Raith Rovers in backlash after signing David Goodwillie – women’s captain quits, staff resign, season tickets ripped up and sponsors withdraw support, but club not backing down
Scottish Championship side Raith Rovers have hit the headlines this week following the controversial signing of David Goodwillie.
Goodwillie was ruled to have committed rape by a civil court judge in 2017 and his signing by Rovers has led to fierce backlash.
The club has stood by the decision in the face of criticism, resignations, sponsors pulling out and fans ripping up season tickets.
The captain of their women's team has even quit the club, along with board members who voted against the signing.
Long-term backer and lifelong fan, crime author Val McDermid, has also announced she will no longer sponsor Raith or support the team.
What happened?
Raith Rovers signed Goodwillie from Clyde with the 32-year-old handed a four-year contract.
At a civil case at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in 2017, Goodwillie and his former Dundee United teammate David Robertson were ordered to pay damages of £100,000 to a woman they had raped in 2011, a judge ruled.
No criminal charges had been brought against either of them.
The former Blackburn and Aberdeen striker left Plymouth in the wake of the ruling and has played for Clyde in Scotland's lower two divisions since then, hitting 109 goals in 176 appearances.
Reaction
The news was met with immediate backlash. The club's supporter liaison officer, Margie Robertson, resigned from her post and stated her values and those of the club were on a ‘divergent path’.
Former chairman Bill Clark and Andrew Mill both quit the club's board.
Renowned novelist McDermid, a former Raith director whose name adorns the club's home shirts, had warned against the signing several weeks ago.
She wrote on Twitter: "I have this morning ended my lifelong support of Raith Rovers over their signing of the rapist David Goodwillie.
"I have cancelled next season's shirt sponsorship over this disgusting and despicable move. This shatters any claim to be a community or family club.
"Goodwillie has never expressed a shred of remorse for the rape he committed. His presence at Starks Park is a stain on the club.
"I'll be tearing up my season ticket too. This is a heartbreaker for me and many other fans, I know.”
In a later post on social media, she added: "The thought of the rapist David Goodwillie running out on the pitch at Starks Park in a Raith Rovers shirt with my name on it makes me feel physically sick.”
The captain of the club's women's team, Tyler Rattray, announced she was quitting playing for the team.
In a tweet, 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!”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon praised McDermid and Rattray's ‘principled’ responses and added: "But the fact they're in this position at all reminds us that our society still has a way to go to make zero tolerance of sexual violence a reality.”
Two of the clubs sponsors have also decided to pull their support.
Club statement
Rovers, however, declared there would be no backing down.
The club claimed they ‘completely respect the differing views’ and would continue to engage with fans and stakeholders.
A statement added: "As David has previously played for Raith Rovers earlier in his career, we consider him to be part of Raith Rovers Football Club.
"Please be assured that as a community football club we fully acknowledge this signing has divided opinion amongst our loyal fans and commercial stakeholders; We aim to rebuild that trust.
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"While acknowledging the gravity of what happened 10 years ago, as a club we fully support and encourage rehabilitation, and many factors influenced our signing.
"First and foremost, this was a football related decision."