Ched Evans Should NOT be allowed to train at Sheffield United !! Wales next?

[DuelingFanjo]

seriously?
I am absolutely appalled. I really really hope this doesn't mean he will ever play for Wales. I will definitely be taking part in some kind of protest if that happens.

No I wouldn't.

I don't think your average season ticket holder is going to be an impartial participant in any poll.

I think that club management, the FA, and all the other organising bodies should really be making it publicly known that they do not suport the rights of convicted rapists to be allowed to blacken further the reputation of football in this country.

They won't though.

support

@TheGirlFromIpanema

You support the club giving the decision to its supporters?

Oops, I read your second post before your first post. Apologies!

aermingers I hadn't even though about Sheffield being a two Uni city.

You are right though that South Yorks (along with West yorks where I am) has a pretty shocking history as far as protecting girls goes.

My lovely SW friend has had recent conversations with police in WY and is shocked at the attitudes she has come accross, even after the recent scandals.

Lynchpin NO!! No way at all

Second post was a spelling correction!

Give the decision to the supporters ?

Are you fucking kidding me ?

I despair. I absolutely fucking despair.

"The BBC understands that after lengthy internal discussions, the club's board agrees that their former player has a right to rehabilitation after his punishment, and deserves a chance to make a fresh start."

And a woman's right to not be raped means nothing, apparently. I wonder how many countless hours/days/months/years worth of therapy his victim will need to get over the fact he took away her voice, her choice and her dignity.

If parents found out that their child's teacher was a convicted rapist, would it simply be brushed under the carpet as second chance rehabilitation by the school? Of course not. It would never happen. But football's different, right? Because footballers can't do any wrong - they're untouchables. They're money making little superstars and a silly wee rape conviction? Pfft. Who cares? It was probably all the victims fault anyway. She was probably wearing something super slutty - she was just asking for it. Yup. All her fault. Well done Ched. What a lad, taking one for the team.

How anybody can support and enjoy a sport that is overseen by the Professional Footballers' Association - a group of seemingly brainless, sexist, immoral arsewipes who are somehow able to trivialise something as horrific as rape, is utterly beyond me.

I am so absolutely disgusted by this that I'm getting that angry-shaking feeling. I feel physically sick about this.

As a convicted rapist won't he be on the sex offenders' register? If so, how can he be allowed near children who visit the stadium as mascots etc? I know his offence did not involve a child but another man convicted of the same offence would surely not be able to work with vulnerable people?

I'm fucking fuming about it.

What if, prior to the poll the supporters are given all the facts, such as what is likely to happen to their beloved club should they vote in favour?

If they are indeed still biased wouldn't it be apt if they face the consequences of the massive reputation hit the club would inevitably suffer from taking him back on?

As for him personally, he'd be absolutely pilloried by away fans - and deservedly so.

Lem I think that steps can be taken to ensure safety in these circs. So, for instance he would never be allowed to meet fans, go out in the community etc?

Not sure exactly, but have read on previous threads thats how it would be handled. Ways to circumnavigate the annoyances that being a registered sex offender brings ffs

Why though Lynch?

It really shouldn't be necessary should it. The owners and management should have distanced themselves so far by now. Yet they haven't.

Why would fans, who have far more emotional attachment to the club be be trusted to make such decisions. Would they even want that? Surely they pay to watch games ,not be involved in the hiring and firing of players

It should be unemotional and really shouldn't be a question at all. A decent and morally less repugnant club would have out the issue to bed immediately after his conviction. Or at least, before his release. Or even after that, when he put out that shitty you tube video.

But they haven't.

And a woman's right to not be raped means nothing, apparently

Of course it means something. That's why he has served time in prison. We do not in general deprive someone of their living or force them to change career once they have served their time regardless of the crime or level of remorse shown. A convicted rapist who works as a car mechanic is entitled to carry on working as a car mechanic once they have been released. Whether or not the same rules should apply to offenders in high profile roles (sportsmen, entertainers, etc.) is what is in question here. And I am not offering an opinion on that question.

As a convicted rapist won't he be on the sex offenders' register? If so, how can he be allowed near children who visit the stadium as mascots etc?

Yes, he probably is on the Violent and Sex Offender Register. That does not automatically bar him from working with children and certainly doesn't bar him from being near children. There is a separate list of people banned from working with children. As the victim in this case was an adult Evans will not be on that list.

Yes I see your point, taking the emotion out of it is probably a wise thing to do given the extreme feelings on both sides.

And yes, I can see your point that in any normal circumstances the fans don't really have much of a say in who goes in and out of a club - that tends to be a decision for the manager/owner/chairman.

I didn't even bother watching the Youtube video - given that he has maintained his innocence all along I didn't expect he would apologise.

