AN ABUSE victim had called on the chief executive of the Scottish Football Association to quite after he insisted the game north of the border was "a safe place for children".
Ian Maxwell spoke out after a review into historic child sexual abuse in Scottish football called for sweeping changes while finding that child protection policies are "not fit for purpose".
He has apologised for the abuse suffered by young people under its care in the past.
The Scottish Football Association-commissioned report said that there were gaps in the system that still leave children at risk.
The head of the sport's governing body said the report's recommendations would be implemented where possible.
Mr Haynes, waived his anonymity in December 2016 to accuse a former youth coach and top-flight assistant referee of a catalogue of child sex offences over a three to four-year period from 1979.
He tweeted in response: "Mr Maxwell, on behalf of my family and all victims of abuse within Scottish football, your comments today were offensive, poorly judged and insulting.
"Did you even read the report? Shame on you. Forty years of hurt, to be told SFAs policies on child safety are a success. Go."
They had already appointed an Implementation Manager and were created a Safeguarding Advisory Group as recommended by the inquiry led by Martin Henry, the former executive officer of Lothian and Borders Police's child protection office.
Mr Maxwell said: “On behalf of Scottish football I would like to offer my most heartfelt apology to those with personal experience of sexual abuse in our national game.
"We acknowledge the very deep impact experiences of sexual abuse has had on many individuals and that is why we are strongly committed to learning from these experiences."
He added: It is abhorrent inj football and society that these things still occur."
After saying that the game had made "significant strides" to address issues in the past 18 months, he said: "I think Scottish football is a safe place for children and it's up to us to ensure that going forward.
“We are pleased that the report has recognised the progress that the Scottish FA and its members have made since the board issued a directive in 2016, however, we recognise there is still much to do.
"As the report also states, football provides a tremendous outlet for young people in Scotland and it is our responsibility to protect and cultivate that for future generations."
The report had said there is a shortfall in money and resources to deal with the problems.
The interim findings highlighted a need for football clubs to accept greater responsibility for affiliated youth clubs. And it also called for a designated Scottish FA board member for safeguarding issues.
A full report is not expected to be published until legal proceedings have been concluded.
Mr Henry, who until October, 2016, was national manager of child sexual abuse prevention charity Stop it Now! Scotland was brought in in February, last year, to front an investigation which agreed to examine "processes and procedures" in place both currently and historically in Scottish football.
Concerns at the time were linked to seven Scottish football clubs. Four of them, Celtic, Rangers, Motherwell and Partick Thistle are in the Scottish Premiership and three are in the Scottish Championship, Hibs, Falkirk and Dundee United.
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