Clyde FC terminating David Goodwillie loan agreement with Raith Rovers amid backlash

Clyde FC are in the process of terminating their loan agreement with Raith Rovers for David Goodwillie, judged to be a rapist in civil court.

The club made the announcement at 10.26pm on Thursday following growing pressure not to field the former Scotland international.

North Lanarkshire Council, which owns Broadwood Stadium where the team play, banned Goodwillie from the grounds and told Clyde their contract would be terminated should the striker enter.

In January, Raith Rovers signed Goodwillie from Clyde and faced a furious backlash, including from sponsor and crime writer Val McDermid. Several directors quit, as did the club’s tannoy announcer.

The Kirkcaldy club initially defended the signing as a “first and foremost… a football related decision”.

But on February 3, Raith announced Goodwillie would not play and admitted they “got it wrong” saying they had entered discussions over his contract.

On Tuesday, March 1, Clyde revealed Goodwillie had rejoined the club on loan from Raith.

That night, North Lanarkshire Council said it was reviewing its commercial partnership arrangements with Clyde following the club’s decision.

On Thursday, women’s team Clyde Ladies announced they “no longer wish[ed] to play” for the club following the resignation of their manager over Goodwillie’s return.

Following North Lanarkshire Council announcing the ban of the striker from the Cumbernauld stadium on Thursday afternoon, Clyde released a statement.

It said: “The club are tonight in the process of terminating the loan agreement with Raith Rovers for David Goodwillie.”

Goodwillie was ordered to pay £100,000 in damages by a judge in a civil court case in 2017 after it was ruled he raped a woman at a flat in Armadale, West Lothian.