Raith Rovers and the rapist

[dessiato]

Link to the Guardian

‘We got it wrong’: Raith Rovers say Goodwillie will not play for club after outcry

The chairman of the Scottish football club Raith Rovers has apologised to fans over the signing of David Goodwillie

www.theguardian.com

 

[RainbowTown]

Like I said a few days days ago, expect a volt face in the coming days. It came as no surprise to me. Welcome news, and wholly inevitable in my view. Always was.

 

[equationgirl]

'i learnt a valuable lesson' said chairman John Sim.

Funny, not hiring a rapist as a role model is a fairly obvious thing to know.

 

[danny la rouge]

'i learnt a valuable lesson' said chairman John Sim.

Funny, not hiring a rapist as a role model is a fairly obvious thing to know.

And something he was apparently warned in advance. So, sounds like part of the lesson is “listen to the people who use the club”.

 

[steeplejack]

The things he will have had no opportunity but to pay heed to is the loss of two high profile sponsors and over 50 volunteers. The club was imploding, even if it could have ridden out a media storm, which would have gone on every time he stepped onto the park. Football clubs, even small fully professional ones like Raith, really rely on volunteers to keep things ticking over.

In the medium term I think the Raith manager who pushed for this signing will be gone at the end of the seaosn, when his contract is up. The fate of the four old boardroom dinosaurs and the lying CEO will be interesting.

 

[equationgirl]

And something he was apparently warned in advance. So, sounds like part of the lesson is “listen to the people who use the club”.

Yes, he was told quite explicitly by Val McDermid herself iirc as he claimed not to know anything about the man. Which I find more than a little as surely those players that have a reputation for being notorious get known to the clubs? Whether that behaviour is always being out partying then late for practice, starting fights or rape, surely that notoriety does not go unnoticed?

 

[equationgirl]

Also, what will happen to the women's team?

 

[danny la rouge]

Yes, he was told quite explicitly by Val McDermid herself iirc as he claimed not to know anything about the man. Which I find more than a little as surely those players that have a reputation for being notorious get known to the club's? Whether that behaviour is always being out partying then late for practice, starting fights or rape, surely that notoriety does not go unnoticed?

Yes, it seems pretty far fetched that the purchasing club interested in a player apparently too good to be languishing for years in a club like Clyde, would not know the reason why.

 

[Sue]

Yes, he was told quite explicitly by Val McDermid herself iirc as he claimed not to know anything about the man. Which I find more than a little as surely those players that have a reputation for being notorious get known to the clubs? Whether that behaviour is always being out partying then late for practice, starting fights or rape, surely that notoriety does not go unnoticed?

Yes, it seems pretty far fetched that the purchasing club interested in a player apparently too good to be languishing for years in a club like Clyde, would not know the reason why.

Yep. I don't follow football and don't live in Scotland and I knew about this. So the idea that someone who works in Scottish football didn't is ludicrous.

 

[andysays]

Also, what will happen to the women's team?

Hopefully a way can be found to bring the women's team (and the others who have resigned) back, assuming they want to come back.

But maybe that would require those responsible for the whole shit show to stand down, which might be something that fans and the wider community could still want to push for.

 

[danny la rouge]

I didn’t know, prior to the story breaking in the last couple of days, but I know absolutely nothing about football at all. I don’t believe John Sim didn’t know.

 

[RainbowTown]

Of course he knew. He's obviously trying to cover his back. That's as obvious as night follows day. Bit too late for that .Maybe they should make Val McDermid Chairwoman. If she wanted it, that is. She's obviously far more clued up than him, and has a genuine love for the club and community. (By the way, if you've never read any of her books, do yourself a favour and do so. She's a damn fine writer).

 

[pogofish]

But he's a proven goal scorer and we kent him when he was just a wee laddie before all that bother so it's fine

That's pretty much the line that the hardcore Aberdeen fan-base took after his time here. Football has always excused any misbehaviour/crime to them.

 

[friedaweed]

The damage has already been done here. I hope the women's team can get enough finantial support and traction to go it alone.

 

[andysays]

Of course he knew. He's obviously trying to cover his back. That's as obvious as night follows day. Bit too late for that .Maybe they should make Val McDermid Chairwoman. If she wanted it, that is. She's obviously far more clued up than him, and has a genuine love for the club and community. (By the way, if you've never read any of her books, do yourself a favour and do so. She's a damn fine writer).

Interesting quote from McDermid here

Responding to the U-turn on Thursday, she said it was "a victory of sorts of the hundreds of people who make the club, who were appalled at the original decision". She said: "It's just the first step on a long road back. The same people who made the decision are still in charge. Those who love and value the club are still on the outside - they need to be on the inside, shaping the future for the community."

 

[steeplejack]

She could buy the club, but he'll still own the ground. There's no easy fix here.

Sim spends most of his time in Bangkok so would absolutely have been looking to ride this out far from home.

His position is untenable, of course, but it's not as easy as just saying "buy him out". Football rarely is these days.

 

[pogofish]

Val McDermid has always struck me as a person you wouldn't want to upset. Bit like ma Granny, not to be fucked with. Good for her

She's actually lovely - a very up-front and straightforward/no-fuss person. She's a regular with us and we are always pleased to see her back.

 

[Serge Forward]

Hopefully a way can be found to bring the women's team (and the others who have resigned) back, assuming they want to come back.

