David Goodwillie ruling (not available for team selection)

[stanners222]

He's a goner, cant see how the club can stand by him. Puts them in a impossible position, the amount of negative publicity will be endless!

 

[acorn]

I think the club have acted swiftly and correctly.

 

[Biggs]

Either you had sex with someone without consent or you didn't

Hardly that simple, is it? It's incredibly difficult to prove either way, but surely a criminal judgement trumps a civil one.

 

[Martyn]

I think the club have acted swiftly and correctly.

Totally correct, he should now be released

 

[Frazer Lloyd-Davies]

Not sure what there is to consider?

You could argue Argyle have set a precedent here and that once the fine has been paid, the case is closed and the situation is no different to LM once time served etc.

Luke McCormick served time though and David Goodwillie won't.

He won't because in a criminal court he has been found innocent. Or rather, the case was dropped due to lack of evidence and Goodwillie himself pursued a defamation action.

I understand that. However, regardless of that, there will be, and already are, links being made to the Ched Evans case. I don't want to get involved in the did he/didn't he debate however these links will be made regardless of the legal and moral viewpoints.

I wouldn't want to be the one making the decision on this. However, if David Goodwillie remains a Plymouth Argyle player, the club must be ready to face a further onslaught.

 

[JamieY]

Not sure what there is to consider?

You could argue Argyle have set a precedent here and that once the fine has been paid, the case is closed and the situation is no different to LM once time served etc.

Luke McCormick served time though and David Goodwillie won't.

He won't because in a criminal court he has been found innocent. Or rather, the case was dropped due to lack of evidence and Goodwillie himself pursued a defamation action.

I understand that. However, regardless of that, there will be, and already are, links being made to the Ched Evans case. I don't want to get involved in the did he/didn't he debate however these links will be made regardless of the legal and moral viewpoints.

I wouldn't want to be the one making the decision on this. However, if David Goodwillie remains a Plymouth Argyle player, the club must be ready to face a further onslaught.

I think that's the point I'm making. Surely in the LM case the club considered he had 'done his time' and he should be afforded the opportunity to continue his career. Whilst I completely agree the negative PR etc is unwanted - I don't see how the case has s different.

 

[xmastree]

I think the club have acted swiftly and correctly.

Totally correct, he should now be released

He has a contract. One of the issues Argyle will be looking into will be as to whether the civil verdict gives them grounds to dismiss him, should they wish to.

Argyle were presumably aware of this case when they signed him - if not they didn't research him properly. If they were aware, they must have realised that this verdict could come, and perhaps covered themselves accordingly, or agreed a strategy if the civil court held DG responsible.

 

[Argyle Nutter]

This is really hard for the club and i think they've been swift on saying something.

I don't understand how you can be not gulty of having sex without consent criminally (i.e there is not enough evidence i assume) but the convict someone in a civil court. Either you had sex with someone without consent or you didn't

I believe that drink was involved & that one party said it was consensual & the other said that they were not in the correct state of mind to give consent. I suppose that criminally they would need to prove the state of mind & that consent wasnt given which would be almost impossible, whereby civil courts can go by the fact sex did occur & that they could not prove consent was given.

Confusing I know

 

[acorn]

Clever how the club used a photo of him that does not show the sponsors logo. Someone is thinking at home park.

 

[Abbotts Ann Green]

I don't think he will ever play for us again - or any other club either. I fully expect the club to terminate his contract soon as well - it will be a PR disaster otherwise.

It is also nothing like Luke's case, he pleaded guilty, acknowledged the crime and served his sentence.

 

[Shankster]

Impossible to comment one way or another, lesser 'burden of proof' but a ruling (in the civil court) nonetheless

PAFC have done exactly the right thing here, Scotland is a completely different law and the appeal process may be long and arduous.

Club in a lose- lose situation

 

[dunlop]

Got to be dismissed he has been found guilty of rape.

 

[stanners222]

Just had a quick trawl through social media and some of the stuff being said is making the club look like a joke!
I've always wanted him to do well at the club, but for me in these circumstances he will have to go.

 

[Shankster]

Got to be dismissed he has been found guilty of rape.

He hasn't, the civil court is a totally different judiciary discipline

BUT I tend to agree that the club have very little option open to them

 

[pearces greens]

If he pay's the 100k surely its admitting his guilt, ?