The co-owner of Hull City Ladies Daniel Johnson has been accused of multiple instances ofaggressive behaviour that left players scared of him, and of making inappropriate comments about sex, according to written testimony seen by the Guardian.
In early April a series of letters about Johnson’s alleged conduct at the third-tier club, where he was the first-team manager before he became a director and co-owner, were sent to the Football Association as part of written evidence to support complaints about him. The letters were written by, among others, current and former players, club staff, volunteers and sponsors.
The correspondence, some entitled letters of “no confidence” in Johnson and one as a “character reference”, included claims that Johnson was verbally aggressive towards players on multiple occasions, and that he created a toxic environment where women felt intimidated. He kicked footballs at players in rage on more than one occasion, according to the letters.
Johnson was also alleged to have made a reference, loudly in front of witnesses, to having allegedly slept with a player from the team. Johnson was contacted by the Guardian for a response.
The letters submitted to the FA state that several players left because they did not wish to play under Johnson and a number of the squad say they will look for a new club if Johnson stays. A group of sponsors said they were withholding funding and would reconsider only if Johnson goes.
The FA is understood to be in contact with Hull and offering advice on how the issues raised can be appropriately addressed by the club, although club sources have told the Guardian they are disappointed by the FA’s level of involvement so far and are unhappy that Johnson has not been suspended by the FA pending an investigation.
TheGuardian revealedon 16 April that Johnson had submitted a request to the FA for the club to be relegated, amid allegations of mismanagement of the club’s finances being made against him by his own players. Multiple club sources alleged that Johnson’s relegation submission was an attempt at retaliation after several squad members criticised him in public social media posts. The FA is understood to have dismissed his request because it considers such requests for voluntary relegation only if submitted formally by clubs, not by an individual.
Several club personnel are understood to have had a meeting to discuss the situation with the Emma Hardy, the MP for Hull West and Haltemprice, who is understood to have requested an urgent meeting with the FA.
Players were said to have been in tears after Sunday’s final fixture of the season, a 1-1 home draw with Rugby Borough. Hull finished eighth in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division.
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Hull City Ladies are not affiliated with the men’s Championship team Hull City. Johnson owns 50% of the shares in Hull City Ladies’s parent company, HCLFC Limited.
After the club received several letters of no confidence in Johnson’s leadership as chair, an EGM was held at the club last week to vote in a new chair. Johnson did not attend and remains a director.