Ched Evans

[DungBeetle]

It seems that some members of the fair and even minded "anti-evans" group that we hear so much about decided that a contract looked like it was to be signed and started threatening to rape the family of Oldham's staff members.

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Was this on Social-Media? If so, let us hope they all get prosecuted.

They don't mean it, of course, they are just dumbfucks saying dumb things for effect.

Not sure.  But police are investigating so that probably puts paid to the theory that it was made up by Oldham to save face as was suggested above.

"Greater Manchester's chief constable Sir Peter Fahy said his force would be launching an investigation into threats to the club's staff and their families"

[arbboy]

"On the topic of the clubs that have been open to signing discussions, would you agree that those with the most to gain financially from Evans scoring lots of goals for their club (owners and board members) would be the most likely to set aside any moral misgivings about signing him?"
 
He's tainted goods so he will likely be condemned to playing below his level for the rest of his career.  His baggage has tilted the risk/reward equation for potential employers.  Not to mention the fact he hasn't kicked a ball for 3 years so who knows if he is even League 1 standard anymore.  You're not going to see a bigger club taking a chance on him any time soon.

No-one makes money out of lower league football owner wise.  The owners usually pay in excess of 80-100% of the clubs turnover in players wages.  It is nonsensical to run a football club at this level to make money.  You positively set fire to money owning clubs like Oldham.  Virtually every club is on the bread line and only existing because of local rich businessmen running their clubs as an ego boost locally.  Ched might keep them in div 1 rather than div 2 but at the end of the day it makes literally no difference between the income streams and value of the club from an ownership standpoint.

The people with the most to gain out of Ched's goals would be the other players in the team he joins as they would win more (get more win bonuses), more likely to be promoted and demand higher wages in a better league.  I would be amazed if any footballer would give a shit if he joined their team esp 2 or 3 levels below his natural level.  Most ain't smart enough to care and most only care about paying their bills like most people in the real world.  I am sure they have played with numerous players during their careers with dodgy personal lifes/drug habits/womanisers/alcohol problems etc.  This is worse obviously but the vast majority of professional sportsmen only care about getting their wages esp at this level of pro sport.

[DungBeetle]

This "Jean Hatchet" on twitter sums things up for me.  Started the petitions at Sheff Utd and at Oldham.  Classes herself as "radical feminist".

I'm guessing she doesn't watch football, but simply wants Evans punished more than the sentence given by the courts.  Why isn't she lobbying her local MP to get sentencing guidelines changed as opposed to just going after Evans?  Surely it makes more sense to change things long term if she thinks punishment for rape is insufficient.

Evans has been punished according to the current law of the land.  Why does Ms Hatchet think that her views are more important than the current UK law?

[arbboy]

This "Jean Hatchet" on twitter sums things up for me.  Started the petitions at Sheff Utd and at Oldham.  Classes herself as "radical feminist".

I'm guessing she doesn't watch football, but simply wants Evans punished more than the sentence given by the courts.  Why isn't she lobbying her local MP to get sentencing guidelines changed as opposed to just going after Evans?  Surely it makes more sense to change things long term if she thinks punishment for rape is insufficient.

Evans has been punished according to the current law of the land.  Why does Ms Hatchet think that her views are more important than the current UK law?

Do these same people attack every other rapist upon release and stop them working?  Would they do the same to a city trader released after rape if he went back to a £500k trading job in the city?  A £500k a year city trader is as much a role model to thousands of A level Economics students as Evans is a role model in the UK to thousands of kids who want to play in the EPL. (ie he isn't a role model). It's insane.

[DungBeetle]

also, you have to be remarkably stupid to complain vehemently that Oldham might take on a convicted rapist by threatening to rape the chairman's daughter, as appears to have happened

Yep, depressingly predictable

Although we're unlikely to ever hear the real reason through the media. The threats could have been the reason for pulling the plug on the deal but it could have been anything from the players refusing to play with him, coaching staff refusing to work with him, board members having an attack of conscience, sponsors walking away or any combination of those things.

If it was player or staff backlash then the ownership and the board aren't going to make themselves look weak by announcing that, they'll just say it was because of the threats or sponsors backing off.

Seems you might have been spot on about this given the latest release.  Focusing on monetary issues now.

[DMorgan]

Not sure.  But police are investigating so that probably puts paid to the theory that it was made up by Oldham to save face as was suggested above.

"Greater Manchester's chief constable Sir Peter Fahy said his force would be launching an investigation into threats to the club's staff and their families"

I wasn't suggesting that Oldham made it up at all, I was suggesting that if they decided to accept the tide of public opinion (mob rule as some would call it) they could point to the deplorable threats to save face

[DungBeetle]

You were correct. The statements tonight are very different to this afternoon.  I still think the witch hunt was wrong but I admit I was wrong that Oldham wouldn't use a threat to save face as you correctly predicted.

[DropTheHammer]

A £500k a year city trader is as much a role model to thousands of A level Economics students as Evans is a role model in the UK to thousands of kids who want to play in the EPL. (ie he isn't a role model). It's insane.

No he's not, nobody knows who the hell the average Joe £500k pa city trader is, only the odd one who earns a £5m+ salary. I bet no state-school kid under 16 could name 3 famous share traders.

[kinboshi]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jan/08/gordon-taylor-ched-evans-hillsborough-pfa

He's since apologised, but still.

[david3103]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jan/08/gordon-taylor-ched-evans-hillsborough-pfa

He's since apologised, but still.

Gordon Taylor, our own domestic Sepp Blatter.

[DungBeetle]

Yeah - that Hillborough reference baffled me completely as well. 

[Doobs]

He mentioned the Birmingham 6 on the day of Ched's release in a radio interview I heard.  It wasn't just the once either, if you heard it you'd have been half thinking Ched had been cleared already.

[tikay]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jan/08/gordon-taylor-ched-evans-hillsborough-pfa

He's since apologised, but still.

Gordon Taylor, our own domestic Sepp Blatter.

He really is becoming somewhat accident-prone, is Mr Taylor.

It's probably an age thing, those old folks lose the plot without realising it, I've even met some of them myself, & they don't have a clue.   

[TightEnd]

“The arguments against Ched Evans playing again are so vacuous as to be beyond parody” Rod Liddle:

http://www.spectator.co.uk/columnists/rod-liddle/9410182/the-utterly-ludicrous-and-petty-campaign-against-ched-evans/

[DMorgan]

I haven't yet read a pro-evans article that hasn't framed the situation as 30,000 or 60,000 people signing an online petition holding a gun to the heads of the club owners and that the other 60-odd million people in the UK are indifferent, therefore its a grave injustice that Evans can't get a contract just because a few thousand people are vocally opposed.