NINE people who say they are victims of former Scottish football scout Harry Dunn and coach Gordon Neely are suing the clubs they were linked to including Rangers, Hibernian, Dundee United and Liverpool.

Thompsons, the solicitors say the clubs should offer "unreserved apologies and financial justice" to the nine.

Both Mr Dunn and Mr Neely died before any allegations of abuse had been concluded in the Scottish courts.

Thompsons say they are also pursuing the Scottish FA, because of their overall responsibility for football, as a governing body.

Laura Connor a partner at Thompsons Solicitors said the "terrible legacy of historic abuse at the heart of Scottish football" is something that  "cannot be properly addressed until every club involved acknowledges the wrongs of the past and their responsibility by offering unreserved apologies and financial justice to every survivor".

She added: "The SFA also cannot avoid criticism or evade the consequences of their now well publicised failures. They too must ensure survivors of historic abuse in football are fairly compensated.”

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Gordon Neely, who began his coaching career with Edina Hibs and Hutchison Vale boys' clubs in Edinburgh worked for Dundee United to recruit promising players to the club before joining Hibernian as a youth coach.  He was sacked in 1986 over allegations he had abused two players.

He was not reported to police and was free to join Rangers, where he was sacked in 1990 over an allegation of inappropriate behaviour towards a teenage player.

The Ibrox club insists it took immediate action and reported Mr Neely to police.

Mr Neely died in 2014, aged 62.

Mr Dunn, a former Rangers and Liverpool football scout died, aged 84,  while awaiting trial on historical child sex abuse charges in November, 2017.

He had been arrested earlier the same year and released on bail.

Mr Dunn, was named in newspaper reports in March, 2017,  amid a UK-wide scandal over the abuse of children by football coaches.

He appeared in private at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in March, 2017 on one allegation of assault and sodomy and a second charge of assault and attempted sodomy.

An SFA spokesman said: "Upon publication last year of the interim review of Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football, our chief executive offered a heartfelt apology to those with personal experience of sexual abuse in our national game.

"Since then the SFA has published its five-year child well-being and protection strategy, Getting It Right for Every Child in Scottish Football, and created an Independent Wellbeing and Protection Advisory Board."

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He added: "The SFA acknowledges the very deep impact experiences of sexual abuse has had on many individuals and that is why we have committed to ensuring the national game is a safe and enjoyable environment for all."

A Hibernian spokesman said: "We are respectful of those who have been courageous enough to come forward to talk about this issue.

"However, it would be wrong to pass any comment on any individual cases or allegations."

Rangers , Dundee United and Liverpool were approached for comment.