The reputation of Raith Rovers was in ruins on Tuesday night after their decision to sign David Goodwillie was branded ‘disgusting and despicable’.
On a remarkable day at Stark’s Park, a furious backlash to the signing of the controversial striker led to several key staff and sponsors terminating their association with the club.
The most high profile was Val McDermid, the best-selling Scottish crime writer who had been a lifelong fan and a key financial backer for the Kirkcaldy club.
Goodwillie was ordered to pay £100,000 in damages by a judge in a civil court case in 2017 after he was found to have raped a woman at a flat in West Lothian six years previously.
The 32-year-old joined Raith in a deadline-day move from Clyde but, despite widespread outrage, the club were determined to stand by the player on Tuesday.
Raith Rovers’ signing of David Goodwillie has been branded as ‘disgusting and despicable’
The 32-year-old, pictured bottom row, centre, joined Raith in a deadline-day move from Clyde
In what has proved to be a PR disaster for Raith, a day of controversy saw:
- McDermid pull the plug on all funding and sponsorship, having been the main shirt sponsor since 2014.
- The captain of Raith’s Women’s team, Tyler Rattray, quit the club after serving for ten years as a player.
- Former chairman Bill Clark resign from the board, along with fellow director Andrew Mill, after they were outvoted by four to two in their opposition to the signing.
- Raith’s supporter liaison officer, Margie Robertson, quit her role along with Johnny MacDonald, the club’s long- serving stadium announcer of 40 years.
- First Minister Nicola Sturgeon express her support for McDermid and Rattray, with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown — a lifelong Raith fan — also making clear his opposition to the signing.
- Raith finally release a statement at 5.38pm, but the language and tone used within it were widely perceived to be ill-judged and insensitive, thereby heightening the sense of revulsion.
Rovers boss John McGlynn insisted Goodwillie missed Tuesday night’s 3-3 home draw with Queen of the South due to a slight hamstring injury. And he failed to get involved in the off-the-field reaction to the former Scotland striker’s signing.
Goodwillie’s signing was heralded by Raith – but fans and others have turned against them
Asked if there were any regrets given the backlash, or if the club would rethink their position in the face of protests from fans and sponsors, he told BBC Sportsound: ‘The club have made a statement. They’ve come out and put their position for everyone to see. The club have said they’ve taken consideration to make this. We didn’t wake up yesterday morning and just decide we were going to do this.’
McDermid had been a lifelong fan of Raith, providing the club with significant financial backing over the years. She had initially made her stance clear back in December when she warned the club against signing Goodwillie.
Val McDermid said the decision had ‘shattered’ the club’s reputation and she had torn up her sponsorship deal and her season ticket
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon back her decision – and the decision by the team’s women’s captain to quit
But it fell on deaf ears as the Championship club pressed on and signed the striker from League One Clyde.
McDermid wrote on Twitter: ‘I have this morning ended my lifelong support of @RaithRovers 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 Stark’s 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.
‘The thought of the rapist David Goodwillie running out on the pitch at Stark’s Park in a @RaithRovers shirt with my name on it makes me feel physically sick.’
Tyler Rattray, captain of Raith’s Women’s team, quit the club after serving 10 years as a player
Rattray then announced that she had ended her 10-year association with the club. She Tweeted: ‘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.’
Robertson also announced she had resigned, saying: ‘Due to recent developments within the club I have today tendered my resignation. My values and that of the club are now on a divergent path.’
Sturgeon wrote on Twitter: ‘The stances that @valmcdermid and women’s team captain @Tyler_RattrayX have taken are principled — though difficult for both of them. 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.’
Ex-Labour leader Brown said: ‘I have always supported Raith Rovers but I cannot support this signing. I condemn rape and all violence against women. Because of the number of recent examples across football, I urge the football authorities to set out a policy to address cases of violence like this.’
Yet Raith issued a defiant statement which outlined their intention to stand by Goodwillie — arguing that it was a ‘football-related decision’ to sign him.
Their statement read: ‘As with all new signings, the club has carefully considered our position as a community club and we completely respect the differing views among fans and stakeholders, many of whom we have spoken to directly in the past 24 hours and are continuing to engage with.
‘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.
‘While acknowledging the gravity of what happened ten 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.’
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