But maybe that would require those responsible for the whole shit show to stand down, which might be something that fans and the wider community could still want to push for.

Next game, I wonder if there'll be a rousing rendition of sack the board, sack the board, sack the board (to the 'here we go, here we go' tune)?

Also, if Raith wants to welcome the women's team back, the women would do well to make sure they get a few provisos out of the club.

 

[andysays]

Next game, I wonder if there'll be a rousing rendition of sack the board, sack the board, sack the board (to the 'here we go, here we go' tune)?

Also, if Raith wants to welcome the women's team back, the women would do well to make sure they get a few provisos out of the club.

I could quite understand if they want to get the four directors and the manager who apparently voted for this out of the club before agreeing to come back.

I have no idea if this is a realistic possibility, TBH.

 

[Serge Forward]

Me neither. But I suspect they're in a good position to make one or two beneficial demands. So, maybe not get rid of the offending board members but at least make a few improvements for the women's team (which tend to have 'Cinderella' status* at a lot of clubs).

*ETA: Obviously I'm not talking about the WSL clubs linked to Manchester United, Man City, Arsenal, etc. but with the smaller and less well off clubs.

 

[Sasaferrato]

Well, to everyone's (mine included) surprise, the U-turn has come.

"We Got it Wrong" Raith Rovers statement

David Goodwillie will not play for the club and his "contractural position" will be discussed.

Wow.

I suspect that he will try and screw them for a good chunk of whatever his contracted pay was. He has no sense of shame, so would see nothing wrong with doing that.

The whole thing is absolutely bizarre, what on earth were the club thinking about when they signed him?

As for anyone who feels I have defended this piece of shit, I have not. What he did was utterly vile. His appeal against the civil court judgement demonstrates a complete lack of remorse. Don't know what he is going to do with the rest of his life, but he will never play professional football again.

Rape is an utterly evil act, the effects can be lifelong, a destruction of the victims life really.

 

[Teaboy]

Presumably he's still in his 3 month probation period so they can sack him without recourse.

That's what happened to me when I was 19 and had just started a new job but was caught stealing the bog roll. Kicked out the same day I was. I assume its a similar set-up in professional football?

 

[High Voltage]

Presumably he's still in his 3 month probation period so they can sack him without recourse.

That's what happened to me when I was 19 and had just started a new job but was caught stealing the bog roll. Kicked out the same day I was. I assume its a similar set-up in professional football?

Not covered by employment rights until he's been in the job for . . . what . . . two years is it??

 

[JimW]

Pretty sure the contracts are a bit more hard to break than that given they're for a shorter fixed period anyway. They'll have to pay him off I'd think as they can't pretend it was a surprise.

 

[equationgirl]

Not covered by employment rights until he's been in the job for . . . what . . . two years is it??

Yes. But I don't know enough about how football contracts are generally done to know how they're set up re probationary periods, duration etc.

Being a rapist is not a protected characteristic so he can't bring a tribunal claim for being terminated for that.

He could try to find a lawyer who would sue for breach of contract but I doubt it would be worth his while, as there should be some kind of good behaviour/not bringing the club into disrepute clause that would allow for this type of termination.

It's his victim I feel sorry for, if the charge over him is to enable him to pay her the £100k he was ordered to pay, she won't get much of that now.

 

[steeplejack]

Yep no such thing as ‘probation’, the Raith board will have to negotiate an agreed severance to cancel the contract. Football contracts very specific.

 

[trashpony]

A shameful silence: The woman raped by footballer David Goodwillie on why Scotland's outrage is many years too late

Denise Clair, speaking publicly for the first time since Raith provoked outrage by signing David Goodwillie, said the outcry last week was justified but came many years too late.

www.sundaypost.com

interview with his victim. She has been very badly let down.

 

[JimW]

A shameful silence: The woman raped by footballer David Goodwillie on why Scotland's outrage is many years too late

Denise Clair, speaking publicly for the first time since Raith provoked outrage by signing David Goodwillie, said the outcry last week was justified but came many years too late.

www.sundaypost.com

interview with his victim. She has been very badly let down.

Didn't realise the Raith captain had come out with a statement saying the players were all backing Goodwillie, the utter prick. And there's a story saying the scummer has never paid his victim what he's been ordered to. She knew they'd take bankruptcy and turned down offers to settle out of court to get what little justice she's seen.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

The link showing how he’s not paid a penny but is in line for £150k also goes on to detail how the secretary of an amateur club threatened online to rape her again, saying he knew where she lived and encouraging others to do the same. The police did jack, she, again had to push through to get the vile cunt done, fined £1500.

Shocking, but all too common.

 

[editor]

A shameful silence: The woman raped by footballer David Goodwillie on why Scotland's outrage is many years too late

Denise Clair, speaking publicly for the first time since Raith provoked outrage by signing David Goodwillie, said the outcry last week was justified but came many years too late.

www.sundaypost.com

interview with his victim. She has been very badly let down.

A brave, brave woman.

And fuck Raith Rovers forever. I hope they go bust as they're rotten to the core.

Kyle Benedictus: David Goodwillie has 'backing' of Raith Rovers squad

Club captain Kyle Benedictus stated David Goodwillie had 'the backing’ of the Raith Rovers players following his contentious arrival from Clyde.

www.thecourier.co.uk