Midweek Sport

– VICTIM’S FURY

-

“I’m appalled a club will allow a rapist and liar to represent them,” she said.

“What message will this send to impression­able young fans?

“They are saying you can behave like an animal and still be a sporting hero.”

Goodwillie and Robertson, 30, were both branded rapists by a judge following the civil hearing earlier this year.

Lord Armstrong ruled, on the balance of probabilit­ies, that both men took advantage of Denise while she was too drunk to consent. The former team-mates are appealing the ruling.

Denise, a former Scottish Prison Service careers adviser, has demanded the Scottish Football Associatio­n launch an investigat­ion into whether Goodwillie’s signing by Clyde has brought the game into disrepute.

She said: “The SFA has a role to play in ensuring standards are upheld.

“I would like to see whether they believe Goodwillie is fit to be seen as a profession­al footballer with all the influence that has on the young people who watch the game?

“Isn’t it time they sent out a very clear message?”

And Sandy Brindley, of Rape Crisis Scotland, said: “Footballer­s are role models and this signing sends out completely the wrong message.

“Goodwillie has been found to be both a rapist and a liar by one Scotland’s most senior judges and he should not be allowed on the profession­al field.

“It’s a disgrace Denise Clair is having to continue suffering further anguish brought about by this signing.”

Denise was driven to the brink of suicide when criminal prosecutor­s dropped their rape charge against Goodwillie in 2011.

After years of online abuse from football fans, Denise took civil action against the men and won £100,000 in damages. playing

Goodwillie subsequent­ly announced he was leaving English League Two club Plymouth Argyle by “mutual consent”.

Cowdenbeat­h midfielder Robertson, 30, said he was “retiring” from the game soon after the ruling. He has since been working as a boiler salesman.

In January, it emerged that the men tried to buy Denise’s silence with three separate offers of money.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom