David Goodwillie has left Raith Rovers with immediate effect, just a little over eight months after signing for them. The 33-year-old was acquired from Clyde on the final day of the January transfer window on a two-and-a-half-year deal, but he has yet to make a single game for Rovers.
After David Goodwillie was found guilty of rape in a civil lawsuit in 2017, six years after being first accused, Raith Rovers received harsh criticism from club sponsor Val McDermid, supporters, Rape Crisis Scotland, and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Although no criminal charges were brought against the former Scotland international, a court did order him to pay £100,000 in damages. In addition, many board members and club volunteers resigned after his arrival at Stark’s Park, and the club’s women’s side decided to change its name.
“First and foremost, I want to express my sincere regret for the suffering and resentment caused over the past several days to our supporters, sponsors, players, and the larger Raith Rovers community. We made a mistake. When making our initial decision, we were too preoccupied with football-related issues and not enough with the implications of our choice for our club and the surrounding neighbourhood,” Raith Rovers chairman John Sim said admitting they were wrong for signing David Goodwillie. “We have carefully considered the feedback from the fans who have contacted us over the last several days, and I appreciate their candour very much. We have all learnt a difficult but important lesson as the chairman, the board, and the management team. We all really regret this terrible incident, and we are now fully committed to putting things right. As a result, I can affirm that after a board meeting for Raith Rovers, the player won’t be chosen by Raith Rovers, and we’ll talk to him about his contractual situation.”
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