Updated 16.35pm
OLDHAM ATHLETIC HAVE decided against offering convicted rapist Ched Evans a route back into football after members of the clubโs staff received sickening threats.
The League One club had been in talks with the Welsh striker for the last few days but the reported two-and-a-half year deal has fallen through, as confirmed by Oldhamโs chief executive Neil Joy.
Evans released a statement through the Professional Footballersโ Association this afternoon and said:
Whilst I continue to maintain my innocence, I wish to make it clear that I wholeheartedly apologise for the effects that night in Rhyl has had on many people, not least the woman concerned.
In a media briefing outside the clubโs Boundary Park ground, Joy confirmed club staff and sponsors had received death threats since it was announced earlier in the week they were in talks to sign Evans.
A senior figure within the club told the BBC that a fan had told a club director they knew where their daughter worked and that she would be raped if the club followed through with the move.
Reports surfaced on Wednesday that the 26-year-old was edging closer to signing a two-and-a-half year contract at Boundary Park after agreeing personal terms with the third tier side.
Oldham chairman Simon Corney had said Evans โdeserves a second chanceโ and the clubโs board were โunanimousโ in endorsing a move.
Since then, however, Oldham have been the subject of an intense backlash from fans, sponsors and the media and a statement published on the clubโs website confirmed the Latics would not be signing Evans due to the โunbearable pressureโ the club found itself under.
โThe whole issue has divided opinion and the Club has been put under unbearable pressure as a result,โ it read.
โProceeding could have placed significant financial pressure on the Club and continued to be a divisive influence. As a consequence the deal could not go ahead.
โAs a Club we condemn all crime including rape and irrespective of any appeal procedure it was always the case that we were prepared to withstand the barrage of abuse that is evident within the country and on social media.โ
More than 70,000 people signed an online petition urging Oldham not to sign Evans while campaigners and prominent politicians waded into the debate, voicing their opposition to the deal.
The clubโs main sponsor, ZenOffice, threatened to end their association with the club if the deal went through while another partner, Verlin Rainwater Solutions, severed its ties with Oldham yesterday.
The PFA have insisted they were not โdrivingโ any deal and say they are behind any club that decide to sign the player.
It is the second time since his release from prison that a club have pulled out of signing Evans at the last minute.
His former club Sheffield United allowed him to train with them before Christmas but were forced to sever ties with Evans after a backlash from supporters, sponsors and club patrons, including Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill.
There were reports earlier in the week that a Maltese Club, Hibernian FC, were willing to offer Evans a contract but the UK Ministry of Justice intervened as the convicted sex offender is barred from working abroad.
Oldham thanked Evans and his representatives for the โprofessionalismโ they showed at all times during the โdifficult periodโ.
Statement from the PFA and Ched Evans
The PFA wishes to clarify its position regarding Ched Evans following recent media reports.Our previous statements are set out below and our support for Ched remains the same.We have had some discussions with Oldham Athletic regarding the interest they expressed in signing Ched, although we feel it is important to make clear that, contrary to what has been reported, we were not โdrivingโ any deal. As we understand it, the club and player were in discussions and contact was then made with the PFA as matters progressed given the particular circumstances of this situation and we were simply being asked to publicly reiterate our support for the club in signing him. Despite being ready to offer this from the outset, we were asked to delay whilst discussions between the club and player continued, and we were disappointed to see over the course of this week, comments being made which we feel mischaracterise our limited role in this matter.The PFAโs position remains the same, as we have expressed previously, that any club which decides to sign him would receive our support.We fully recognise that this is a delicate and emotive case and entirely respect that there are opposing views. However, we always felt it was important that Ched made some further comment regarding his current situation and on that basis, he has asked that we include his comments below:โI am grateful for the support of the PFA in helping me try to return to football and continue my career.
Upon legal advice, I was told not to discuss the events in question. This silence has been misinterpreted as arrogance and I would like to state that this could not be further from the truth.
I do remain limited at present by what I can say due to the ongoing referral to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and whilst I continue to maintain my innocence, I wish to make it clear that I wholeheartedly apologise for the effects that night in Rhyl has had on many people, not least the woman concerned.
