Raith Rovers finally reverse controversial decision to sign striker David Goodwillie

Raith Rovers finally reverse the controversial decision to sign striker David Goodwillie following a huge backlash from fans and sponsors.

The club have issue an apology for signing Goodwillie and say in a statement on Thursday that he will not be selected as a player.

The former Scotland forward was ruled to be a rapist in a civil court case in 2017, although no criminal proceedings were instructed.

🚨 | Raith Rovers issue an apology for signing David Goodwillie and say he will not be selected as a player.

💬 “We focused far too much on football matters and not enough on what this decision would mean for our club and the community as a whole.” pic.twitter.com/MJzu2s6TQr

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 3, 2022

CLUB STATEMENT:

I firstly want to apologise wholeheartedly to our fans, sponsors, players and the wider Raith Rovers community for the anguish and anger caused over the past few days.

We got it wrong.

In reaching our original decision, we focused far too much on football matters and not enough on what this decision would mean for our club and the community as a whole.

Over the past couple of days, we listened carefully to the fans who have got in touch and I’m very grateful for their honesty. As chairman, as a board and as a management team, we have all learned a hard but valuable lesson.

This very unfortunate episode is something that we all bitterly regret and we are now wholly committed to making things right. I can therefore confirm that, following a meeting of the Raith Rovers board, the player will not be selected by Raith Rovers and we will enter into discussions with the player regarding his contractual position.

We share a desire to do what is best for our club and will be doing everything in our power to regain the trust and confidence of the Raith Rovers family.

Chairman

The move comes after fans lashed out at the Scottish Championship outfit over the move, with supporter Val McDermid, a Scottish crime writer, no longer supported the side and was “tearing up her season ticket”.

She had been the Raith Rovers shirt sponsor in 2014, and in 2010 the North Stand at Starks Park was renamed the McDermid Stand in honour of her father, while also worked as a scout for the Kirkcaldy club.

McDermid said Goodwillie had “never expressed a shred of remorse for the rape he committed” and the move to sign him was a “stain on the club”.

It came as Raith Women’s captain Tyler Rattray announced she would be leaving the side due to the signing of Goodwillie.

Writing on Twitter, she said: “After 10 long years playing for Raith, it’s gutting I have given up now because they have signed someone like this and I want nothing to do with it! It was good being captain of Raith while it lasted.”

Raith Rovers’ supporters’ liaison officer, Margie Robertson, also chose to resign when hearing that Goodwillie was joining on a two-and-a-half-year deal from Clyde on transfer deadline day.

The 32 year old was ordered to pay £100,000 in damages by a judge after it was ruled he raped a woman in a flat in West Lothian back in 2011.

The Crown had previously decided not to prosecute Goodwillie due to insufficient evidence.

Goodwillie has three Scotland caps to his name, and is currently the top scorer in the SPFL, having netted 15 times for Clyde so far for the 2021/22 season.

He previously played for the likes of Dundee United, Blackburn Rovers and Aberdeen.

Twitter users reacted as Raith Rovers finally reverse the controversial decision to sign striker David Goodwillie…

@LeeSvenRobson: It only took paying Clyde a fee, infuriating your supporters, two board members resigning, shirt sponsors walking away, your womens team distancing themselves, getting the term “Rape Rovers” to trend on Twitter and now having to pay said player to end this nightmare. Good job.

@RakoTuke: I’d say well done but it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Thanks for being a human I guess.

@IndyMichael_G: An extremely late decision but the right one. There is so much damage that needs to be repaired.

@hmfccallum: I think the damage is too far done for the current board. They all need to resign and fans need a say in matters like this.

@balmachreuchie: one particularly deplorable thing about this statement from the chairman is that it makes no reference to the safety of women and girls at the club or in the community, but instead begs for sympathy – not really the grovelling apology and resignation announcement that is required

@GregSleigh: That would have been a really good decision to make before your women’s team resigned, your sponsors left and you put out the first statement. Better late than never, but only just.

@balmachreuchie: some resignations should follow.

@aaronrinteln: Fans should never forget they really do have power. It’s their club. Well done to @valmcdermid and others in forcing their club into making the right decision. Now for @RaithRovers to start rebuilding that trust.

@BenTheTim: Upset fans, board members resigned, lost sponsors, paid Clyde a transfer fee, and now you’ll have to pay him off. Absolute geniuses.

@RaithColtsGirls: Too little too late, get the decision makers out and you might possibly regain some trust, it’ll take a long time for me and 100s of others to bring ourselves to trust again, you never considered anyone in this decision, you broke hearts and that’s alot for people to forgive!!

@Red_Card1: The damage has been done guys! Your last statement said it all so I’m guessing it’ll be a long time before you get some credibility back. Give your club to your fans and get @valmcdermid to front the takeover

@antoneee_x: You should have done this the first time instead of putting out that other statement. What a shambles

@samsneddon72: Only sorry cause it started costing you. We read the last statement.

@L_Reid9: This is an important first step but not nearly enough. What does ‘regaining trust’ look like practically? What work is planned with bodies like @rapecrisisscot to properly understand the issue and support their work? Board and managerial resignations still required.

@stephens_ben: Translation: “We honestly just didn’t realise people had such strong feelings about rape!”

@davebyrne01: Completely mis-read the room, no room for compassion or empathy a few days back, not listening to fans, it’s very clear, it’s not always football, it’s people, it’s community & you completely squashed that “as it was a football decision” hope you can learn from this action.