to post a link to an Oldham sponsor that will continue to support them even with Ched Evans?

[mrleebob]

If it would be, please ignore this.

If not, here it is. www.cmsolicitors.co.uk

Plenty of contact details too. :-)

Yonic, I think that gets the situation across very well- I hope that helps some people understand it more clearly.

Choc, persons below a certain level of mental health cannot give consent to sex because they do not have capacity to give that consent.

Do you disagree with that too?

Poor Oldham. Such a proud history falling into such ignominy. RIP.

Yes, Yonic that is a very good point well made.

I hope to God that poor girl really can't remember anything - what a terrifying position to be in

And now, to top it all off, she's continually harassed and forced into hiding. And CE still believes that he has done nothing wrong. And he gets the chance to start a fresh with a new club and his life can carry on as normal.

How can ANYONE justify this?

I do think it is a bit of a slippery slope (generally) to go down the road where people are not responsible for their decisions when drunk.

However drunk she was it was his decision to rape that is at issue, not hers.

Entirely agree I wouldn't take a child to watch him (wouldnt go myself). My point was that people who say footballers should be role models who have a material influence on the morals of their children are poor parents.

It's inevitable children will dive, scream at referees because they see players doing it. But people should be raising their children not to go out taping because Ched did.

I don't think anyone says footballers should be role models, Usually. The point is that it is a simply fact that they are.

Is it OK with you if the children of "poor parents" are influenced by Ched Evans and his perception that footballers are entitled to have any woman they want, even if they are so drunk that they cannot consent? And have you noticed that the children of excellent parents don't necessarily do what their parents say? It simply is not good enough for OA to abdicate responsibility to children who may view their players as role models by standing back smugly and saying "well, they shouldn't". And, of course, actually football clubs very much want children to regard their players as role models, otherwise they wouldn't be able to sell all those overpriced shirts and posters.

I hope they get massive protests. What a man he must feel like - having his girlfriend's daddy buy him a spot on the team. And how she can stay with him (or her father be supportive of him) is utterly beyond me.

NOBODY is that good a player IMO. Surely there are tons of up and comers that aren't rapists that would be cheaper for the team and play just as well.

I'd rather he was a footballer in plain view on the pitch than, say, retrain as a plumber/electrician that is likely to go into people's homes. Don't you think?

Wonder what the other oldham players think? Some of them must be fathers to daughters.

I'm not able to copy and paste it, unfortunately, but this letter from a OAFC supporter outlines the position many parents now find themselves in. Well worth a read.

No, but then my views opinions don't hinge on his guilt, or otheriwse. He's been found guilty, and will remain so until such time as an appeal is successful.

"Until such time as an appeal is successful" is a bit of a misrepresentation, and a revealing one, given that he has no appeal ongoing at the moment.

I respect the law. The same law which convicted him, does not prevent him from playing. If people believe that it should, they should campaign for a change in the law - rather than getting behind arbitary twitter campaigns and petitions.

Why does this issue have to be left solely to the law? I agree that this case has pointed up the fact that urgent consideration needs to be given to amending the law to cover people convicted of serious offences who want to enter or return to professions in the public eye. However, it is not and fortunately never has been the case that our each and every action has to be dictated by the law and nothing else. Basic considerations of morality, ethics and public opinion have to come into the picture as well. It has always been entirely legitimate for the public to express their opinions via the medium of campaigns, petitions and the like, and we live in an age where that is a particularly powerful tool. Bleating "But it's legal" and "You should get the law changed" is no answer to that.

Massey is a father to daughters, Londonrach

Sadly I think there are sections of society where this doesn't mean much

I don't think that argument is very convincing, Portofinovino. It is the very culture of celebrity adulation and wealth and status around professional football which created his undoubted sense of entitlement in the first place.

That letter linked by BOFster is excellent and deserves wider publicity:

Dear Mr. Corney, Mr. Hill, Mr. Owen, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Gee,

I'm emailing you to give you a fan's view of the Ched Evans circus. I fully expect you have had many communications of this nature and expect you won't give this any regard, but nevertheless I must send it.

I have supported Oldham Athletic for 32 years, during this time I have had some amazing experiences and some less so , I have travelled the country following the team, 1st as a child with my dad and then as a parent with my three sons.

I now live in the south of England, but still travel to matches whenever possible. That's what being a fan and a supporter is. Oldham can be a difficult place to say that you come from as it doesn't always have the best media coverage, but I have always felt proud telling people that I support Oldham Athletic. They are known as a friendly family club that is at the heart of its community.

This is why I can not accept the signing of Ched Evans. He hasn't served his sentence and doesn't believe he did anything wrong. He,s shown no remorse or contrition for his actions. It makes a mockery of everything I thought the club stood for.

