Goodwillie: Glasgow United refuses to 'walk away' from rapist footballer

Rapist David Goodwillie's caller squad person said they volition not locomotion distant from the subordinate contempt assembly criticism.

Goodwillie, who was ruled to beryllium a rapist successful a civilian case, precocious played for Glasgow United FC successful a friendly.

Glasgow City Council threatened to barroom the nine from its grooming facility, nevertheless the nine said determination had been a "witch hunt" against the player.

Rape Crisis Scotland said the nine had sent a "clear connection of disregard" to survivors of rape and intersexual violence.

Glasgow United FC has not confirmed if Goodwillie has been signed.

Council person Susan Aitken said the ex-Dundee United, Aberdeen and Blackburn subordinate had not shown "any benignant of contrition oregon remorse" for his actions and warned immoderate nine that signed him would nonstop "a precise wide connection astir its cognition to the information of women and girls".

However a spokesperson for Glasgow United FC, which is based successful Shettleston, told BBC Scotland the nine would not locomotion distant from him "like each different club".

They said: "David Goodwillie has ne'er been charged for this offence. He has nary transgression grounds and has ne'er appeared connected immoderate offenders register.

"How tin helium amusement contrite oregon remorse for thing helium staunchly claims helium did not do?"

They added: "We bash a batch of enactment successful our assemblage helping those successful request and this is lone an hold of that work.

"We are supporting David with his intelligence wellness and volition proceed to bash so. This witch hunt has gone connected for acold to agelong and the usage of immoderate person's beingness arsenic a governmental shot is unacceptable."

Ninth-tier Glasgow United bid doubly a week astatine council-owned Greenfield Football Centre but play their location games astatine the adjacent Greenfield Park stadium.

In a connection released connected Sunday, Ms Aitken she had asked metropolis authoritative to "look at" the section authority's statement implicit entree to Greenfield Football Centre.

Glasgow United is portion of Shettleston Community Sports Trust, which runs the centre connected a rolling licence from Glasgow Life - a foundation that runs libraries, museums and sports facilities for the council.

Rape Crisis Scotland said it was "deeply disappointed" by the club's determination to play Goodwillie.

A spokeswoman said: "David Goodwillie has been recovered by a elder justice to beryllium a rapist. Footballers are relation models - peculiarly for young radical - and it's not good to person idiosyncratic successful this presumption who has been recovered to beryllium a rapist."

Glasgow United, who play successful the West of Scotland 3rd division, selected Goodwillie to play successful a lucifer against West of Scotland Premier Division broadside Pollok connected July 12 but mislaid 7-0.

A fewer days later, Goodwillie spoke retired for the archetypal clip since the 2017 ruling connected the Anything Goes podcast by Scottish histrion James English.

The footballer said helium did not consciousness similar helium has had justness and that some parties had been near successful limbo.

In 2017, Goodwillie and erstwhile Dundee United teammate David Robertson were ordered to wage £100,000 successful damages aft a justice ruled they raped a pistillate astatine a level successful Armadale, West Lothian, successful 2011.

Neither faced a transgression proceedings implicit the rape accusation aft prosecutors said determination was not capable evidence.

Robertson retired from shot aged 30 successful the days aft the ruling, portion Goodwillie near English broadside Plymouth Argyle by "mutual agreement".

However, the guardant soon signed with Scottish League One broadside Clyde, who helium played for much than 100 times and captained earlier leaving successful 2022.

Raith Rovers sparked outrage by signing Goodwillie successful January 2022 and a indebtedness determination backmost to Clyde besides collapsed.

Rape Crisis Scotland described the Raith Rovers determination arsenic different "clear connection of disregard" to survivors of rape and intersexual violence.

The guardant was released without playing a crippled successful September 2022, with Raith Rovers admitting it "got it wrong" by signing him.

In February this year, Northern Premier League broadside Radcliffe FC, based successful Bury, Greater Manchester, released the striker aft 1 crippled pursuing a nationalist outcry.

Four months later, Goodwillie's declaration with Australian semi-professional nine Sorrento FC was rescinded. The nine apologised to anyone "that whitethorn person been caused offence by his signing".