Gordon Brown has joined the backlash against Raith Rovers after the club signed footballer David Goodwillie five years after a court ruled he had raped a woman.
The former Prime Minister’s intervention comes after the captain of the club’s ladies team quit in protest at the signing, while best-selling author Val McDermid withdrew her sponsorship in disgust
McDermid said: “The thought of the rapist David Goodwillie running out on the pitch at Starks Park in a Raith Rovers shirt with my name on it makes me feel physically sick”
Brown said while he had always supported the Fife club he had told them that he “can not support this signing”.
The ex Labour leader said: “I condemn rape and all violence against women.”
He added: “Because of the number of recent examples across football, I urge the football authorities to set out a policy to address cases of violence like this.”
Brown’s comments came in the midst of a series of protests over the Kirkcaldy’s club’s decision to sign Goodwillie.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has also made her feelings plain on the matter, tweeting her support for Val McDermid’s decision and the resignation of Raith Rovers Women and Girls captain Tyler Rattray.
She added: “The fact they’re in this position at all reminds us that our society still has a way to go to make zero tolerance of sexual violence a reality.”
The club signed Goodwillie, 32, despite a court ruling in a civil case in 2017 that found he and now retired player David Robertson had raped a woman.
The two men were ordered to pay damages of £100,000 to the woman, but no criminal charges were brought against either of them.
Raith’s director, Andrew Mill, has since relinquished his position on the board in protest over Goodwillie, whose signing marks a return to full-time football for the striker.
But the Fife Club appeared to dig on Tuesday stating that the signing was “first and foremost, was a football related decision.”
The club noted the “gravity” of Goodwillie’s actions but claimed that “rehabilitation” is a key tenet of their outlook.
The address read: “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.”
A spokeswoman for Rape Crisis Scotland said: “We are surprised and deeply disappointed that Raith Rovers FC are happy to send such a clear message of disregard to survivors of rape and sexual violence in signing David Goodwillie.
“This was a bad decision that sends entirely the wrong message, and it should be withdrawn.”
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