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. :-)

Threats to staff and families? I'd really like to know more about this...

Jux

Apparently a board member was told the address of where his daughter works and was told she would be raped if the club went ahead with the deal.

Quote on BBC News:

"A board member told BBC sports editor Dan Roan the decision was taken because of "enormous pressure from sponsors and threats to staff and their families". "

If such threats happened, it is of course disgraceful. But frankly the credibility of the Oldham board on this is shot to shreds and the allegation does look a bit convenient, so I'll withhold judgment on that one.

I hope that any and all threats to staff and families were reported to the police immediately and are being vigorously investigated. Disgraceful.

The only threats I've seen have been from people who wanted CE to play. Including in the #itaintrape hashtag.

Charlie, if that's true, every single person involved in the protest will decry it. That is disgusting behaviour, no one in their right mind would threaten rape in a protest against a rapist.

I suspect it was mostly because of the sponsors threatening to pull out, but saying they've received threats makes them sound less like total wankers.

Very well done Zen Office!
Is anyone going to join me in seeing if we can't switch our office supplies purchasing? Check out their (very friendly) website...

I'm not saying that threatening rape, or any violent attack, is anything but abhorrent and deserving of police investigation and prosecution, by the way.

Shame on anyone who does this.

But it does seem a tad convenient that these allegations have now come out. And yes, isn't it normally supporters of the Rapist Ched Evans who threaten this?

Well, there are plenty of nutters out there - Jessica Evans was threatened with rape, Judy Finnegan and her daughter etc.

However, I can't help but feel if they do claim this is the main reason, it's a cynical attempt to make the er 'witch hunters' look bad and not them.

The more obvious and powerful reason for not signing him is simply that with the pull out of sponsors and the disappointment of some of their fans, its not seen as financially lucrative.

The police launched investigations into the rape and death threats against Jessica Ennis back in November. Does anyone know if any charges were ever brought?

Threats to people associated with OA need to be investigated with the same vigour. For it's horrible and needs to be stamped out. Every single time.

That business about threats is of course total rubbish to try and deflect criticism of the board's disgraceful action.
Have any complaints been made to police about threats?
Well have they?

Well said Zen Office...

ZenOffice will withdraw from sponsorship if Evans is signed

7th January 2015

ZenOffice have always believed that in order to be a successful business we need to give something back to the community. We have strong background in supporting local, community, family based initiatives in the North West.

ZenOffice have been sponsors of Oldham Athletic Football Club for five years. This partnership has been based on mutual respect as OAFC did share the same values as ZenOffice, based on family and community.

ZenOffice do not agree that the current path OAFC are embarking on espouses these values.

Therefore it is with much regret, that ZenOffice would like to confirm that we will end our association with Oldham Athletic Football Club if the move goes ahead to sign Ched Evans.

Strange that they are so concerned about those threats, but apparently unconcerned about the equally vile threats made on Evans' behalf - and not condemned by him - against his victim and Jean Hatchet.

See, NOT a witch hunt, just people standing up for decency and values.

I'm mystified by anybody opposing CE's employment at OAFC on the grounds that he is a rapist then going on to make their own rape threats- it doesn't sound very logical. I hope the claims are thoroughly investigated, and that the police aren't too swamped by all the pro-Evans tweeters etc, many of whom have been making similar threats to all and sundry for weeks.

It's about the money. It's always about the money.

I doubt KM's pockets are that deep.

So it's off. Excellent. But no mention of the request ot the FA re registration.

Strange that they are so concerned about those threats

ALLEGED threats - that have only now been alleged, as an excuse for dropping their plan.

So happy to hear the deal is off, particularly with reference to pressure from sponsors, the message is seeping through somehow.

GMP say that no complaints about any threats have been filed by anyone connected with OAFC.

Some of the men who have made threats to Jean Hatchett have already started tweeting about how feminists are making rape threats, without a trace of irony.

Nothing like a bit of deflection now, is there.

It's not that logical to me that people objecting to sexual violence against women, and a convicted sex offender taking a public role in pro football, would go around making threats against people's families.

But again, the threats against the actual victim here, over the past 3yrs, are brushed over.

This has been a political movement - petitions and pressure on club sponsors, also, political leaders at the highest level have spoken out about this. ANd good for them I say.

Hoo-fucking-ray!! :)

Right, now someone needs to make a petition as mentioned upthread, specifying that owners are not allowed to be sex offenders, players should be subject to the same rules. Before he attempts to get into L2!!

But this doesn't absolve Oldham Athletic's board of blame or guilt for the situation they alone created.
They have made it very clear that they wanted to hire the rapist, and have only backed down reluctantly under outside pressure from their sponsors. I hope the fans make it very clear that they hold the board to blame for dragging down their club's reputation.

I wonder if the 'threats' are people questioning whether oafc officials would like the same to happen to their daughters, rather than being explicit threats...?

No, the accusation is that a board member was told where his daughter worked and that she would be raped if CE was signed. I hope whoever made that threat is punished with the full force of the law. We are campaigning against rape, not in the business of threatening it!