The New Raith Rovers Thread

[vikingTON]

1 minute ago, Trogdor said:

It is easy to say but if they want change they need to fight for it and it will be attritional. The calculus from the Raith board must be that this will blow over. The fans need to show that it won't - I don't think the fans really have any other option here.

I can't see that succeeding though. There are enough fanbases who struggle to form effective opposition to obvious asset-strippers and Walter Mitty owners jeapordising the immediate future of their club. Is protest and boycotting about the signing of a rapist really going to change things, now that the board have dug into their trenches and their opponents have (respectably) resigned? 

In an ideal world it should be effective but the much more likely outcome is a deeply fractured fanbase and community. There's no straightforward choice here and I don't think anyone should be criticised for what they do, short of bizarrely embracing the move. 

[Left Back]

6 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

If the employer states it one of the duties of a pro footballer then its one of the duties.

Meeting competition winners, escorting mascots, school and hospital visits, coaching youth teams and community outreach coaching would all be reasonable duties for a pro footballer.

It's doubtful any would be unsupervised but it would be up to the employer to assess that. There isn't a boilerplate generic contract all pro footballers sign. 

These are reasonable points.  I’m sure a lot of footballers do these things.  Do you think any footballers currently undergo PVG checks?

[SuperSaints1877]

15 minutes ago, kingjoey said:

Not sure what you’re trying to prove here, but not a player that I’m proud of being having been at my club. 

 

2 hours ago, kingjoey said:

I support what Val McDermid and everyone else with Raith Rovers in their hearts are doing, and no way should Goodwillie be playing football in Scotland. But what difference does the profile of the club have to do with who he plays for, and the difference in profile between Raith Rovers and Clyde is fairly minimal anyway so not much of an argument.My point is that people who have no connection with Raith Rovers are “outraged”. Why? Why were they not outraged last week? Over 7500 people turned out at Broadwood in 2020 to watch Goodwillie play against Celtic in the Scottish Cup.

The point I’m making is that Aberdeen signed this guy when there were very serious court convictions regarding assault and criminal charges for rape brought against him prior to him signing for your club. It would seem that your club management have been just as bad as Raith and Clyde. 

I fully respect your viewpoint on him playing for your club. It’s just a stain on your clubs history that you employed such a despicable individual. 

Edited February 2, 2022 by SuperSaints1877

[Ding Dang Doo]

It's easy to say this, but the reality is that Raith are massively beholden to a single owner/backer. It's not as simple then as 'just withhold money and they'll go away' - they can actually try to take the ball away with them. See Scott, Hugh, when the Morton fanbase and the local council refused to buy what he was selling. 
The problem that Raith's fanbase has is that their board's decisions over the past few years (above all losing utterly ludicrous amounts year on year in the third tier*) mean that their club is now beholden to pretty much one guy. If Sim takes the huff or acts like an arsehole, the game's a bogey and there's no straightforward way to empty him. 
 
 
 
*
Spoiler

Before anyone raises my club's similar, ludicrous spending - the reason why we have escaped as a fan-owned club today is largely due to sheer good fortune. It was a family ownership that in the end was willing to write most things off and hand the club over, just to get the hell out of there. A more ruthless 'investor' would have been a different story and we dodged a bullet. 

 

I agree with what you say and it's actually Sim who created us being beholden to him with him appointing Locke who ultimately took us down. It took them a while to acknowledge the mistakes of that and the Barry Smith appointment but under McGlynn and the money Sim had to invest to get us back up it looked like he had changed and we'd turned a corner.

Sim is slightly different though in the he has made a lot of investment into the club and has protections in place. He's not the type of guy to therefore just let the club struggle financially as that will hit him. He's also got a lot of investment in similar terms within the Community which would, and now could, suffer as well. If he was someone totally out of the town with nothing else but the football club then we'd be in a completely different situation just now. It might be clinging onto faint hopes but that's all I really have at the moment.

[San Starko Rover]

12 minutes ago, Paco said:

Yeah, I agree with this. I went to Clyde away without a second thought to be honest, and I don’t imagine any away support boycott will last any amount of time at Stark’s Park either. A few individuals may not go, particularly in the next few months, but let’s not pretend Kilmarnock won’t fill the away end if they can win the league on the final day of the season.

I can’t support him being at my own club though. There’s a big difference there. It probably is logically hypocritical, but so be it.

Saying an away fan paying £15 pounds is comparable morally to a fan of the club employing the player is laughable. By that logic anyone who contributed to Clyde’s income is equally comparable which would mean every supporter in Scotland as Clyde received income through the TV deal.  It would also mean every customer of any sponsor of the club. 

