David Goodwillie leaves Raith Rovers for Clyde after public outcry over signing
David Goodwillie has joined former club Clyde on loan until the end of the season following huge backlash to the former Scotland international's move to Raith Rovers in January
David Goodwillie has re-joined Clyde from Raith Rovers, who faced massive public outcry for signing the striker who has been ruled to be a rapist in a civil claim, which has a lower evidential burden than a criminal case.
The threshold of proof is the balance of probabilities in a civil claim. And a criminal trial never went ahead as the judge said there as insufficient evidence for a criminal trial.
In January, Rovers agreed an undisclosed fee with Clyde to sign Goodwillie on a two-and-a-half-year contract, but public backlash forced them to eventually make a U-turn.
In direct response to the signing, two directors of the Scottish Championship side resigned, while Rovers' women's team severed all ties with the club.
As such, on Tuesday Goodwillie was officially sent back to Clyde on loan for the remainder of the season, with his long-term future with Rovers hanging in the balance.
In a two-sentence statement, Rovers confirmed the deal and thanked Clyde "for their co-operation".
The 32-year-old former Scotland international was charged with rape in 2011, along with team-mate David Robertson, but was not criminally prosecuted.
Five years later, the woman took civil action against Goodwillie and Robertson and in 2017 both men were ruled to be rapists and ordered to pay £100,000 in compensation.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon criticised Clyde for taking Goodwillie back, saying that doing so was "as wrong as the signing by Raith Rovers".
"I strongly support rehabilitation but it must start with remorse," Sturgeon tweeted on Tuesday.
"Someone who has shown none for the trauma he caused cannot be a sporting role model."
Goodwillie had a short spell in the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers back in the 2011/12 season, but only scored twice in 10 league games as the Lancashire club were relegated to the Championship.