SUSSEX Police is continuing to investigate two allegations of abuse by football coaches ten months on from receiving a spate of claims.

The force is investigating historical sexual offences by two different coaches having ruled a further eight require no further action.

Sussex Police began investigating abuse within the football league structure in the county at the end of last year after former professional footballers Andy Woodward, Paul Stewart and David White came forward to admit they had been victims of sexual abuse from coaches as junior players.

The players’ testimonies sparked 1,886 referrals to more than 20 police forces up and down the country concerning 741 alleged victims, 276 suspects and 328 football clubs.

Both the English and Scottish FAs have launched reviews into historical child sexual abuse in football.

Sussex Police has investigated ten reports, nine reported between November and February and a further one in July, alleging non-recent sexual offences committed in Sussex against ten individuals by ten separate football coaches.

The force has previously stated none of the accusations relate to either of the county’s two league clubs: Brighton and Hove Albion or Crawley Town.

The ages of the victims range from seven to late teens and the dates of offences stretch from the 1960s to the 2000s.

Last month, former Spurs and Liverpool forward Paul Stewart joined ex-Leeds United and Manchester City striker David White, Newcastle United midfielder Derek Bell and former trainee Ian Ackley to form SAVE Association to work towards protecting young footballers from abuse.

Ackley and White were among the victims of serially abusing coach Barry Bennell. He will return to court next year to answer 55 further charges including buggery against 12 alleged victims.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Each report was assessed by staff in our public protection department and then became subject of enquiries by officers from our locally-based safeguarding investigation units. Eight of investigations have resulted in no further action, and two, including the report received in July, remain under investigation.”

The force is working with the NSPCC over the allegations as part of Operation Hydrant, a hub set-up in 2014 to coordinate on a national level investigations into “non-recent” child sex abuse. To report visit sussex.police.uk/contact-us/report-online/ or by calling 101 where talks in confidence can be arranged.