- The ex-AFC Wimbledon managing director was charged by the FA on Tuesday
- He was recorded making abusive and sexist comments about a female colleague
- Police have asked for information after he posted a worrying message on Friday
Police have launched an appeal to find missing former AFC Wimbledon managing director Danny Macklin after he posted a worrying message to social media on Friday morning.
Macklin resigned from his role in September after hidden camera recordings unveiled the director making sexist and abusive comments towards a female colleague. He was charged with misconduct by the FA on Tuesday.
The secret recording, reportedly made by an individual with a military background who had taken up a position working as a club security officer, revealed Macklin saying foul remarks in relation to Wimbledon’s head of supporter services and ticketing Rebecca Markham.
The ex-Wimbledon chief was heard saying he would like to ‘murder’ the female member of staff and described her as a ‘f***ing s**g and a ‘s***’. Macklin was given until December 6 to provide the governing body with a response.
Essex police posted an appeal to social media on Friday asking for information on Macklin’s whereabouts after the former director shared a worrying message about suffering from ‘unrecoverable anxiety’ and ‘anguish’.
Macklin, who urged he was ‘not sexist’ but admitted private conversation was ‘100 per cent at fault’, revealed publicly how his ‘life is in tatters’ and that he’s a ‘manic depressive’.
He also said the ‘hideous’ comments had ’caused so much pain for so many people’ and admitted he deeply regretted the comments he made.
‘We want to find Danny Macklin, 32, last seen on foot in Great Notley at 10.50am,’ police released in a statement.
‘Danny is 6ft 4in, with a shaved head, wearing a long black coat, a grey and black bobble hat, black jeans and grey and white trainers.
‘Please call 999 with incident 372 of today, 1 December.’
In his lengthy message on social media, Macklin also apologised to his wife Claire and children Harry, Jacob and Ruby for ‘being the opposite of a good husband’ and being ‘the worst Dad’.
He added: ‘I should have put family first, not the determination to be a CEO in the Premier League.’
Markham previously worked at Premier League clubs including Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, West Ham and Fulham and became Wimbledon’s head of supporter services and ticketing in June this year.
After The Times unveiled the secret recordings, Wimbledon published a statement which read: ‘AFC Wimbledon strives to be a responsible, inclusive and modern fan-owned club. As such, it takes its obligation to act properly and set an example, as well as its duty of care towards employees and fans, extremely seriously.
‘Behaviour such as that being alleged was and is not tolerated, nor is it representative of the culture at AFC Wimbledon. Once we became aware of the matter we acted appropriately in accordance with our responsibilities and values to promptly resolve it. For legal reasons we are not able to say more.’
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or go to samaritans.org
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
