Fantalk

TxRover · Joined: 02 Jun 2018 Posts: 2855 Location: North Texas, USA

(Story from the Courier)

In an exclusive interview with Courier Sport, the Rovers owner has expressed his sympathy for Goodwillie and described the backlash to his signing as ‘appalling’.

The former Scotland striker, branded a rapist by a civil court judge in 2017, joined Raith on January 31.

The Fifers paid a fee in the region of £50,000 and handed the player a contract until 2024.

Sponsor Val McDermid walked away from the club, directors Bill Clark and Andrew Mill resigned and the Ladies team severed all ties with the club. A swathe of volunteers also quit.

And Rovers were forced into a chastening U-turn, loaning Goodwillie back to Clyde a month later.

“I’m appalled by the reaction to it and, initially, my reaction was, ‘well, if he can’t play for the club, let’s close the club’,” said Sim. “I didn’t think it was fair.

“The guy has been playing at Clyde for years. He’s been coaching, been their captain and won player of the month awards.

“Surely you need to move on and let the guy pick up the pieces.

“How much do you punish someone? Since I’ve been knee-high to a grasshopper, I’ve believed in forgiving but not necessarily forgetting.

“I feel for David, and I feel for his wife and daughter.”

Sim does wield that power.

He is the majority shareholder of the football club. He also runs Stark’s Park Properties Ltd, the separate entity which owns Rovers’ stadium. Sim’s control is, for all intents and purposes, absolute.

Nevertheless, he is keen to point out that the decision to sign Goodwillie was a collaborative one.

“There were seven people involved in the decision-making process and I was the chairman,” he continues.

“Could I have vetoed it? Yes. But you’ve got to back your people; the management team, the CEO and the people on the ground. Whatever people may think of me, I’m not a dictator.”

As such, many believed — and many still do — there should be consequences for those who voted in favour of Goodwillie’s signing: Steven MacDonald, commercial director Tom Morgan, company secretary David Sinton and Sim.

MacDonald has just succeeded Sim as chairman.

Susan Simpson has joined the board but Sim contends that has nothing to do with the Goodwillie debacle. It is a case of building a better HR infrastructure.

“I don’t think the board did anything wrong,” Sim continues, in spite of the public apologies made by the club.

“In retrospect, it might have been easier to do things differently. But I back my people, not Val McDermid or anyone else.”

For those disillusioned, angry fans who still feel unable to attend matches at Stark’s Park, Sim’s message is brusque.

“I respect their judgement — and there are 41 other football teams,” he continues.

A somewhat unfeeling attitude towards lifelong supporters, this reporter suggests.

“I’ve supported Raith Rovers all my life too, so why can’t we support Raith Rovers and accept that we have differing opinions?”

Sim describes talk of a Goodwillie-related financial black hole as ‘fake news’.

He claims the club are in a healthier position in terms of sponsorship than they were prior to the controversy.

Nevertheless, having publicly declared they will not field Goodwillie, Rovers are now faced with the prospect of annulling his contract — a costly proposition — or finding a buyer.

“I think we need to think about what he wants,” continues Sim. “As I understand it, because of the strain this has put on his wife and daughter, he doesn’t want to play in Scotland.

“But he wants to play football — so he will play somewhere. At the moment, Clyde are paying part of his wages.

“Firstly, legal obligations are legal obligations. Secondly, we’ve got two estimates in for immediate repairs to the North and South Stands coming in at £600,000.

“Paying one player isn’t a big deal in the big scheme of things.”

Asked whether any thought had been given to the well-being of Goodwillie’s victim, Denise Clair — not mentioned in any of Rovers’ public statements — he continued: “I am sorry she went through what she went through.

“I have sympathy for her. Both of them have paid dearly. If I could help her, I would, just as I’d try to help him.”

Sim, slightly hangdog when discussing football matters, shows far more passion for his endeavours around the stadium and Kirkcaldy.

A Community Hub outside the stadium.

The Portakabin hospitality — to be christened ‘The Dugout’ — inside Stark’s Park.

The prospect of a new artificial pitch being laid, allowing Raith’s current surface to be transported to a yet-to-be-decided location and utilised as a training pitch and local resource.

Sim also dropped a major hint that manager John McGlynn could stay beyond the summer expiry of his contract — should he desire.