I have three sons, who despite living all their lives in the south of England support Oldham Athletic. They all have shirts which they wear to football training. They stand out amongst the sea of premier league shirts, but they are proud that they have been to watch actual football matches live, where their friends can't afford or access tickets to the premier league grounds. My favourite photo was taken of the four of us setting off to watch Latics knock Notts Forest out of the FA cup two years ago, all of us in an Oldham shirt. How can they wear those shirts now? They can't be assosiated with a rapist.

This is what I don't think you understand. Being a football supporter defines you, it tells people about who you are. I certainly don't wish to be associated with a club that could even consider employing someone such as Ched Evans. I can't imagine my son's want to run the gauntlet and risk the possible name calling that will go along with this.

I know none of this matters to you though, its not really about what the fans think or about how the club in seen in the wider community. Its driven, sadly by money. A recent conversation with my 13 year old he said "They're taking advantage, they're trying to get a good footballer cheap, but he raped someone, he shouldn't be allowed" I thought about this and we talked about what had actually happened with Ched Evans, I wanted him to know the truth of the case and we looked it up. He was horrified, to quote a 13 year old boy, "How could he do that? how could anyone do that to someone who was so drunk they couldn't stand up? How could he think she could agree if she was that drunk? He doesn't deserve to be a footballer, he's not even sorry" Out of the mouth's of babes and this is the crux of the matter, he went on to tell me how he admired Steven Gerrard and David Beckham, he could never look up to the likes of Ched Evans, but some will.

Its a short term gain for a club like Oldham. yes they may do quite well with a good striker, but you have lost my boys for good, they won't be buying a shirt that will associate them with a rapist, they won't want to go and watch him play. Not a huge financial loss, for now, but my boys are the future of a club like Latics, its their children and their children's children that you are losing, its the long term future of the club that you're putting at risk with your actions. Lost to the lure of the premier league clubs with their good role models.

I can honestly say that I feel heartbroken writing this e-mail that a club I have spent most of my life following has made it impossible to continue my relationship with. The only thing that shines out of this sorry situation is that, I have discovered that my boys, although less than hygienic, messy and constantly arguing are good people. They know right from wrong, they will grow up to respect women, they will grow up to be good people and above all, if they ever become the chairmen of football clubs they will never sign the likes of Ched Evans. They will choose to do the right thing, because doing the right thing is a choice.

What will you choose to do? Sadly I fear I know the answer, but I urge you for the sake of the future of our club, make the right choice.

Thanks for putting it on the thread Ici, I couldn't work out how.

I don't think that argument is very convincing, Portofinovino. It is the very culture of celebrity adulation and wealth and status around professional football which created his undoubted sense of entitlement in the first place.

So, do you propose that he spends the rest of his life on benefits BOF? Do you think that will humble him into being repentant?

Malice for what's it's worth (not a lot apparently) I entirely agree.

My reason for entering this thread was not to defend Evans abhorrent actions but to defend his rights under the laws of the country as they stand.

Sadly the reactionary masses much prefer to jump up and down in outrage (before they move onto the next outrage) rather than actually carry out a long term campaign to change the law, for the better.

The comments that the law should be changed to prevent people found guilty of crimes like this from 'public' roles are very valid.

Lobbying your local MP to raise this matter would be a much better use of your time and efforts than "I'm withholding £5 from Mike Ashley and JD sports" or better still picketing a criminal law firm for their support of criminals.

That's was my original point, sadly lost in pages of people still banging on about a case which is essentially closed

Icimoi Not a misrepresentation. Not really. My understanding is that as yet he has not exhausted all avenues open to him. It's 'reasonable' to say that until such time that all of those avenues have been closed to him, and certainly whilst he maintains his innocence - which he is entitled to do, he has an appeal [in progress]

It is a powerful tool (public petitioning). Some people will get behind that (as is their want) I personally will not. THe whole thing stinks of 'mob rule' That's why we have the law. Rape, murder, assualt, fraud, etc. are all morally wrong (the offences themselves) We have laws which uphold that moral framework. Properly drafted and upheld laws are the cornerstone of society. We risk undoing that with arbitary 'click-participation' protests.

Oldham have completely lost the plot. He was found guilty in court and lost his appeal and he hasn't 'served his time' despite the fact he is not physically in prison.

There are some forms of employment that people shouldn't have when convicted of certain crimes no matter how long has passed and for the crime of rape that should be anything with children, vulnerable people or in the public eye.

Just shared that letter on my FB, I'm a football fan and suspect a lot of my 'friends' think it's OK to sign rapists to a club, am absolutely horrified that it's gone ahead!

Very well said Malice. I completely agree with you.

Someone asked a page or so back about which sponsors have pulled out. Berlin has definitely pulled out, the latest BBC article says Zen Office have also stated they'll pull out if CE signs. I thought Mecca Bingo had also pulled out although the BBC didn't mention them.

There is another very good letter from a fan on the OA Facebook page, will try to link it later.

Verlin not Berlin gaaah autocorrect!

Why would he be on benefits though Porto? He has been offered a job in his millionaire prospective FiL's business. That apparently wasn't good enough for him.