Raith Rovers signed David Goodwillie, then U-turned as sponsors and directors left

On the Monday before the BBC's 3 February 2022 report, Scottish Championship club Raith Rovers signed striker David Goodwillie from Clyde. In 2017 a civil court had ruled that he and a former team-mate had raped a woman in 2011, and ordered both to pay her £100,000 in damages. Goodwillie never faced a criminal trial, as prosecutors said there was not enough evidence. Raith said the signing was based primarily on his ability on the pitch.

The reaction was immediate. Two directors resigned in protest, sponsors withdrew, and the club's girls' and women's teams said they were looking to break away. The chief executive of Scottish Women's Football warned of "devastating" consequences, politicians raised the issue in the House of Commons, and author Val McDermid ended her sponsorship of the club. Fans raised more than £11,500 for Rape Crisis Scotland through a fundraising page.

By Thursday chairman John Sim apologised "wholeheartedly", said the club "got it wrong" and bitterly regretted the signing, and announced that Goodwillie would not be selected while the club began talks with him about his contract. He said the board had "focused far too much on football matters and not enough on what this decision would mean for our club and the community".

Two directors resigned, the shirt sponsors pulled out, and the women's teams moved to cut ties.

The board weighed the striker's goalscoring record above the reputational and community impact of signing him.

The club defended the decision at first, so the criticism built for days before it reversed.

The signing disregarded the people whose support sustains a community club: sponsors, women's teams, fans and directors.

A hire judged only on performance can put the whole organisation's reputation, sponsors and community at stake. Test it against everyone who has to stand behind you.

The reversal did not end the damage. McDermid called it "just the first step on a long road back" and noted that the same people who made the decision were still in charge. Away-shirt sponsor TagGames said it was still pulling out despite the U-turn, because it no longer believed the board and management could act in the club's best interests; it would leave its logo on the shirts for the rest of the season but not extend the deal. Goodwillie's contract was under review when the BBC reported on 3 February 2022.