Raith Rovers stand by decision to sign David Goodwillie despite angry backlash

Raith Rovers consider new signing David Goodwillie as ‘part of the club’ after the arrival of the striker sparked departures and a backlash from club sponsor Val McDermid, fans, Rape Crisis Scotland and Nicola Sturgeon.

Crime writer McDermid has ended her shirt sponsorship while a number of supporters say they have withdrawn their backing for the club.

The cinch Championship club paid money to Clyde for Goodwillie, who was ruled by a judge in 2017 to have raped a woman, and handed the 32-year-old a contract until 2024.

At a civil case at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in 2017, Goodwillie and his former Dundee United team-mate David Robertson were ordered to pay damages of £100,000 to a woman they had raped, a judge ruled. No criminal charges had been brought against either of them.

The former Blackburn and Aberdeen striker left Plymouth in the wake of the ruling and has played for Clyde in Scotland’s lower two divisions since then, hitting 109 goals in 176 appearances.

McDermid, a former Raith director whose name adorns the club’s home shirts, had warned against the signing several weeks ago.

The novelist, who has sold more than 17 million books, wrote on Twitter: “I have this morning ended my lifelong support of Raith Rovers over their signing of the rapist David Goodwillie.

“I have cancelled next season’s shirt sponsorship over this disgusting and despicable move. This shatters any claim to be a community or family club.

“Goodwillie has never expressed a shred of remorse for the rape he committed. His presence at Starks Park is a stain on the club.

“I’ll be tearing up my season ticket too. This is a heartbreaker for me and many other fans, I know.”

In a later post on social media, she added: “The thought of the