Scottish Club Raith Rovers apologises to it’s fans for signing a player, but why?

The chairman of Raith Rovers, the Scottish football club John Sim has apologised to fans over the signing of David Goodwillie, who was found by a judge in a civil case to have raped a woman. In a statement issued through the club’s official website, the chairman confirmed that David Goodwillie will not be a part of the Raith Rovers team and that the club has started the discussions on the player’s contract.

The statement said, “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.

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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.“

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Raith Rovers fans outraged by the signing

Celebrity fan Val McDermid took to Twitter to declare her lifelong support of Raith Rovers has ended in protest at the club’s signing of David Goodwillie. The world-famous author had been a lifelong supporter who took to social media to voice her anger at the Stark’s Park deadline day signing from Clyde.

Several other fans joined her to condemn the move made by the club including the Raith Rovers Women’s team captain who quit the club after the signing was announced.

Goodwillie, who previously played for clubs including Dundee United, Blackburn Rovers and Aberdeen, was ruled to be a rapist in a civil court case in 2017 although no criminal proceedings were instructed. He 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 in 2011. The Crown had previously decided not to prosecute Goodwillie due to insufficient evidence.

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