While he has done his time and a criminal who has been released from prison should be able to earn a living this case is different. That is because as a professional footballer he is a role model, and certain standards of behaviour should be expected of him. I am sure that if Sheffield United don't employ him another club will and I think it is disgusting. His career as a footballer should have been over when he was convicted.

Someone on another thread suggested that the FA should have a policy that if you are on the sex offenders register, you cannot play league football. I think this would be a very sensible and measured step to take, but then this is the Football Association we are talking about, so its never going to happen.

Ched Evans is never going to show remorse for what he has done because a) he is surrounded by people who are telling him it wasn't rape and b) even if he knows that he is a rapist, he has our rape culture to hide behind ie. enough people believe that 'it's not rape if....' For him to at least pretend to be adamant he didn't do it.

In a way, its much easier to show remorse for a crime if there's no getting away from the fact that you definitely did it (ie. the car that you were driving while well over the limit ploughed into another car killing someone) because its all you can actually do. Ched still has the option of denying it.

Unfortunately the club won't give a shit about public opinion, they'll simply take into account how good a player he was/is-disgusting really.

As for those rambling about him serving his time & rehabilitation, this prize twat still maintains he did nothing wrong & has therefore shown zero remorse.

Surely then the question should be, why don't we see rape as being anywhere near as bad as crimes like paedophilia and premeditated murder? Because both those crimes would probably be flagged up in a basic job application scenario and the local garage would most probably have a real problem employing people who had committed those crimes. Why not rape?

Oh, is it because rape isn't really seen to be that much of an issue because so many people don't believe that victims are telling the truth?

A convicted rapist who works as a car mechanic is entitled to carry on working as a car mechanic once they have been released.

Yes they are entitled to, if someone wants to take them on, but that does not mean they have a right to a job as a car mechanic. Correct me if I am wrong but any employer is allowed to reject someone because of a criminal record, and that is not discrimination, right?

The point is Sheffield United did not have to take him back. I am not saying they shouldnt have had the choice, i am saying they shouldnt have taken him back. Ched Evans is entitled to go back to football of a club wants him, he does not have the right to just walk back into football. Sheffield United could have sent out a very positive message here, but they have reverted back to he same old sexist shit that football seems to run on.

While he has done his time and a criminal who has been released from prison should be able to earn a living this case is different

It would also be different if he was a policeman, politician, teacher, solicitor, prison officer, fireman - to name but a few.

There are loads of jobs which convicted rapists could not simply walk back into.
I imagine those rapists just have to get on as best they can in other ways. Diddums.

So can the rapist Ched.

Correct me if I am wrong but any employer is allowed to reject someone because of a criminal record, and that is not discrimination, right?

In most areas of employment you cannot reject someone on the basis of a spent conviction. Of course, Evans conviction will never be spent so an employer can reject him on that basis, although he may have an arguable case under the European Convention on Human Rights that this would be unfair discrimination if the conviction was not relevant to the job. I wouldn't like to predict the outcome of such a case.

But yes, I agree that Sheffield United did not have to take him back.

I have just called the club to complain, saying as a woman and a football supporter, I was shocked at the reports and that, whilst I supported rehabilitation, I didn't see how that was possible whilst there was no remorse. There was a bit of a silence then they said that the Club hadn't put out any statement on the reports in the media and thanking me for my comments ...

You do realise that they are a vast number of Footballers out there who have served Prison sentences and gone on to play Professional football again.

Lee Hughes, Marlon King and Luke McCormack being 3 examples – McCormack is currently the CAPTAIN of Plymouth Argyle

We have a justice system her in the UK, that means once you have served your time you are rehabilitated back into the community, now if that means going back to your old Job, whatever profession that may be then so be it. If he was a banker or Baker would you be saying the same thing?

I understand a convicted Paedophile wouldn’t be allowed back into teaching, but that argument doesn’t stack up about footballers, he’s hardly a threat to his fellow players.

If Sheffield United do not sign him then there will be a big queue of clubs behind them that will.

Lee Hughes
Causing death by dangerous driving
6 years

Marlon King has a recored as long as your arm, he was released the sexual assault and ABH sentance and had 3 clubs waiting outside the prison to sign him on 30k a week

Wounding 80 hours community service
Fraudulent use of vehicle license, theft fined £280
Credit card fraud Community rehabilitation order
Obtaining property by deception and criminal damage 6 months community rehabilitation order
Handling stolen cars 18 months
Assault and unprovoked attack fined £1000
Assault fined £300
Sexual assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm 18 months

Luke McCormick
Driving with excess alcohol, Causing death by dangerous driving 7 years 4 months

I really feel the justice system should dispense justice. He was convicted, has served his time (not enough) and is now free to carry on his life.

I don't agree with this continued punishment by popular opinion at all. I also feel there is envy element to all of this - if he were a office worker on 20k a year nobody would give a toss that he had gone back to work.