Finally, it has been claimed that those using social media in an abusive and vindictive way towards this woman are supporters of mine. I wish to make it clear that these people are not my supporters and I condemn their actions entirely and will continue to do so.โ
Donโt sign him because heโs a rapist, or your daughter will be raped, very hypocritical no? Regardless of the fans views threats like that are disgusting.
I donโt support him, but the aftermath of this situation is so bizarre. Typical hypocrisy of the lynch mob mentality.
Bet he is sorry he wasnโt born in the Netherlands โฆโฆ Anyone remember Kluivert ?
I abhor rape full stop.
One law for the seriously rich and talented/wealthy/connected people and one for the rest of us.
http://www.itnsource.com/jp/shotlist//RTV/1995/04/16/605180780/?s=kph
Threats to staff members and their families are just not acceptable under any circumstances and surely are a criminal act in themselves.
Yes โ the police are now involved.
Itโs disgusting. One board member was told the address of where his daughter worked and threats were made against her.
threatening to rape a staff members daughter in protest to a convicted rapist being signed to a football club? that makes no sense at all .. if these people were that disgusted at the crime he committed why would they stoop so low and state that said crime would be commited against the staff members daughter?
Carried out his punishment, let him live his life
Heโs free to live his life. Sponsors are also free to pull out of clubs that are associated with him. Clubs are free to withdraw offers. People are free to boycott. Whereโs the lack of freedom here?
Heโs being restricted by the stigma created by the people, Evans himself is restricting no one โ thereโs the lack of freedom
โthe stigma created by the peopleโ
Stigma? Did you hear about the court case where he was found guilty? So guilt is a stigma now?
Are you saying the sponsor who runs a private business, and threatened to pull out of their ongoing deal with Oldham, should have been forced to keep sponsoring them? Is that freedom?
So James, should peopleโs freedom of association be restricted as well? Why should sponsors be forced to publicly associate themselves with high profile rapists?
Iโm not saying anyone should be forced to do anything, I just think that the man did his time and justice, in accordance with the system we put in place was served, so he should be allowed to carry out his business without the shadow of his past looming over him. Do you honestly think the sponsors would be threatening to pull out if it werenโt for all the hype surrounding this?
Andy, in that court case where he was found guilty, two men admitted having sex with the woman, yet only one was found guilty of rape. That verdict is somewhat inconsistent, no? How can someone be said to be unable to consent, yet only one of the two men is found guilty?
Why do you think this hype exists, James? Could it be because society tends to not like rapists very much?
If you sign him, I will get someone to rape your daughter, where is the freedom in that?
Your comment makes no sense, Alan. What does a threat have to do with freedom?
The threat was one reason he wasnโt signed, therefore no freedom to work where he wishes.
Threatening to kill people and rape their daughters if they donโt behave as you wish kinda restricts their freedom, to my mind
iโve been thinking about this case for a while now and wondering what if he actually is innocent? Yes i know he was found guilty, but he is going through an appeal. He wouldnt be the first person in the world to be wrongly accused of rape and not the first person to be wrongly convicted of a crime. If he is innocent then will all the people abusing him and threatening his livelihood and physically threatening other people, apologise?
In saying all of that, of course if he is definitely guilty of this horrible horrible crime then I believe he should no longer be a professional footballer. because being a professional footballer puts him in a position where he is a role model to kids.
Do you know anything about this case?
He admitted what he did โ he just doesnโt consider sex with an unconscious person to be rape. He admits she was not concious & he also admits he had sex with her as she lay unconscious. He just reckons she was up for it because she came back to his place.
Heโs not denying what he did โ he just doesnโt know what the definition of rape is.
Close Andy. His friend brought her back to a hotel and rang up Evans. Evans says she was conscious when he was there, and she says she either blacked out or fell unconscious.
The fact she admits she doesnโt know what happened is what makes the case contentious. Itโs he says she says, which isnโt usually enough to convict someone.
Still, itโs a delicate issue. If it was your daughter/sister youโd have a different perspective. Iโm sort of on the fence.