He added: “I talk to John frequently and my view is that we are happy he is here and we’re not looking for anybody else. Does John want to continue? I hope so.”

badpress139 · Joined: 19 May 2015 Posts: 2299 Location: Glenrothes

What an incredible interview. The views of this imposter are the same now as they were when he signed DG.

With him remaining on the board we will continue to be stuck in the dark ages. I have no idea what the answer is, as he is the major shareholder, but it is certainly not him. Telling supporters they are free to support any team and that he can shut down the club, what planet is he on?

red zebra · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2022 3:37 pm Post subject:

It's the Courier, nuff said
_________________
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

bistogravy · Joined: 27 Jan 2022 Posts: 65 Location: Glenrothes

is anyone really suprised at his attitude?

what an arrogant statement to make and such poor timing.

The club is bigger than any man - we must vote with our wallets and our feet.

i'll be mostly supporting the team at away games if this is the true attitude of the board, as it appears we do not mean any more to them than say, being a par.

scunnered!

Strathallan Rover · Joined: 29 Nov 2014 Posts: 592

Just when you think we are starting to move on this comes up. Regardless of what you think of JS he is very honest and straight to the point. Should we have signed DG? No. Was it an over reaction by the media lead by Val McDermid to bring as much bad publicity to the club as possible? Yes.

I am more concerned with the cost to repair both stands than the DG fiasco. I hope the player gets a move abroad with his family and starts a new life away from the witch hunt that this whole episode has turned out to be.

Personally, i have no problem with Sim being in charge.

Armagh Rover · Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 5500 Location: Nottinghamshire

Normally I would take with a pinch of salt anything thats said in a newspaper, but the Courier is normally good with anything Rovers
It's no wonder the team is in disarray on the park, with this view going on in the background

Also where is the funding coming from to repair both stands relay the pitch and move to a yet undisclosed venue.............. I just dont get it

Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1574 Location: Irvine

StarksBarmy · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 3757

Gary Parker · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2022 5:33 pm Post subject:

An unnecessary statement but not an unexpected tone from someone who willingly uses phrases like "knee high to a grasshopper".

Totally unnecessary to suggest that fans who walked away could go follow another club or that his initial instinct was to close the club if he couldn't play for us. It's akin to "it's my ball, I decide who gets to play".

But the other posters are right, we all need to move on from this and start to progress again and start to work to bring everyone who is a part of Raith Rovers back together as one "community" club. There's a long way to go on that too.

Massive amount of money to repair the stands, I suspect that is general upkeep and roof maintenance to avoid the leaky roof we had last year. The rest of the work being done is promising though.

spot on · Joined: 15 Jun 2015 Posts: 365

embow · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2022 6:08 pm Post subject:

Strathallan Rover · Joined: 29 Nov 2014 Posts: 592

happy days · Joined: 07 Mar 2022 Posts: 203 Location: Kirkcaldy

Totally agree with Strathallanrover the man saved the club and is still putting sizable amounts of his own money to give us a stadium to be proud of and hopefully a team on the pitch as well. Lifting the pitch and relaying with a new surface and using the old as a training ground that to me speaks of the man's intentions for the team. I would like to say in the course of my life I have never made a mistake but that would be telling lies. Each and every one that posts on here should bear that in mind but there again the world is full of hypocrites. We allegedly support the same team lets see that happening the past is history can never be changed just get on with your life. There is more happening in the world than this that we should be worried about.

wellyboot · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 2142 Location: Aberdeenshire

Hs disrespect and disregard for fans having a different opinion to him is evident. "41 other clubs"....Sorry, but my opinion of Sim, no matter what his financial or business input has been for the club, has plummeted. I get we need to move on from the DG fiasco but has done himelf no favours with that interview.

Wolfman Jack · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2022 10:26 pm Post subject:

We cannot move on from the DG fiasco until his loan is over with Clyde and the board or John Sim can engineer his release from Raith Rovers in the summer.
I think some people are hoping if no one mentions him it will a go away.
Well, news just in, Mr Sim has got his JCB/spurtle out and dug the problem up again, don't get on at the supporters if it keeps being mentioned, that fire is being stoked by the owner.
_________________
Hope he's got plenty Rovers action to comment on tonight....