Raith Rovers face angry backlash over signing of Stirling footballer David Goodwillie
dailyrecord.co.ukRaith Rovers have been slammed for signing Stirling-born footballer David Goodwillie.First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, author Val McDermid and Rape Crisis Scotland have all commented after the striker agreed to move to the Fife club from Clyde FC this week.Goodwillie and fellow footballer David Robertson were accused of raping a woman following a night out in West Lothian in 2011.
The Crown declined to prosecute so the mum-of-one – who waived her right to anonymity – launched a civil case against the duo.In the first civil case of its kind in Scotland, a judge ruled the pair to be rapists and ordered them to pay £100,000 damages despite never facing a criminal trial.The victim maintained she was incapable of giving free agreement to sex because of her alcohol consumption, but Goodwillie and Robertson claimed that intercourse had been consensual.An appeal by the pair was dismissed in 2017.Less than 24 hours after penning the deal, the Kirkcaldy side faced a backlash.Rape Crisis Scotland accused the Fife outfit of sending a “message of disregard to survivors”.
A statement said: “Fundamentally – though it seems Raith do not agree – women’s lives are more important than men’s talent or careers.
Footballers are role models – particularly for young people – and it’s not okay to have someone in this position who has been found by a senior judge to be a rapist.
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