Eight men who were abused by paedophile Barry Bennell more than 30 years ago have said they will appeal after losing a High Court case against Manchester City.

The eight men, now in their 40s and 50s, were abused by Bennell when they were playing schoolboy football for teams he coached in north-west England between 1979 and 1985.

They said Bennell, now 68, was a scout for City during that time and argued that the club was “vicariously liable” for the abuse, because its relationship with Bennell at the time was “one of employment or one akin to employment”.

But a judge dismissed their claims in a ruling on Monday, finding that the legal action was brought “too late” and that the connection between the abuse and Bennell’s relationship with City was “insufficient to give rise to vicarious liability”.

A lawyer representing the men said in a statement after the ruling that they would mount an appeal.

David McClenaghan, a solicitor at law firm Bolt Burdon Kemp, said: “My clients and I are both shocked and dismayed at the High Court decision handed down today, which declined to award them substantial damages in their claims against Manchester City Football Club for abuse suffered at the hands of Barry Bennell.

“Despite the judge accepting that there was a connection between Bennell and Man City and that he was scouting for them, coaching their feeder teams and helping to organise trial games for them, the club has escaped liability on a technicality.

“We do not accept the decision as being correct and will be appealing the decision in the higher courts, where we are confident we will secure the correct and just result.”

A City spokeswoman said: “Importantly whilst (the judge) found that the club was not vicariously liable for the actions of Barry Bennell, it was accepted by all parties that the abuse did take place.

“We understand that the legal team for the claimants intend to appeal the decision and, in respecting their right to do so, it would therefore not be appropriate to comment further on these specific proceedings, which remain ongoing.”

She added: “Manchester City has both personally and publicly apologised without reservation for the unimaginable suffering that each survivor experienced as the result of abuse they suffered.

“The club reiterates this apology today to the survivors and to the multiple family members and friends affected by the traumatic events, the ramifications of which are felt by so many to the present day and will continue to be felt for a long time to come.”

During a trial in London that lasted more than six weeks, Mr Justice Johnson heard how Bennell, who used to live near Buxton, Derbyshire, had abused schoolboy footballers after inviting them to stay at his home.

Bennell, who is serving a 34-year sentence after being convicted of sexual offences against boys on five separate occasions – four in the UK and one in the United States – denied abusing some of the claimants when he gave evidence over a video-link from HMP Littlehey, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

But the judge said in his ruling that Bennell was a “manipulative liar” and not a credible witness, and that each of the claimants had proved they were abused by him.