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.

I get your point UpTheHammers, well sort of.

At this moment in time it's the Evans in the news.

To say yeah but there are others equally as bad is not really getting the point about why I am angry.

I did say in my first post that I hate football already for reasons which would also include the 3 "men" you have mentioned above.

None of them relevent at this moment in time. For this decision though. Bit of a weird post really

Do you think he should be re-signed then?

@UptheHammers1
Tesfaye Bramble in non-league as well - same offence as Evans and he subsequently played for a club, albeit not at a very high level.

Personally, no I don’t think Sheffield Utd should re-sign him, but history dictates that they will, and if they do not then there will be a big Queue of clubs behind Sheffield willing to pay him 30k a week, unfortunately he is a commodity that clubs want.

He is a footballer, it’s all he knows, so of course he is going to want to go back to the only profession he knows, those of you that don’t want him to ever play football again, what Job would you like him to go into, presuming you do still want him rehabilitated and back paying taxes.

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.

Envy? Yeah, I'm 'envious'. Wish I was a convicted rapist...
Most office workers aren't held up as idols and role models to impressionable young football fans. Can't you see the difference? (Not that I'd want to share my office with a convicted rapist it has to be said...)

So should we just accept this is what happens then

Or should we make a noise in the hope that things might change for the better one day?

It used to be legal for men to rape their wives until quite recent times. That law wasn't changed because women stood around shrugging their shoulders.

Personally, no I don’t think Sheffield Utd should re-sign him, but history dictates that they will, and if they do not then there will be a big Queue of clubs behind Sheffield willing to pay him 30k a week, unfortunately he is a commodity that clubs want.

History DICTATES that they will? Just because football clubs have been happy to employ criminals in the past doesn't mean they have an obligation to continue doing so.

I'm not so certain clubs will be queueing up to take him either.

He's not served his time though has he? He has served the prison part of his sentence but is still on licence for the remainder of the sentence, another 2 years iirc.

I can't see many clubs queueing up to sign a 3rd tier footballer rapist to be honest. I would like to think it's because he's a rapist but sadly I think it's just because he's been out of the game for so long.

I'd refuse to work with a known convicted rapist.

I think you are all failing to see how difficult it would be for your average rapist to go back into regular employment.

I've seen non violent thieves be refused for the most menial of jobs.(Former heroin addict relative) Most properly rehabilitated offenders try to set themselves up with work. Its what works best as a general rule.

not all sorry

My post was addressed to UpTheHammers

I think people would have less objection if he showed remorse or at least accepted the verdict. His victim is innocent and has had to change her identity twice. She is separated from her friends and family but he is surrounded by his. She is in hiding because of the behaviour of his supporters. His life is getting back to normal, hers is in ruin. Frankly I think football must be the only occupation which welcomes these kind of people back. Most normal people wouldn't want to work alongside a convicted rapist. Would you?

@twofingers and @RustyParker

Clubs took on Marlon King not too long ago, roughly about the same level as Ched Evans.

Not saying I agree with it but I suspect it will probably happen.

Some club will take a chance on him if Sheffield united don't.

I will be very surprised if he's picked for Wales again though.

Spence82 -
If he get's his form back and plays to a similar level, then Wales wouldnt give it a second thought, he would be back in a hearbeat

Possibly but he wasn't exactly a regular for Wales before he went to jail.

Plus I can't see him ever playing at a high enough level again. If he gets picked up he will be playing league 1 or 2 football for the rest of his career

god is the hammers poster my brother?
cos he said the same thing at the week end
tough if it is the only job he knows.

he can train for something else

1. Lee Hughes - Death by dangerous driving. Initially denied the charge but then pleaded guilty in court to failing to stop and failing to report an accident. Hughes issued a public apology upon his release from prison, though Albert Frisby (injured in the car crash) stated that "He has no remorse. To me he is very arrogant and ignorant. I've just got no time for the fellow." On 3 December 2011, Hughes was arrested and bailed on charges of sexual assault. n May 2012 Hughes was found guilty of common assault and fined £500, but the charge of sexual assault was dropped.

should he be back playing professional football? Not in my opinion.

1. Marlon King - He is currently serving an 18-month jail sentence following a conviction for dangerous driving in May 2014. King has served three jail sentences,and has a number of other criminal convictions including: theft from a person and from a car, criminal damage, and attempting to obtain property by deception; fraudulent use of vehicle licence document, driving without insurance, speeding, drink driving; a wounding incident while playing amateur football, and two cases involving assault of young women rejecting his advances in the Soho area of London. King had his playing contract cancelled by Wigan after being convicted of the sexual assault charges and being sentenced to eighteen months in prison.

should he be playing professional football? Not in my opinion

1. Luke McCormick - in July 2008 after he caused a car crash which killed two children. On 6 October 2008, he was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison, for two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol, more than twice over the drink-drive limit.

Should he be playing professional football? Not in my Opinion

What's your point?

Ah, the beautiful game . . .

SU will understand nothing exceptass messages from their fans saying they will stay away if he plays; and from other teams saying that they have mass messages from their fans that if this apology for a man plays their team they won't be there. How you achieve that I have no idea.

• Sorry exceptass = except mass

Another strong vote here that this awful individual should never be allowed to resume playing at Sheffield it'd. Rape trivialised again and as others have said he has shown no remorse.

Could his lack of remorse be due to his appeal? I'm not sure how things like this work but would his solicitors have advised against showing remorse in case it shows as an admission of guilt?

Mass walk-outs from those who would have been purchasing tickets otherwise seems doubtful. Also presumably season ticket holders have paid their money anyway, so even if fans stayed away if he plays it still won't affect the club financially.

I do think protesting is probably the best way to go.

Constant protesting to the club via every medium possible and actual real-life anti-rapist demonstrators showing up outside the club. Contacting sponsors, that sort of thing.

I'm hugely disappointed. I'm a Sheffield United fan and my daughter (3) already describes them as "our team mummy".

I feel guilty of nimby-ism though. I have to support our justice system and as a result I believe he has served his time and should be allowed to continue as he likes. However, I don't want him playing for MY football team. I don't want my daughter to hear chanting about his crime when we go to a game and I don't want to cheer his goals.

I'm clinging on to the fact that our manager (Clough) has form for not picking criminals - Marlon King was on his way out almost as soon as Clough arrived. He has previously stated that the decision to re-sign Evans was out of his hands, but picking him for team was not. I hope he takes a stand on this.

I appreciate what people are saying. But the point is he has served his sentence. Should he be punished for the rest of his life. And I am not comfortable with this court of public opinion. If people don't think he's suffered enough then they should campaign for longer prison terms. And not make an example of somebody because they happen to be a highly paid footballer rather than an unskilled low paid worker.

Vivienne I agree

Good post Vivienne