Goodwillie outcry ‘appalled’ Raith owner
RAITH ROvERS owner John Sim has admitted he was ‘appalled’ by the public outcry over his club’s controversial signing of David Goodwillie in January.
And he revealed that his first instinct was to ‘close the club’ after they came under fire for employing the striker who was deemed a rapist by a civil court judge in 2017.
Sponsor and lifelong fan val McDermid walked away from the Championship club in protest at the player’s arrival, while directors Bill Clark and Andrew Mill also stepped down. The ladies team severed all ties and even First Minister Nicola Sturgeon condemned the signing.
Raith eventually backtracked and said Goodwillie would not play for the team despite having signed him from Clyde on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
But Sim, who has since been replaced as chairman, told The Courier newspaper yesterday that he believes the furious reaction was unfair on Goodwillie.
He said: ‘I’m appalled by the reaction to it and, initially, my reaction was: “Well, if he can’t play for the club, let’s close the club”. I didn’t think it was fair.
‘The guy has been playing at Clyde for years. He’s been coaching, been their captain and won Player
of the Month awards. Surely you need to move on and let the guy pick up the pieces. ‘How much do you punish someone? Since I’ve been knee-high to a grasshopper, I’ve believed in forgiving but not necessarily forgetting. I feel for David, and I feel for his wife and daughter.’ Asked about the well-being of Goodwillie’s victim, Denise Clair, Sim added: ‘I am sorry she went through what she went through. I have sympathy for her. Both of them have paid dearly. If I could help her, I would, just as I’d try to help him.’ Goodwillie also faced a backlash at Clyde after rejoining the Bully Wee on loan from Raith in March, with the League One side saying they would terminate his contract. Asked about what he thinks the future holds for the 33-year-old, Sim added: ‘I think we need to think about what he wants. As I understand it, because of the strain this has put on his wife and daughter, he doesn’t want to play in Scotland. But he wants to play football — so he’ll play somewhere.’ At the moment, Clyde are paying part of his wages. ‘Firstly, legal obligations are legal obligations,’ said Sim. ‘Secondly, we’ve got two estimates in for immediate repairs to the North and South Stands coming in at £600,000. Paying one player isn’t a big deal in the big scheme of things.’