Northern Premier League club Radcliffe FC have parted company with ex-Clyde striker David Goodwillie, after admitting a 'significant mis-step' in signing the controversial player.
Goodwillie made a big move to Championship club Raith Rovers last season, which was met with backlash over his past that saw him ruled to be a rapist in a civil case in 2017.
In signing the 33-year-old, Radcliffe said they did so "out of the desire to do a good thing for an individual" but added "this was a bridge too far".
Goodwillie, who had signed for the English seventh-tier club on a short term deal, scored a hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Belper Town last night.
No criminal proceedings were instructed against Goodwillie but he was ordered to pay £10,0000 in damages by a judge after it was ruled that he had raped a woman in a West Lothian flat in 2011.
Following a backlash from fans, Radcliffe FC announced Goodwillie's departure and apologised for signing him.
A statement read: "As a club we have always been about second chances and have been a part of many players' and staff members' rehabilitation along that journey, we've always given people a chance to improve their life and found support in this endeavour.
"When the club was presented with David Goodwillie that same logic was applied, but in this case it's clear that was a significant misstep and our due diligence should have been of a much higher standard.
"We can vouch for all the people at the club involved in this signing did so out of the desire to do a good thing for an individual with an admittedly tainted past as we have done so successfully before but this was a bridge too far.
"This move came about very quickly, with clearance only granted extremely late leaving us in a position where our media volunteers were unable to release details prior to team sheets being produced - while regrettable this was also unavoidable.
"From the board down to the management team, who we backed, and have always backed on playing decisions - it's clear that as a whole we got this wrong. The focus was misplaced and as a growing community club we realise that our impacts are also more widely felt too.
"We have always strived to be a source of pride to our town with good and honest intentions, and we think we have made a significant positive impact for our town over the last six years both on and off the field and we sincerely apologize to everyone connected with the club and the community - this is a mistake that will never happen again."
Goodwillie left Raith Rovers in September last year, eight months after signing and having not made a single appearance. The signing was met with a fierce backlash from Rape Crisis Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and club sponsor, the crime author Val McDermid.
There was a mooted return to Clyde, but North Lanarkshire Council banned the striker from setting foot inside Broadwood Stadium, which the club subsequently left to ground-share with Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park.
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