FORMER chairman Bill Clark has accused Raith Rovers of underestimating the strength of the backlash they would face over the controversial capture of David Goodwillie and of wrecking relations with the local community.
Clark has resigned from the Stark’s Park board after concluding his position as director of youth and community development would be untenable following the divisive signing.
He was joined by supporter-director Andy Mill in quitting on a turbulent day that many fear has damaged the Kirkcaldy club irreparably.
‘Heartbroken’ former director Val McDermid, whose name adorns the current shirts and the north stand at Stark’s Park, began a tsunami of adverse reactions when she revealed she had ended her lifelong support of Raith and cancelled next season’s planned kit sponsorship.
Announcing she would be ‘tearing up’ her season-ticket, the author branded the signing of Goodwillie, who, although no criminal proceedings were instructed, was ruled by a Court of Session judge in 2017 to be a rapist, as a ‘disgusting and despicable move’.
She said on social media: “The thought of the rapist David Goodwillie running out on the pitch at Stark's Park in a Raith Rovers shirt with my name on it makes me feel physically sick.”
It was a response that quickly garnered support from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who backed McDermid and Tyler Rattray, the Raith Ladies captain who resigned after a decade playing for the club.
The furious fallout continued through the day, with the club’s supporters liaison officer Margie Robertson, the Raith community foundation’s employability worker - and women’s rights campaigner - Marie Penman, stadium announcer Johnny MacDonald and programme contributor Carol Smith all quitting, whilst the local newspaper also launched a petition to have Goodwillie ‘removed’ and to ‘re-establish the club as a family club’.
Tag Games, sponsor of the away kit, then announced they had written to the club to ask for their branding to be removed from the kit for the rest of the season and to inform the Fife outfit they were cutting all ties.
Manager John McGlynn said Goodwillie would be ‘crucial to the club’s promotion quest’ but, with scores of supporters vowing never to return to the club, Raith have already lost off the pitch.
It is a scenario that was widely predicted after the idea of Rovers signing the former Scotland, Dundee United and Aberdeen striker was floated earlier last month.
And Clark, who served as chairman from 2018 to 2020, admits he cannot fathom the decision to give the move the green light following a boardroom vote.
He said: “There was a board meeting on Monday morning, at which we were asked whether we wanted to sign David Goodwillie or not. The majority of the board wanted to sign him and I and one of the other directors [Mill] didn’t.
“So, I came home and thought about it and looked at my own position, which was director of youth and community development, and thought, ‘how am I going to go out and speak to young people and encourage them to join our club because it’s a community club, when we’ve made a decision like this?’.
“I came to the conclusion I would have no credibility at all in my role, so there was nothing left for me to do but resign and come off the board.
“People like the captain of the ladies team and the SLO at the club also resigning is so significant.
“I just can’t get to grips with the decision. I just can’t believe they made it - but they did. I can’t understand it at all.
“They’re hiding behind the moral high ground, saying ‘you’ve got to give the boy a second chance’. If it hadn’t been a sexual case then fair enough.
“But you’ve got to weigh that up with the potential reaction of your supporters. They were told at the board meeting very clearly that this would be a major negative reaction.
“But those who voted for it just didn’t listen. They thought that Andy Mill and I were talking a load of rubbish, and we were voted down.
“It’s all about trying to get promotion and making a lot of money, and we’ll all be happy.
“But that’s not the way it works in my book. There’s a big moral issue here.
“I think they’ve totally underestimated how much of a negative reaction there would be. They thought it would be fairly minor and would last two or three days and all would be forgotten when Goodwillie scores a goal.
“But I don’t think it’s going to be like that at all."
Clark added: “It’s very sad. I’ve worked my guts out this last 18 months with the community foundation trying to develop community links and so on. We were doing really good stuff.
“But in one fell swoop that’s all gone as far as I’m concerned. We’re not a genuine community club.
“If you get a range of people, from a director to a stadium announcer, most of whom have served the club for a long number of years, I think it tells you how deep-rooted the disappointment is in the actions of the club.”
In a carefully-worded statement, Raith have defended the signing and insist it was ‘first and foremost a football-related decision’.
They claim they will continue to liaise with fans and stakeholders to ‘rebuild trust’ but that they also ‘fully support and encourage rehabilitation’.
The statement said: “As announced on our website [on Monday] night, Raith Rovers FC can confirm that we have signed David Goodwillie from Clyde FC.
“David is a proven goal-scorer, and this will be his second stint with the club, having previously played for us on loan from Dundee United during season 2007-08.
“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.
“As David has previously played for Raith Rovers earlier in his career, we consider him to be part of the 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.
“While acknowledging the gravity of what happened 10 years ago, as a club we fully support and encourage rehabilitation, and many factors influenced our signing.
“But first and foremost, this was a football related decision.”
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