Rapist Evans is football’s pariah

Disgraced striker finally says sorry to victim as Oldham deal breaks down

CHED EVANS finally apologised to the woman he raped yesterday before blaming ‘mob rule’ for denying him the chance to join Oldham Athletic.

Oldham terminated discussions to sign the 26- year- old Wales striker after board members and employees at Boundary Park received ‘death threats’.

Although Greater Manchester Police said they had not received any complaints, it is understood one board member was told his daughter would be raped if the club agreed a deal with Evans.

But before the club had issued a statement confirming an end to the four-day saga, Evans released his own statement in tandem with the Professional Footballers’ Association.

‘I remain limited at present by what I can say due to the ongoing referral to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and while I continue to maintain my innocence, I wholeheartedly apologise for the effects that night in Rhyl has had on many people, not least the woman concerned,’ the statement said.

‘It has been claimed that those using social media in an abusive and vindictive way towards this woman are supporters of mine. I wish to make it clear that these people are not my supporters and I condemn their actions entirely.’

While Oldham said they were appalled by the abuse their employees and directors have received, their chief concern was the threat by key sponsors to withdraw their support.

Neil Joy, t he cl ub’s chief executive, said: ‘ It has been reported that Oldham Athletic will not be signing Ched Evans, which we can confirm.

‘Proceeding could have placed significant financial pressure on the club . . . As a consequence the deal could not go ahead.

‘We deplore and condemn the vile and abusive threats, some including death threats, which have been made to our fans, sponsors and staff.’

Last ni ght, PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said he believed it would now be ‘very difficult’ for a club to sign the player while his rape conviction stood.

Evans then issued a second statement on the website that is funded by his fiancee’s father and designed to clear his name.

‘Sadly the “mob rule” tactics employed by the more radical elements of our society and the constant media reporting has had the desired influence on some sponsors and the club would face significant financial pressure if I joined them,’ it said.

If Evans woke yesterday believing he was f i nally returning to work, the day ended with the chances of him playing professional football again soon looking extremely remote.

Amid the chaos at Oldham, enough stories emerged to convince every club in the Football League that trying to recruit a convicted rapist is too much trouble, however talented he might be. He is just too toxic, certainly until the outcome of the investigation into his case by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. In fact, the CCRC only have the authority to refer his case to the appeal courts and only if Evans is successful there would his conviction be overturned.

In Oldham, the backlash has been brutal. But a little sympathy for the club here. They did not announce their desire to sign Evans.

News broke of their interest after reports last Sunday that a League One club was on the verge of recruiting the disgraced former Sheffield United forward.

But the fact that discussions with the player and his representatives had reached such an advanced stage before conversations had taken place with their sponsors seems naive in the extreme. So, too, does an apparent failure to foresee the public outcry as well as the inevitable response of leading politicians and senior police figures. It wasn’t as if it hadn’t happened elsewhere.

More than 60,000 people put their names to a petition opposing the signing, while a rival petition in favour of recruiting Evans attracted 3,000 supporters. In addition, an online fans’ poll saw 28 per cent of those voting saying they would no longer attend home matches if he were to join.

Furthermore, a f emale season-ticket holder drove from South Wales to hand her collection of Ol dh a m memorabilia to club staff.

But it was also with some exasperation that advisers close to Evans reflected on Oldham’s handling of the situation, in particular the fact that the directors pressed ahead with their plans when t heir own manager, Lee Johnson, did not seem to support the move.