Former Manchester City youth team player Jason Dunford has alleged a paedophile ring was running in professional football and it was covered up as part of a conspiracy.

Dunford, who waived his right to anonymity, claims the scandal is bigger than the one involving former television presenter Jimmy Savile and that football clubs failed to protect youngsters.

More former players have come forward with revelations after Andy Woodward became the first to speak out publicly last week about the abuse he suffered at the hands of Barry Bennell, a former coach who sexually abused young boys across three decades from the 1970s onward.

Bennell, who worked for Crewe, Manchester City, Stoke City and several junior teams in north-west England and the Midlands, was given a four-year sentence for raping a British boy on a football tour of Florida in 1994 and then a nine-year sentence for 23 offences against six boys in England in 1998.

He was jailed for a third time in 2015 when he pleaded guilty to abusing a boy at a football camp in Macclesfield in 1980.

“I believe there was a conspiracy and paedophile ring,” Dunford, who said he had been staying at a Butlins holiday camp after winning a football competition when Bennell attempted to touch him in bed, told BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme.

“There were people at those clubs who had a duty to look after boys coming through their system.

“I think Savile looks like a choirboy compared to this fella.”

Chris Unsworth, a former Crewe youngster, was another former youth team player to come forward with allegations against Bennell.

He claimed the club turned a blind eye to what was happening.

“It was swept under the carpet,” he told the programme.

“It could have been prevented but way back then there were no laws, you just went with it.

“Everything we have been through has been brushed under the carpet and that is why we are here today. Hopefully, others will come out and join us.”

Meanwhile, police said they were widening their enquiries into the historic sexual abuse of young footballers after receiving allegations against more than one person.

That prompted more former players to come forward and the subsequent publicity, and the setting up of a dedicated helpline by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), has sparked a response from a number of other potential victims.

“We can confirm that a growing number of disclosures have been made to Cheshire Constabulary, including referrals received from the NSPCC in relation to non-recent child sexual abuse linked to football,” said a statement from Cheshire Police yesterday.

“These have included allegations made against more than one individual. Officers continue to contact all those individuals who have disclosed information.

“Cheshire Constabulary understands that this is a difficult and emotive subject, and hard to talk about, but anyone who has been directly affected by this is encouraged to contact police on 101.”