Shades of blue : the life of a Manchester City legend and the story that shook football

The life of a Manchester City legend and the story that shook football. David White was born in Manchester in 1967 with football flowing in his veins. Driven by his football-mad dad, David's prodigious talent was spotted early and he soon signed coveted schoolboy forms for Manchester City, the team that he'd supported since boyhood. A meteoric rise through the club's ranks led to his first-team debut at the age of eighteen, and he continued to light up Maine Road's right wing for the next eight years. It was a career that would take him to the heights of playing for his country. But David's performance on the pitch was frequently blighted by a lack of confidence and consistency, traits that baffled his fans and family. Only David knew the real reason behind his struggles. Only David knew who had shot his confidence to pieces. Only David knew that, aged just eleven, he had been sexually abused by his football coach, Barry Bennell. Shades of Blue tells the story of David's extraordinary life: his passion for football, the drama of his games and his fight to outrun the shadow of that early abuse. Having spent years feeling that he had to conceal his secret in order to protect his father and his football career, it is only now that David has felt able to give a full and honest account of his life - one with a powerful message that aims to repair the damage at the very heart of the sport This is the extraordinary story of David White, a Manchester City legend whose life was torn apart by abuse he suffered at the hands of one of his coaches. David White's prodigious footballing talent was spotted early and he soon signed coveted schoolboy forms for Manchester City, the team that he'd supported since boyhood. A meteoric rise through the club's ranks led to his first team debut at the age of 18, and he continued to light up Maine Road's right wing for another seven years. It was a career that would take him to the dizzy heights of playing for his country. Much of David's youth and senior football career, however, would become blighted by a lack of confidence and consistency. Only David knew the sinister reasons behind this inconsistency. Only David knew who had shot his confidence to pieces. Only David knew that, aged just 11, he had been sexually abused by his football coach. David's parents had given this coach their blessing, believing that his attentions would hugely benefit their son's football progress. They were, however, utterly unaware that this popular, 20-something, highly-regarded coach - who David hero-worshipped - was in fact a prolific and predatory paedophile. Shades of Blue will detail the impact of that abuse, outlining the shocking events that left a young boy bewildered and traumatized. It will also explain why David was unable and unwilling to open up to his family or his club, petrified that the fallout would destroy his father and ruin his fledgling football career. It was not until many years later that David was able to face his demons and begin to rebuild his life. This book is his chance to tell the story of his extraordinary career, his fight to outrun the shadow of that early abuse, and to say what has never before been said