Radcliffe have took to release a statement after the controversial signing of David Goodwillie in a league fixture on Tuesday night.
He scored a hat-trick in their 4-2 Northern Premier League win against Belper Town, but it seems his stay at the club ends there.
Goodwillie, who joined the side who are based in the seventh tier of English football on a short-term deal, was ruled to be a rapist in a civil case in 2017, six years after being initially charged.
➡️ David Goodwillie appeared for Radcliffe FC in the Northern Premier League last night, but has now left after the club admitted a “significant misstep” in signing the ex-Scotland forward ⬇️
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) February 8, 2023
CLUB STATEMENT:
We can confirm that David Goodwillie has left the Club.
As a Club we have always been about second chances and have been a part of many players and staff members rehabilitation along that journey, we’ve always given people a chance to improve their life and found support in this endeavour.
When the Club were presented with David Goodwillie that same logic was applied, but in this case it’s clear that was a significant misstep and our due diligence should have been of a much higher standard. We can vouch for all the people at the Club involved in this signing did so out of the desire to do a good thing for an individual with an admittedly tainted past as we have done so successfully before but this was a bridge too far. This move came about very quickly, with clearance only granted extremely late leaving us in a position where our media volunteers were unable to release details prior to team sheets being produced – while regrettable this was also unavoidable.
From the Board down to the Management team, who we backed, and have always backed on playing decisions – it’s clear that as a whole we got this wrong. The focus was misplaced and as a growing Community Club we realise that our impacts are also more widely felt too.
We have always strived to be a source of pride to our town with good and honest intentions, and we think we have made a significant positive impact for our town over the last 6 years both on and off the field and we sincerely apologize to everyone connected with the Club and the Community – this is a mistake that will never happen again.
Goodwillie wasn’t charged with any criminal offense, but a judge ordered him to pay £100,000 in damages after it was determined that he had raped a woman at a West Lothian flat in 2011.
Goodwillie was listed on Radcliffe’s teamsheet for the match against Belper Town. He scored a hat trick in a 4-2 win.
Goodwillie left Raith Rovers eight months after signing. He had not appeared in one appearance after the Kirkcaldy club was subject to a fierce backlash by supporters, Val McDermid, Rape Crisis Scotland, and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Stark’s Park was also impacted by his arrival. Volunteers and board members resigned, while the club’s women’s section decided to rebrand.
Although he played in a trial match for Livingston United in November at the ninth level of Scottish soccer, he scored twice and has never been back.
Goodwillie, who has played for Dundee United and Blackburn Rovers, among others, has won three caps for Scotland.
📋 Your Radcliffe lineup for this evening’s game against @BelperTownFC.
🔁 We make two changes to the team that took a point against Marine on Saturday.
3️⃣ Jack Evans comes into the XI.#WeAreRadcliffe #UTB pic.twitter.com/5PYnqHdNXR
— Radcliffe FC (@radcliffeboro) February 7, 2023
This is what fans said as Radcliffe release statement after the controversial signing of David Goodwillie in a league fixture…
@Nottsclassics: Shouldn’t be playing
@jordandavies09: Fairs for the quick turnaround but it’s a lie to say you couldn’t have tweeted saying ‘Welcome to our new signing – David Goodwillie’ if you genuinely thought you were helping a guy get back on track. You tried the under the radar move & it failed but fair play for facing up.
@M1878x: You just thought you’d slip Goodwillie in without anyone noticing and without mentioning it? Glad you’re ashamed but not good enough.
@ThisIsOllie_: As in David Goodwillie, the rapist?
@GazDean1: You genuinely just hoped this would sneak under the radar.. Fair play to admit you got it wrong but christ sake who thought that was a good idea!!! 🤦
@Pow_: Disgusting that you thought this was a good idea in the first place. Hid his signing and only backtracked when everyone was against you. Supposed to be a family club but support a rapist? Nah
@Jimmy_Jazz1885: Your club must employ the thickest staff on the entire planet
@Par7yPoison87: Knew exactly what you were doing by not announcing him. Weird way to follow up a mistake you knew you were making. The equivalent of being sorry for being caught, not making that mistake in the first place.
@Sysonator: It’s not a good look, try harder.
@rw2711: Never ceases to amaze me how thick football clubs think supporters are. Tried to sneak it through then put out some meek statement about “football decisions”.
@RbKeepers: They have an absolute nightmare here 🤣🤣 didn’t announce him just put his name on the team sheet. Then seen everyone’s gone mad and got rid of him. Non league is unreal 😅
@ElSamino31: Genuinely baffling that you’d hire someone accused of rape (with the current goings on), not announce them, knowing you’ll get backlash, play them, get backlash, then release them. What did they think was going to happen here???
@Lauren_Rachael1: Disgusting to have even signed him. To then try to hide it makes it worse! @radcliffeboro you knew what you were doing but after the backlash you have retracted it… disgrace
@Riceyyy: “this is a mistake that will never happen again” What was the mistake, signing a rapist or sneaking him into the team hoping nobody would notice? I’d be very concerned about who was running my club and making these decisions if I was a Radcliffe fan right now
@PenegalLTFC: I mean, this is clearly a lie and you knew exactly what you were doing.
@MGallIBF: Bringing in a rapey ringer under the radar then releasing him and taking the moral high ground AFTER he’s scored a hat trick and won yous the game. Very clever Radcliffe FC. Very clever indeed.
@CrosenderWay: Right decision but in what world did you think signing him would go down well, unforgiveable what he did and what message does that send to your female supporters! saying you got it wrong is an understatement 🤦🏻♂️
@khaismith26: Quick message to football clubs. Stop signing David Goodwillie
@rjb_1998: Claiming it was too last minute to put an announcement out before the team sheet, yeah sure it was lads👍
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