Allison Pearson. A proper journalist, Pearson did what few commentators on this affair have done: she read up everything she could about the details of what happened on the night of the crime. Here is what she found:
Sensitive readers should look away now. Footballer Clayton McDonald, a friend of Ched Evans, picked up a 19-year-old girl who was drunk at 4am, and went back to a hotel room with her. McDonald texted Evans: โIโve got a bird.โ McDonald and the girl then had sex. Evans turned up, and the court was told that the girl asked him to perform oral sex on her, which he did. Evans then had sex with the girl, whom he claimed was enjoying herself. A hotel porter said there was no sound of distress or cause for alarm. A few of the footballersโ charming mates showed up and filmed through a window. The next morning, Evans departed via an emergency exit. The 19-year-old awoke to find she was naked, with, she says, no memory of what had happened to her. That evening, she reported McDonald and Evans to the police.
HT James Delingpole
Of course they wonโt apologise for it. You wonโt hear a word from any of them
Uncle Mort Iโm on the fence about this too , if what your saying is true how the hell did they find him Guilty. The issue surrounding cases like this are iffy, many have tried to earn a quick buck in the past with rape claims against footballers etcโฆthat fact that she has little memory of what happened , who to say she didnโt give consent and doesnโt remember .
i put a comment up almost same as this 2 hours ago, it was deleted for some reason!!!!!
Do you not understand โconvictedโ?
@rory, people have been hung for being โconvictedโ years later to be wrongfully convicted
@Johnny Bravo, thats just a bit I found in a item about false acccusations and how the feminazis in the press seem to have lost any sense of balanced journalism of late. i have no real interest or knowledge of the case or indeed football for that matter :-)
He never said she was unconscious Andy. That would be an admission of guilt on his part.
Usual mob mentality. There will be a lot of humble pie if he is found to have to been telling the truth all along.
Jake, I agree with you. Mob rule seems to be the order of the day here.
Juries are not perfect. They hear only the evidence that is allowed to be placed before them, rarely the full story. I csn think of at least three rape allegation cases that I dealt with over the years where a conviction was inevitable but for unforseen and lucky breaks for the accused.
Having read the facts of this case as reported, I await the outcome of the appeal with interest.
Telling the truth? Wasnโt it on camera, her being totally paralytic? Nah, the chapโs a racist.
Rapist I meant.
โWhilst I continue to maintain my innocence, I wish to make it clear that I wholeheartedly apologise for the effects that night in Rhyl has had on many people, not least the woman concerned.โ
Yeah, thatโs not an apology. He is literally stating he is innocent.
Hmmm, the justice system worldwide releases people daily when they have served their sentences and asks them to move on, has anyone yet asked just where does the blurry line between social responsibility and justice and relentlessly bullying an individual into depression/despair/suicide get drawn?
Lesson to be drawn from this case: arguments donโt work, but threats of violence do.
I fear for the future of England.
And Ireland. You donโt think weโre any different?
Heโs talking about the place it happened. Donโt get so defensive.
He? But yes, I was. We havenโt gone as far down that road yet, so maybe itโs not too late.
Weโre catching up fast though. Just one statistic โ annual vehicle thefts per 100,000 population.
England/Wales 215. Ireland 298.
(Civitas Institute for the study of Civil Society 2010-2012)
Yes Gravel, that same report puts us one place higher (14 to 15th) than the UK for โIntentional Homicidesโ โ in developed countries.
Nearly all cars stolen in Ireland end up in uk chop shops. Much easier to take a car in Ireland to the uk as we do not have as good tracking systems in place.
Heโs not the only player to retire in his mid twenties. Loads of players have had to call time on their careers early, because they couldnโt afford to get another bad injury. Not too much sympathy for them. Why all the sympathy for Ched? A man that violently attacked a young woman, raped her, ruined her life. Thereโs plenty of young players ready to take his place, players that are willing to make a commitment to their careers. Ched had the chance to be a footballer, he made the decision to be a rapist.
Red, do you know anything about the case?, if you did your comments wouldnโt be so asinine. Donโt make comments before checking your facts, he didnโt attack her and her life isnโt ruined
@ Tommie 2 Cans Please enlighten as to how rape is not a violent act?