[Roath Raver]

A message from RaithTV. Will be strange not doing the work this weekend.

 

[buchan30]

A message from RaithTV. Will be strange not doing the work this weekend.
 

A shame to see you and them all go. The coverage, especially during the pandemic and beyond has been fantastic.

[lichtgilphead]

14 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

If the employer states it one of the duties of a pro footballer then its one of the duties.

Meeting competition winners, escorting mascots, school and hospital visits, coaching youth teams and community outreach coaching would all be reasonable duties for a pro footballer.

It's doubtful any would be unsupervised but it would be up to the employer to assess that. There isn't a boilerplate generic contract all pro footballers sign. 

Exactly my point

[tazz1903]

3 hours ago, tazz1903 said:

What's a picquet line? 

 

3 hours ago, Arnold Layne said:

It might have been better to look it up rather than embarrass yourself on here.

Explain please?

[San Starko Rover]

2 minutes ago, Roath Raver said:

A message from RaithTV. Will be strange not doing the work this weekend.

 

Heartbreaking guys but totally understandable. RaithTV have been outstanding through the pandemic and as someone who lived abroad from 2016-2019 I tuned in at silly O’clock for the game. 
 

Thank you for your hard work and excellent coverage over the years. 

[roman_bairn]

I think you’re also missing the point.  
It’s perfectly valid to question why she suddenly thinks it’s a big deal when it wasn’t last Saturday.

You could also ask that very same question to the media and every non Raith fan on this area of the forum, tbf…….

[Homer Thompson]

4 minutes ago, Roath Raver said:

A message from RaithTV. Will be strange not doing the work this weekend.

 

A real shame to see one of the best streaming teams go, but totally understand their position. 

[Ro Sham Bo]

16 minutes ago, ped24 said:

My email to the club(for all the difference it will make) 

FAO Raith Rovers Board & Management

 

I am writing as an extremely concerned supporter regarding events this week.

 

I am a season ticket holder and so are my two boys who are aged 8 and 11. We look forward to the weekend and attending matches both home and away. Supporting Raith Rovers has been a massive distraction through the difficulties over the last two years. We've been proud of the direction the club was moving in, creating strong community links with the community foundation. Having men, women and childrens' teams that the club and community can be proud of was great to see. Combine this with successful season we are having:

• challenging for promotion
• challenge cup semi final
• big match with celtic
• top team in Fife.

As a family we were extremely proud supporters of Raith Rovers as fourth and fifth generation fans (at least).

 

So with this in mind I am sure you can understand my dismay at the Club's decision to sign Goodwillie. I would say the lack of foresight and common sense was staggering but the Club were aware of their main sponsor's stance on the issue and that of many of their fans.

 

My first concern turned to the children attending Rovers matches who will now have to listen to fans chanting at Goodwillie, leaving parents like myself facing conversations about a subject you children should not have to continue to concern themselves with or withdrawing support and losing our Saturday afternoons watching the game and team we love.

 

But, aso consider the impact this will have on kid supporters attending school or interacting with their friends. Kids will have seen media reports - kids at my sons' school and their friends know they are Rovers fans - I've encouraged them to be proud of it- we felt part of the Rovers' 'family'. Now you've extended that 'family' and potentially subjected my kids to taunts and comments about rape and the condoning of previous abusive behaviour over footballing ability. Imagine me and my wife telling our 8 year old they might hear the term rape associated with their beloved club and trying to give some sort of explanation of what that term means. Tell me -did you consider this when signing this player? And if not did you consider it before issuing your statement yesterday afternoon?

 

I sincerely hope common sense and morality prevails and this man never plays for the Club I love. Maybe that way my sons will get to watch their heroes in a stadium free from discussion and shouts about rape.

 

The only way this Club can move forward is to distance themselves from this attitude of football talent being above all else. If you want to be the family and community club you claim to be you have to remember that these players are role models (if not heroes) for every young person that walks into the stand - and for the wider community. You must reflect on your decision making and the very least we all deserve is an apology and you starting to set things right by distancing the Club from Goodwillie. Surely someone on the Board can see this? 

 

I for one would rather support the Club I know Rovers can be - one that is family and community centred and that I feel proud my boys support, doing their best in the Championship, than a Premier League Team everyone hates due to your stance about this individual. It's time to open your eyes and listen to not just this generation of fans but the next ones too who you have deeply hurt with your actions - time to open your eyes and recognise this club is much more than the points in a league table!!

 

My sons are aware that I have written to you and we await your response.

