Craig Butler refutes Kyle’s claims of abuse

Phoenix All Star Football Academy founder Craig Butler says the injuries his son Kyle's Twitter account claimed he sustained in an assault yesterday was a result of a fall. He also said he is trying to 'save the young footballer from himself'.

In a series of posts now deleted from Kyle's Twitter account, images were posted of stab wounds to the hand, while claiming he was attacked and injured, apparently by someone close, and left to bleed out on the road. The tweets also alleged that it happened while Butler was training at Mona High School.

The tweets also accused the person in question of abusing Kyle and his mother, mentally and physically, for years.

However, when contacted, Craig said there are things happening that he wished not to discuss, only that he was trying to protect his son.

"You know how Kyle is already, from time to time he posts disturbing things," Craig Butler told STAR Sports. "He has been having some issues. I am trying to save him. There are a lot of things happening and I have to protect him from himself."

Craig said that the alleged injury was from a fall.

No longer remaining quiet

"He dropped on a stick, don't worry about," Craig said.

The tweets from Kyle's account also claim that he has had enough and will no longer remain quiet.

"Whenever I didn't want to play football or do as he says, he would resort to violence. I was absent from school so much as a child because of this," the Tweets said.

"Since I was 8/9 I've been abused to the point where I couldn't walk and where my entire body was black and blue... till my face was swollen... whenever I cry he would give me ice and force me not to tell the truth.

"My mother has been abused mentally and physically by this man for several years. There is a reason for everyone's pain and depression. We aren't just weak out of nowhere.

"Anyone that believe him or protects when he goes to the police and lie or when he goes for his country run or if anything happens to me ... you will know who it is,"

"I really don't want to put this out in the media but you should all know the pain and abuse I have been enduring since I was 9 years old... that my mother has been enduring.

"I have had enough of this abuse and it is time you understand. Stay tuned for the story. No more lies I am going to speak the truth today."

Craig Butler and Phoenix Academy are famous for producing Bayer Leverkusen star Leon Bailey.

Kyle, a promising player, has had a number of short stints with European clubs but has failed to tie down a long term deal.