Club captain Kyle Benedictus stated David Goodwillie had ‘the backing’ of the Raith Rovers players following his contentious arrival from Clyde.
Goodwillie, 32, penned a two-and-a-half year contract with the Fife club on deadline day, sparking widespread anger and condemnation.
A swathe of resignations followed, including directors Bill Clark and Andy Mill, principle sponsor Val McDermid and TAG Games, whose name adorns the club’s away kit.
Raith Rovers Women and Girls have moved to sever all ties with the club, while First Minister Nicola Sturgeon even suggested the SPFL should act.
Against that background of rancour, Goodwillie was in the stand on Tuesday evening — nursing a hamstring strain — as the Rovers players drew 3-3 with Queen of the South in Kirkcaldy.
And Benedictus was the first of Goodwillie’s new team-mates to address the club’s decision to recruit the forward, who was branded a rapist by a civil court judge in 2017.
Speaking on Tuesday evening, well before the club’s U-turn and apology on the transfer, Benedictus said: “We’re professionals and we just want to do the best for Raith Rovers.
“Obviously, we know David is here now and he’s a Raith Rovers player. So, he’s got the backing of all of us.
“We know what a good player he is. I played against him when we were in League One and he was at Clyde. I played against him when he was at United and I was at Dundee.
“Based on the chances we created on Tuesday night, who knows how many he might have scored.
“I’m 100 per cent behind the football reasons.
“We’re professionals and we need to do our best for Raith Rovers, and he’s part of that.”
Respect
Benedictus was, however, aware of the fury which has enveloped the club in the hours and days following Goodwillie’s arrival.
As well as the more high-profile departures, scores of volunteers who have aided Rovers’ community foundation endeavours have stepped back and many supporters have stated that they will no longer attend matches.
Asked whether he understands the anger pervading much of the fanbase, Benedictus continued: “Everybody’s got their own opinion on what has happened.
“I can’t sit here and say what’s right and what’s wrong [regarding the signing]. Everybody has their own opinion and we need to respect those opinions.
“We’re here to back him, as players on the pitch. I know he’s a professional and he’ll do his talking on the football pitch.
“We’ve got a job to do between now and the end of the season and that aim is to get into the play-offs again.”
The bad news for @RaithRovers is that media outlets all over the world are conveying this inglorious chapter in the Kirkcaldy club‘s history to their readers and viewers. (Sportschau on ARD is the German equivalent of BBC‘s Match of the Day.) https://t.co/6XRSKiAvOg
— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) February 2, 2022
Asked whether Goodwillie’s arrival and the attention surrounding the transfer — from CNN to Germany’s answer to Match of the Day — could prove a distraction, he continued: “We need to make sure our heads are focused on getting to the play-offs.
“It’s so tight just now. That’s seven games now without a [league] win, so it’s getting harder and harder to catch the top.”
