Gary Lineker joins outpouring of support to ex-Workington Reds star Paul Stewart after child sex abuse documentary

The ex-Borough Park player courageously relived the harrowing experience of being abused by predatory coach Frank Roper.

His account was part of a BBC series featuring other victims of abuse, including the former Crewe youngsters targeted by serial offender Barry Bennell.

Stewart, whose mum Joyce also took part in the documentary, told how Roper abused him "every day for four years" when he was aged 11 to 15 during his time in youth football in Manchester.

The future Tottenham, Liverpool and England star, who spent two seasons with Workington, also relived the moment in recent years when he finally visited his parents to explain what had happened to him in childhood.

"No son should have to make that drive," he said.

Stewart's emotional story brought messages from across the game - including from his ex-Spurs team-mate Gary Lineker.

Writing on Twitter, the Match of the Day host said the programme was "one of the grimmest, most emotive things I’ve ever watched. So much admiration for the bravery in speaking out from those poor victims of an unimaginable hell.

"As for @PStewy103 [Stewart's Twitter handle] - love you, mate."

Former Man City star Paul Lake said it was "heartbreaking" to know Stewart and fellow ex-Maine Road player David White - who was abused by Bennell - had carried the burden with them for most of their lives.

"They’re great lads and I am so proud of them, as well as the others who have spoken out," he said.

Stewart, whose abuser Roper is dead, now speaks to clubs about safeguarding issues.

The 56-year-old also used Twitter to express his gratitude for all the messages he had received.

"Want to thank everybody for the generous messages after last nights documentary," he said.

"The support keeps me strong and I will try and reply to all the messages of kindness over the next few days Thank You! Stewy x"

Stewart played for Workington from 1998-2000 after joining the Borough Park club in a blaze of publicity under former chairman Bill Wilson.

Paul Stewart pictured during his time at Workington Reds

The former top-flight star helped Reds win the North West Trains League in 1999 but said he carried the scars of his abuse through that time as well as his earlier career, which included winning the FA Cup with Spurs in 1991.

He relied on drink and Class A drugs to try and blot out the memory of what had happened to him. Stewart told the BBC: "I had some highs in my career, but I never enjoyed them like everyone else did because I had this empty soul.

“I played a role that looked like [I] had everything going for [me] and didn’t have a worry in the world. I was one of the biggest jokers in the pack. Alone, I was dying, just dying inside."

The documentary's first part also featured Andy Woodward, the ex-Crewe player whose account of his abuse at the hands of Bennell prompted a wave of further such accounts from scores of ex-players.

Other players who were abused, including Gary Cliffe, Steve Walters and Ian Ackley, also gave moving accounts of their own experiences on the programme.

Daniel Taylor, who conducted the landmark interview with Woodward for The Guardian in November, also featured.

The three-part series, 'Football's Darkest Secret', is available on iPlayer.