@ Stephen Earle.
โhe didnโt attack herโ. Really? Heโs just served a prison sentence.
โher life isnโt ruinedโ. Really? As well as having to live what happened that night for the rest of her life, the real victim in this case has had to change her name and move to a new location.
โA man that violently attacked a young woman, raped her, ruined her lifeโ
You clearly state violently attacked and broke the sentence with a comma to list what else he done. Yes rape can be considered a violent attack, but that is implied in the word โrapeโ I was merely pointing out that he did not violently attack her and then rape her
Also I like how you did not reply to the other guy who โrapedโ her on the same night but was found innocent!
If two 13 year olds have sex and the boy is prosecuted thatโs a rape without violence.
@ Tommie 2 Cans
As far as Iโm concerned rape is a violent attack against a person. I make no apology for linking rape with violence. You are the one who claimed that there was no violence. As for the other individual involved, I believe he was extremely lucky to be found not guilty.
@dublin red ya might actually read about the case instead of making assumptions from headlines uve read she consented and the jury deemed her not ina fit state to consent which is the basis of his appeal is that she was just as fit as him to consent so why should it be deemed violent in your eyes???
She has moved at least 5 times, had to leave her job due to people call and blaming her for what โhappened to himโ. Yet he still has his home. He is the convicted one as it stands.
Red , there was no violent rape at all
Stephen. As i see it he came running for sex after a phone call. He wasโnt thinking of his fiance or morals, he was just thinking of getting laid.
I am hearing his friends filmed it on their phones. Was there anything filmed that could help him prove his innocence?
The victim claims she did not know what had happened or even how she had ended up in the hotel and was stumbling around so I donโt know how you can convict one and not the other
He was found guilty by a jury who heard the whole case. He only severed half of his small prison term as is out on licence. His late โ apology โ is rubbish.
What an apology, the guyโs oblivious.
What do you expect from someone who maintains his innocence?
I await the apology from the mob who threatened the board members
You can hardly apologise for your guilt if your trying to maintain innocence, just saying
I gather from both your comments neither of you are aware of the full eventsโฆ.
This might helpโฆ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11226209/Ched-Evans-Sorry-but-all-rapes-are-not-the-same.html
Reading that it doesnโt sound too dissimilar to the situation two of our high profile young rugby players found themselves in a few years ago.
Thereโs nothing OK with the whole incident but the evidence for me doesnโt stack up, the video footage of her in the hotel shows she was well able to walk.
She โremembersโ Evans being there but doesnโt remember anything happening. One man convicted and the other acquitted of the same act? On top of it all we have the โbig winโ tweetsโฆ
Just because Oldham Athletic have said โnoโ, doesnโt mean Ched Evans will take it as an answer.
This whole issue is ridiculous . When she was conscious she asked him to go down on her . She passes out and he has sex with her . Maybe he shouldnโt have but heโs done his time . End of story
Why the hell would he rape her he is a footballer Iโm sure he gets plenty offers off girls for sex all the time , the girl blacked out big deal she shouldnโt drink so much and go home with strangers in future . Evans done his time now let the man move on with his life
This man is doing his punishment all over again after getting out of fail. When is it going to end.
If this guy was publicly hanged, drawn and quartered in Trafalgar Square, it would not be good enough for this baying mob, who wont leave him alone, to get on with his life.
Shame on you
He is a rapist
I hate this world. Hope a club eventually signs him. Bunch of hypocrites anyone who sent death threats. Thereโs a difference between consensual drunken sex and rape. If Ched was found guilty why wasnโt his friend?
Wasnโt his sister on twitter naming the woman in question.
Iโm not standing up for the man because I donโt know if he did it or not but he done his time so let him play its same case as Mike Tyson he was aloud back and is class as a great fighter
This must be all so confusing to the chap because, to him, โno, means โyesโ.
He has served his time, it is actually discrimination not employing him. That girls evidence does not add up if you ask me
http://chedevans.com/judge-for-yourself
We all laughed at โ the hangover โ
Mike Tyson