A sexual assault support charity says it is “deeply disappointed” over a football club’s decision to field rapist David Goodwillie.
Goodwillie was included in the Glasgow United FC team to play in a friendly match against West of Scotland Premier Division side Pollok last week.
Rape Crisis Scotland criticised Glasgow United FC and branded the move a “bad decision that sends entirely the wrong message”.
A spokesperson from the charity told Sky News: “We are deeply disappointed that Glasgow United FC appear to be happy to send such a clear message of disregard to survivors of rape and sexual violence.
“Fundamentally – women’s lives are more important than men’s talent or careers.
“Footballers are role models – particularly for young people – and it’s not okay to have someone in this position who has been found by a senior judge to be a rapist.”
Goodwillie and fellow footballer David Robertson were ruled to be rapists in a 2017 civil case.
The pair, who have never faced a criminal trial over the allegations, were ordered to pay £100,000 in damages after a judge ruled they raped a 30-year-old woman at a property in West Lothian following a night out in January 2011.
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Goodwillie, 34, has seen several football club contracts collapse due to public outrage over the case, but was spotted playing for ninth-tier side Glasgow United FC in a friendly match last Wednesday.
A club spokesperson told BBC Scotland that Goodwillie “deserves a chance” and that he wants to be “left in peace and be allowed to play the game he loves”.
The Rape Crisis Scotland spokesperson added: “We wonder whether those who took this decision to select David Goodwillie for play last week considered how it may look or feel to survivors of sexual violence to have to watch somebody judged to have committed rape be celebrated and applauded.
“This was a bad decision that sends entirely the wrong message.”
Glasgow United FC was contacted for comment.
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Goodwillie is due to appear on James English’s Anything Goes podcast later on Wednesday.
It will be the first time he has spoken out since the 2017 ruling.
In a clip released online, Goodwillie said he has always been advised not to talk about the case and continued to claim it was consensual sex.
Highlighting there have been no criminal proceedings, he said: “I’m the same as her. Like, you know, I don’t feel like I’ve had justice.”
He added that due to the controversy, he has not been allowed to “take care” of his family.
Goodwillie, who has played for Dundee United, Aberdeen and Blackburn Rovers, was playing for English club Plymouth at the time of the civil court judgement and left “by mutual consent” just days after the ruling.
Two months later, in March 2017, he signed for Clyde despite fierce criticism of the club’s decision to give him a deal.
He played for the Cumbernauld-based club for almost five years, becoming club captain, before Raith moved to sign him in February last year.
Following widespread opposition to the move, Goodwillie was released from his contract without playing a match.
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A year later Northern Premier League side Radcliffe responded to criticism by cancelling Goodwillie’s contract a day after he scored a hat-trick on his debut against Belper Town.
And just last month, Australian second-tier side FC Sorrento was forced to rescind a contract.
The club apologised to anyone “that may have been caused offence by his signing”.
Goodwillie subsequently opened a Twitter account after the FC Sorrento move was scrapped, vowing to “finally speak my truth”.
