Raith Rovers: Sponsor Tag Games to switch backing to women's teams
- Published
David Goodwillie was in the stands at Stark's Park for Raith's 3-3 draw with Queen of the South on Tuesday
Raith Rovers sponsor Tag Games plans to switch its financial backing to the club's women teams after losing faith in the board over the David Goodwillie signing and "begrudging" U-turn.
Following a backlash over the move for Goodwillie, who was ruled to be a rapist in a civil case in 2017, Raith have said he will not play for them.
Tag Games no longer wants its name removed from the club's away shirts, but stand by the decision not to extend sponsorship beyond this season "under the current set-up".
The gaming company's chief executive officer Paul Farley said he was pleased Raith had "finally seen sense" and "begrudgingly accepted their mistake".
However, he added that the company "no longer believe the board and current management are capable of acting in the best interests of the club and the partnership we entered into".
Tag Games are instead "pursuing opportunities" with the women's sides, who have teams from under-10 to senior level and have moved to sever ties with the club according to Val McDermid.
The author - who withdrew her support and financial backing of Raith in protest at Goodwillie's move - has said she will sponsor the new team's shirts.
'The people who made the bad decision are still the board'
Former Raith chairman Bill Clark, one of two directors who resigned over the Goodwillie signing, echoed the disillusionment over the current regime.
Raith initially defended the decision to bring in the 32-year-old former Scotland striker from Clyde, saying it was based primarily on his abilities on the pitch, before apologising and expressing "bitter regret" over the move.
"The right decision has been made in the end, but the question is why was it not done at the beginning?" Clark told Radio 5Live.
"It doesn't sound like a great victory. They have come under pressure from lots of supporters.
"My feeling is probably much the same as Val McDermid - the people who made the very bad decision are still the board."
Clark says he would be open to returning to Raith having been a supporter for over 60 years, but that he would be "looking for change in the way the club is run".