Former PM Gordon Brown hits out as Raith Rovers fan rebellion grows
Supporters staged a protest outside the ground against the signing of David Goodwillie
Last updated 2nd Feb 2022
A fans’ rebellion against Raith Rovers signing the controversial striker David Goodwillie is growing with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown joining calls for the Championship club to reverse their decision to bring in the player five years after a court ruled he had raped a woman.
Mr Brown told the Kirkcaldy club he had always been a fan but “I cannot support this signing”, and added: “I condemn rape and all violence against women.”
The row began when best-selling author Val McDermid withdrew her sponsorship in disgust, saying the prospect of Goodwillie playing in a shirt with her name on it made her feel physically sick.
READ MORE: McDermid pulls Raith Rovers sponsorship
Raith Rovers signed Goodwillie, 32, despite a court ruling in a civil case in 2017 that found he and retired player David Robertson had raped a woman.
The two men were ordered to pay damages of £100,000 to the woman, but no criminal charges were brought against either of them.
'A football decision'
A statement posted on the clubs website read: “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."
Raith's director, Andrew Mill, has since relinquished his position on the board, and the club's supporter liaison officer, Margie Robertson, also announced her resignation in protest.
Speaking outside of the stadium ahead of last night’s game against Queen of the South, Rovers fan Ian Davidson told us he won't be back.
"I've supported Raith Rovers since 1977 when I started coming to games here,” he said. “I have three daughters and this......I just can't continue to support the club."
Fans boycott Starks Park
Mike Stewart also took part in a protest outside Starks Park: "I've got a young daughter. We're both season ticket holders and I had a monthly supporters donation which I cancelled last night.
"I'm going to go and see if I can get a refund on my season ticket. I and many other people I know won't be setting foot back in here again until David Goodwillie is gone."
A veteran supporter told heat radio: "I've been coming here for fifty-odd years, I don't think that's what we need. Definitely not!"
Another supporter said: "It's stupid, why the club think along these lines? They're saying it's not a football issue, this is a football issue, isn't it."
All the fans our reporter spoke to believe Raith Rovers need to rethink the decision with this man telling us: "On one hand he's the sort of player we need, but I don't think it's worth tearing the club apart and that seems to be what's happening."
Footballers as role models
Miss M won eighty thousand pounds in damages after being raped on a night out and told heat radio says she’s disgusted: "It's quite worrying that Raith Rovers think it's appropriate to have someone in a position which is seen as a role model for young people who's been declared by a senior judge to have raped someone.
"He's been declared to have raped someone through the civil courts and now has no sanctions for his actions. We're failing people through the criminal courts and they're turning to the civil courts and there's still no safeguarding for other members of the public.
"They're putting someone that's been declared to have raped someone on a pedestal. They're celebrating David Goodwillie when, actually, what's scary is that footballers are role models for young people and David Goodwillie is not someone who should be celebrated."
Club response
In response to the backlash, a statement released on Raith Rovers' website defending the signing saying: "
"As David has previously played for Raith Rovers earlier in his career, we consider him to be part of Raith Rovers Football Club.
"The management team is familiar with David's career and background and - in particular - his footballing ability. That is our foremost consideration, and we believe that he will strengthen the Raith Rovers playing squad.
"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.”