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Armagh Rover · Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 5596 Location: Nottinghamshire

Oh hello, the New Raith Rovers thread on the other channel has vanished

Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1669 Location: Irvine

Gary Parker · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:55 pm Post subject:

Wolfman Jack · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 2:02 pm Post subject:

Vinnie · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 2:02 pm Post subject:

Gary Parker · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 2:06 pm Post subject:

https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/sport/football/raith-rovers-val-mcdermid-says-she-was-lied-to-over-david-goodwillie-signing-3551896

Just to add to the bad publicity

TxRover · Joined: 02 Jun 2018 Posts: 3214 Location: North Texas, USA

Hankey_Bannister · Joined: 29 May 2021 Posts: 237

Neil M · Joined: 16 Aug 2008 Posts: 2479 Location: Aberdeen

Something is not right about the media's reaction and coverage to RRFC (as opposed to Goodwillie himself). USA Today - WT*? Half its reader base might not even know, where Scotland even is! Most of them will be too busy sweating over Russia and Iran to even give a damn about some obscure soccer club in "Ireland or wherever". I am not aware of a lynch mob having surrounded Broadwood with torches and pitchforks, yet that is kind of what is happening to the Rovers now. What I am saying is that there is something very contrived about the way we have been targeted by the media. Have some people in high up places sought to make a political example of RRFC? You can fill in the blanks yourselves.

Let me be clear - I do not like David Goodwillie at all. Before a civil court found him guilty, he was a despicable character, with convictions for a string of assaults. In one such attack, a nightclub bouncer - who was only doing his job - was beaten unconscious. On every occassion he seemed to get off with a slap on the wrist. Some hoodie on a council estate would be serving life, if they had committed those crimes! You have to wonder why Goodwillie got off so lightly each time. Did someone very powerful have his back? On Sacked In The Morning, Craig Levein alluded to (but did not name) a player who assaulted people for fun - and who was headed for years in prison. Who might that have been? I am not aware that Goodwillie was cleared of rape by a jury in a criminal court. I did read that the charges were dropped, as corroboration would have been needed in a criminal case. Apparantly a civil court reaches a verdict based on probabilty. Goodwillie had to pay his victim £100k.

Is Goodwillie a reformed character? I don't know - and I don't care. Should he be given a chance to move on and reform and build a better life with his wife and family now? I would say yes at this stage- but NOT with Raith Rovers Football Club. A new identity and a move to the Caribbean might be an idea - for him, his family and first and foremost for his victims - (yes the "s" on the end was intentional).

If Goodwillie stays with Rovers, I would more get a shiver every time he scored than anything else. Even if he got us promoted, it would somehow feel hollow and empty. There is little chance of that now - whether he stays or whether he goes. Still, there were people on here who wanted to sign him before he signed for Clyde. There would have been a backlash for his signing - no matter what. You do have to ask though - if it was not for this media hysteria, would everybody be saying what they are saying? Some would - but others maybe not. The hysteria has made us look at the man's past in closer detail. It is not pretty.

It is hard to see how to get Goodwillie out now, without very serious damage. If the club pays him off, it will be slated for rewarding him - never mind from fans' hard-earned-cash. If he walks, his career will be over. He knows it and he might not agree to do that. If he stays, it could be the club that goes to the wall. It is a Catch 22. Whichever way, the damage is already done.

That brings me onto the bit that will get me slated to death - but I am going to say it, because it is how I feel. With 20/20 hindsight, the Goodwillie signing has been a PR disaster. Does anyone imagine that John Sim or John McGlynn got up this morning feeling glad that they signed him? I have spoken with both men in the past and got a very good feeling about them - both nice and sincere people. While it was not rocket science that the signing would alienate women who had any kind of dealings with the club, nobody could have foreseen the media frenzy over a footballer who has been at Clyde for years - and only ever mentioned when he scored.

John Sim and John McGlynn are good men. While the decision was wrong, their hearts are in the right place. They both eat, sleep and breathe Raith Rovers Football Club. They will be hurting as much as anyone right now.
Do we really want them to just leave and bring in another Danny Smith, another Gary Locke or another Claude Anelka?

When we screamed for a striker, I don't recall anyone on here saying that they would stop supporting the Rovers, if Goodwillie signed. Maybe we should have been more careful for what we wished for. Maybe we should have made our opinions clear then - not now. While many would have torn up their season tickets regardless, the bulk of the reaction now seems to be (rightly or wrongly) about the media hysteria and the awful implications for the club. I will not make me any friends on here by saying it, but while I truly hope that Goodwillie will be gone - ASAP - I do hope that John Sim, John McGlynn and Paul Smith will stay at the club and sort out and ride out all this mess. I have no doubt that they will now have a real will to do so. They may well be our best bet - to save the club from oblivion. Why? Because they do care - no matter what - mistakes or no mistakes - look at what they have done for the club up to now. Bearing all that in mind' let's be careful what we wish for!

RealNotFizz · Joined: 28 Jun 2010 Posts: 1363 Location: Kirkcaldy