Council leader warns Glasgow United over David Goodwillie signing

Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken has issued a formal warning to Glasgow United FC that they could be kicked out of their home ground if the club agrees to sign footballer David Goodwillie. 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 woman at a property in West Lothian following a night out in January 2011.

Glasgow United FC fielded the 34-year-old former Scotland striker in a friendly against West of Scotland Premier Division side Pollok earlier this month.

In a statement, released by the council, Susan Aitken said: “David Goodwillie has been found, in court, to be a rapist.

“However, in more than 12 years, he has never once shown any kind of contrition or remorse.

“Any club that signs him is making a very clear statement about its attitude to the safety of women and girls - both in sport and in its community.

“It would be an outrageous decision, wholly at odds with how community facilities like Greenfield should be run.

“I’ve asked officers to look at the council’s agreement with Glasgow United and made it clear that I’m ready for the city to walk away.”

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”.

Glasgow United train twice a week at council-owned Greenfield Football Centre but play their home games at the nearby Greenfield Park stadium.

Rape Crisis Scotland said it was “deeply disappointed” by the club’s decision to play Goodwillie.

A spokeswoman said: “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.”

“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.”