, Peter Wells, and presumably one or more others. I didn't know of Eley before, but it was obvious fairly quickly that he was a paedophile of a type well known to me from various boarding schools. I assessed him at the time as a familiar and not dangerous sort, no doubt mistakenly - indeed some of his predecessors in my experience were recently jailed for quite considerable terms. Contrary to Nick's recollection, though, I recall him as being quite interesting when looking through the games. I also remember the mysterious default, not least because Julian and myself took advantage of the opportunity to go and watch the county cricket. Another thing I remember is team members gradually ceasing to play, so that at the start I was board three, but by the finish I played board one against Scotland (against Mark Condie, I think). I don't remember why that was - do you, Nick? I can't quite work out how we managed to have a full team without, presumably, you and Julian. Perhaps we didn't.

Roger Lancaster
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by Roger Lancaster » Tue Jun 21, 2022 10:39 pm

A thought has just crossed my mind which maybe someone can dispel. Is it possible that the reason Eley was able to reside fairly openly in Amsterdam simply because extradition was impossible through whatever the UK authorities were about to throw at him not being criminaI offences in the Netherlands? I claim no particular expertise in this area but 'dual criminality' often seems to be required for extradition to apply.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Jun 21, 2022 10:49 pm

Well to know that we would maybe have to know what specifically the police in the UK were considering charging him with, but I would want concrete proof that behaviour of a kind deemed criminal in the UK were not also criminal in the Netherlands.
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Roger Lancaster
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by Roger Lancaster » Tue Jun 21, 2022 10:54 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Tue Jun 21, 2022 10:49 pm
Well to know that we would maybe have to know what specifically the police in the UK were considering charging him with, but I would want concrete proof that behaviour of a kind deemed criminal in the UK were not also criminal in the Netherlands.
Yes, my previous post contained a hypothesis and not an assertion.

Nick Ivell
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by Nick Ivell » Wed Jun 22, 2022 7:26 am

I remember playing in 1980 to the finish, although the match against Scotland never got off the ground.

I also seem to recall William Watson being part of the team, but my memories do get easily mixed up with the 1977 event.

I too did not regard Eley as particularly dangerous at the time. How wrong I was!

Nick Ivell
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by Nick Ivell » Wed Jun 22, 2022 7:37 am

I know nothing about Eley's alleged involvement with the spy industry.

I would however have thought that the spooks would not have wanted to touch him with a bargepole. A blabbermouth, and open to blackmail.

Pete Heaven
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by Pete Heaven » Wed Jun 22, 2022 9:36 am

William Watson was indeed part of the 1980 team, on board 2. I played him - I think you all turned up half an hour late. You did have a full team that day, as you beat Wales 5.5-0.5.

Nick Ivell
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by Nick Ivell » Wed Jun 22, 2022 9:58 am

You can be sure we weren't spending that rogue half-hour doing opening prep!

In fact I don't recall doing a minute's prep during the entire tournament. It wasn't Eley's style.

I remember him being dismissive of the other teams; the Scots were the 'Picts', for example.

johnwheeler
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by johnwheeler » Wed Jun 22, 2022 10:01 am

First, my thanks to Kevin for posting for me yesterday. I am now activated and can post for myself, I think.

A small point to add to my previous post. My memory of the 1980 Glorney Cup is that the England team arrived too late for the final round, and had already been disqualified when they reached the boards. Just the culmination of bad behaviour ordered by Brian Eley.

Nick Ivell
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Re: Brian Eley

Post by Nick Ivell » Wed Jun 22, 2022 10:28 am

From the very first round, Eley was telling us to arrive late. It didn't make us popular.

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