Child sex abuse: Eight football clubs fail to respond to inquiry

Police have identified more than 250 potential suspects and 560 victims, with 311 clubs involved

Eight professional clubs have failed to respond to an independent inquiry's request for information they may have relating to historical child sex abuse in football.

The inquiry, led by barrister Clive Sheldon QC, was started by the Football Association in December, after allegations from former players.

Sheldon wrote to every club in England and Wales in January.

The clubs which have missed the deadline could now face sanctions.

The review is asking anyone involved with football who wishes to provide information about the way in which clubs or the FA dealt with concerns over child sex abuse between 1970 and 2005 to come forward.

Sheldon - an expert in safeguarding and child protection - has also written to all 65,000 affiliated clubs seeking assistance, and has begun meeting individuals who can contribute.

As well as clubs, officials who fail to co-operate could face disciplinary action.

BBC Sport has learned that investigators have started searching 5,000 boxes of FA archives - each containing up to 1,000 pages.

A final report is not expected to be published until 2018.