When I heard that Raith Rovers owner John Sim had finally broken his 74-day silence on the disastrous signing of David Goodwillie in an exclusive interview with The Courier, I feared the worst.
In recent weeks, I’d heard reports that Sim’s private views didn’t quite align with the public approach of the club in attempting to mend relationships and rebuild trust.
His interview with Alan Temple confirmed this in the worst possible way.
That John Sim thinks the backlash to the Goodwillie signing was “appalling” and continues to assert the club did nothing wrong is astounding.
Has he missed the negative headlines and reputational damage the club has suffered over the last few months?
Has he not noticed the sponsors, volunteers and women’s team have not returned?
Can’t he see the empty spaces at Stark’s Park?
Can’t he see the places where season ticket holders are missing because they can’t bring themselves to attend?
Most bizarrely of all, if he feels there was no catastrophic error of judgement, then why then did the club apologise and feel the need to put the words ‘We got it wrong’ in bold while doing so?
At a club where decency and community mattered, if you made a decision that damaged the club and caused the degree of hurt signing David Goodwillie caused, you’d resign. At @RaithRovers they make you chairman. Shameful. https://t.co/vIDRot784U
— Steven Lawther (@stevenredcircle) April 8, 2022
Through his own words, he is effectively admitting that this was an insincere act of expediency.
A way to remove the football club from the intense media scrutiny it was under.
John Sim comments on David Goodwillie damage club’s reputation further
The overall tone of his message was contemptuous: Threats to shut down the club are an unsavoury echo of previous unscrupulous owners.
Then there was the patronising suggestion that if you are still unhappy, there are 41 other clubs to support.
As if Raith Rovers supporters can casually discard their love for the club and simply pick another team to follow.
The apology offered to Denise Clair – the woman raped by David Goodwillie – was worse.
Wrapped up in the notion that she and Goodwillie have both ‘paid dearly,’ it implied the victim and perpetrator deserve equal sympathy.
The interview laid bare what many fans had suspected.
That there is something toxic at the heart of our football club.
Some may be tempted to overlook his views and point to the improvements he has set in motion and the investment he provides.
But this cannot come at the expense of our reputation and position as a club at the heart of the community.
Raith Rovers needs new leadership
Raith Rovers is a club built around community.
Last year I helped the club formulate their values through the ‘Project Inspire’ initiative.
An extensive consultation identified the five core values that those associated with Raith Rovers cherished.
The notion of being an inclusive, welcoming community was one.
Most people recognised the club can only thrive if it has the backing, support, and affection of the whole community.
The club agreed and adopted ‘Inclusion’ as one of its core values, along with ‘Teamwork,’ ‘Ambition,’ ‘Honesty,’ and ‘Respect.’
Most of these values are now rendered meaningless by John Sim’s actions and subsequent comments.
That is why I believe he is no longer the right person to lead the club.
And if he truly wishes to live in a world where only football matters, morality doesn’t count, where sexual violence against women can be casually dismissed, where community is unimportant, where values can be overlooked, then perhaps he should find another club.
There are 41 others available after all.
Steven Lawther is a Raith Rovers season ticket holder and board member of the Raith Supporters Trust. He is the author of ‘Unthinkable – Raith Rovers’ improbable journey from the bottom to the top of Scottish football.’