 

Very well put. It is a shame that it will almost certainly never be read. 

[lichtgilphead]

5 minutes ago, Left Back said:

These are reasonable points.  I’m sure a lot of footballers do these things.  Do you think any footballers currently undergo PVG checks?

I'm pretty sure that David Gold at Arbroath will have one (Part-time pro player, part-owner of "Gold and Gray Soccer Academy"  ) 

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

5 minutes ago, Roath Raver said:

A message from RaithTV. Will be strange not doing the work this weekend.

 

Cheers Buddy.

 

I assume that supporters can chase the club for refunds for the rest of the season?

[invergowrie arab]

2 minutes ago, Left Back said:

These are reasonable points.  I’m sure a lot of footballers do these things.  Do you think any footballers currently undergo PVG checks?

Any? Yes.

 

[Left Back]

2 minutes ago, lichtgilphead said:

I'm pretty sure that David Gold at Arbroath will have one (Part-time pro player, part-owner of "Gold and Gray Soccer Academy"  ) 

Your being an arse now.

[Michael W]

3 hours ago, CALDERON said:

I won't be posting on this forum for the forseeable about Raith Rovers.  The past few days have been heart breaking and I genuinely don't know where my beloved club goes from here.

It's been a blast folks.

Please stay.  Please stay and fight to try and get our club back. 

The immediate time is perhaps not the right one whilst the well-deservered kicking is delivered. It is not healthy to remain angry for prolonged periods of time. We are all angry and that's OK - every ounce of criticism has been merited and we know the gravity of what the club has done. 

We need to channel that anger into getting the people that created this mess out of our club. Maybe we don't attend matches, buy streams, merchandise etc. Perhaps we are indifferent to our results. I know I was yesterday. Thought "bloody typical" when we went 2-0 up early on and was almost laughing when our standard late in the match concession happened for about the fifteenth time this season. Had it not been for the Goodwillie shitshow, I'd have been raging about that, but I really didn't care. The throwing away of a lead, the damage to the playoff prospects: all insignificant. 

I'm not going to pretend that my own circumstances mean my feelings towards the club right now present anywhere near the loss others that feel they can't support the club right now are dealing with. I live a long way away, I seldom go to matches as a result. The past two years, with the pandemic, I enjoyed a reconnection with the club as a result of the games being online. It rekindled my interest - it never faded, but it always felt like I was missing out. It was great knowing I was able to support the club again in a way I hadn't been able to since 2013. Butbof course this doesn't replace the experience of going to the games, with family or friends. But it was the closest I felt to it for years. 

What has happened has fucking stung. Maybe football is indeed a silly little game that ought to be inconsequential and not taken sp seriously, but it is a big part of our lives. This is precisely why we are all distraught about this signing: we care deeply about our club and can't believe its custodians are willing trashing its reputation in an entirely avoidable act of self-sabotage. We are angry at the outcome here, but are angrier that it has been allowed to happen and facilitated by those that are supposed to look after the club's best interests and have them at heart. 

The club is much bigger than David Goodwillie. It was there long before him and it will also outlast him. But it needs to change, and to do that the people that sanctioned this transfer need to be removed from their positions. Even if Goodwillie were to leave tomorrow, I have no confidence in the board to lead the club. They have to go.

There is no easy way to do this. I don't have the answers on the 'how' either. Hell, I don't even know what the first priority is! Is it Goodwillie leaving or getting the board out ASAP? Both have huge costs ans any raised funds committed one way impact upon time frames for the other. Regrettably, removing the management team figures in there somewhere as well. 

I don't have the answers, but I'm up for the fight. We can get rid of these people and get our club back, that's the goal. Channel the anger into making it happen, mobilise and we will find a way to make it happen. Let's remove those responsible, get our club back and start trying to repair the damage caused by those arrogant, cloth-eared, principle-devoid charlatans. 

Edited February 2, 2022 by Michael W

[Binos]

11 minutes ago, San Starko Rover said:

Saying an away fan paying £15 pounds is comparable morally to a fan of the club employing the player is laughable. By that logic anyone who contributed to Clyde’s income is equally comparable which would mean every supporter in Scotland as Clyde received income through the TV deal.  It would also mean every customer of any sponsor of the club. 

Anyone who paid to watch clyde at Broadwood last 5 years contributed to goodwillies wage

[San Starko Rover]

5 minutes ago, tazz1903 said:

 

Explain please?

Is it just me or is it the biggest sign of how deep we’re in the shit when tazz1903 is on here and isn’t even taking the piss

 

Only joking tazz1903 enjoy your banter mate.