Would you have Ched Evans?

[eatonparkboy]

Ched Evans isnt the first footballer to have a criminal record. But I wonder if there have been any for whom such a fuss has been created. I mean Sheff Utd havent even re-signed him, he's just training. Marlon King I believe has a criminal record, Jermaine Pennant had to play with an ankle tag on. Lee Hughes killed a family through dangerous driving but was allowed to resume his career.

The bigger mystery for me is after two years of life in the slammer, how good can he actually be?! He's probably rubbish now

Luke McCormick killed two young men while twice over the limit, and that was the day after the booze up, and had no insurance. And din't phone the police but left it to a witness. Plymouth Argyle cancelled his contract and he was sentenced to 7 years and served less than 4 years.

He has just been named Plymouth Argyle's new captain. Some football clubs and the people who work for them are just thick! And they make sick!

 

[crabbycanary]

Sheff Utd have decided not to let him train with them now.

 

[Canaryboy]

Ched Evans isnt the first footballer to have a criminal record. But I wonder if there have been any for whom such a fuss has been created. I mean Sheff Utd havent even re-signed him, he's just training. Marlon King I believe has a criminal record, Jermaine Pennant had to play with an ankle tag on. Lee Hughes killed a family through dangerous driving but was allowed to resume his career.

The bigger mystery for me is after two years of life in the slammer, how good can he actually be?! He's probably rubbish now

Graham Rix, sex with an underage girl is another. Which is a good one to compare with the Malky debate currently going on, he even served prison time for that and was soon back in a job. I can't remember whether the Rix incident had as much fuss as the Malky one, and yet they are nowhere near the same level of seriousness. 

As to how good he is, who knows. Lee Hughes spent three years in prison and was successful in League One and Two, but he was a Premier League player when jailed. I wonder whether Evans would actually be best served signing for Accrington Stanley or Grimsby Town, some of the ill feeling does seem to evolve around him walking straight back into the same club at the same level on a similar big contract, which would mean losing not much at all, whereas Hughes left West Brom and signed for Notts County on a fraction of the money. 

 

[Moosheep]

Victory for the mob! Can't say I am surprised but I find myself with as little less respect for Sheffield United.

Moo

 

[splutcho]

Why? It's bad PR for the club. Would have been foolish to keep him.

 

[crabbycanary]

Well it could be considered a mute point, as to how good he is now, because if Sheff Utd aren't going to let him train, who is?

 

[Canaryboy]

He has just been named Plymouth Argyle's new captain. Some football clubs and the people who work for them are just thick! And they make sick!

Can you remember his best mate played for Ipswich and after he was sentenced (and before McCormick had expressed remorse) done that disgraceful goal celebration of the handcuffs, as a 'tribute' to McCormick? Can't for the life of me remember the name of the player, but that made me want to punch him very hard in the face. 

 

[Canaryboy]

Well it could be considered a mute point, as to how good he is now, because if Sheff Utd aren't going to let him train, who is?

Karl Oyston probably, £90 a week and £5000 per appearance. Even Blackpool fans think this will happen. 

 

[splutcho]

I reckon he'll end up in League 2

 

[Canaryboy]

If he truly believes that he is innocent, and thinks that he can get his conviction overturned, then he should seriously think about playing overseas between now and the point of his appeal hearing. 

 

[Moosheep]

If he truly believes that he is innocent, and thinks that he can get his conviction overturned, then he should seriously think about playing overseas between now and the point of his appeal hearing.

He won't be allowed to go overseas until his sentence is served, so another 2 1/2 years. Given the outrage directed towards Sheffield United I can't see any other club touching him. Even if he does get his conviction overturned I think he will find it difficult to find a UK club.

Moo

 

[Canaryboy]

He won't be allowed to go overseas until his sentence is served, so another 2 1/2 years. Given the outrage directed towards Sheffield United I can't see any other club touching him. Even if he does get his conviction overturned I think he will find it difficult to find a UK club.

Moo

Was a bit silly of Nick Clegg to suggest that he go and play overseas then!

I still think he will sign for Blackpool on a pay as you play deal, Karl Oyston clear doesn't give a monkeys what Blackpool fans think about anything else, and he has signed Nile Ranger when nobody else would touch him. 

Owen Oyston (his father) actually served a prison sentence for rape, as it happens. 

 

[GJP]

Can you remember his best mate played for Ipswich and after he was sentenced (and before McCormick had expressed remorse) done that disgraceful goal celebration of the handcuffs, as a 'tribute' to McCormick? Can't for the life of me remember the name of the player, but that made me want to punch him very hard in the face. 

It was David Norris. The scummy twat.

 

[ZLF]

Feeling conflicted about united stance.

While I strongly feel he is guilty I am also passionate about rehabilitation. So any media influence in their reaction leaves me uncomfortable.

Having said that if it was ncfc I would not want him associated with us so would welcome such statement. Complicated!!!

What I don't like is comments from Whelan insinuating to his MP that she doesn't understand football as if the world's rules don't apply. That is where so many of footballs ills stem from

Final thought is back to Sheffield s statement, that footballers should be treated equally in the eyes of the law. 100% right

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Graham Rix, sex with an underage girl is another. Which is a good one to compare with the Malky debate currently going on, he even served prison time for that and was soon back in a job. I can't remember whether the Rix incident had as much fuss as the Malky one, and yet they are nowhere near the same level of seriousness. 

As to how good he is, who knows. Lee Hughes spent three years in prison and was successful in League One and Two, but he was a Premier League player when jailed. I wonder whether Evans would actually be best served signing for Accrington Stanley or Grimsby Town, some of the ill feeling does seem to evolve around him walking straight back into the same club at the same level on a similar big contract, which would mean losing not much at all, whereas Hughes left West Brom and signed for Notts County on a fraction of the money. 

I remember the Graham Rix thing, having watched a program about the Chelsea youth team and being impressed by him (and embarrassingly championing Jody Morris at the time who was one of the youngsters he had - was disappointed to see how he developed).

Graham Rix is another interesting example you bring up and exposes again the range of crimes that are lumped together. My recall of the case was that Rix had sex with a girl who was a few days under her 16th birthday, having told him she was over 16, and that the sex (if it were not for her technical ability not to be able to consent to it) was consensual.

He was jailed and permanently put on the sex offenders list. 

Not wanting to draw rape apologist accusations - but I will make two distinct points - in this kind of case, the perpetrator is himself a victim of deception. This is a slightly different situation to someone who is aware of the age of the individual and perpetrates the act anyway. To commit an act under the belief it is not a crime is one thing - to know you are committing a crime and going ahead with it anyway is another. But apparently not in th eyes of the law. I understand this is to protect victims against an easy defence of 'she told me she was legal' when that wasnt the case.

My second, and main point is that there is a very big difference between what Rix did, and what Iain Watkins of Lostprophets did. Yet in the eyes of the law they are the same.

There is a big difference between the kind of crime Rix committed and violently raping a baby.

Im am not saying that crimes are not crimes and that the individuals perpetrating them should not be punished. But what I am saying is there should be a greater distinction between the two.

I hope people can understand the point I am trying to make rather than reaching for the pitchforks

 

[eatonparkboy]

I remember the Graham Rix thing, having watched a program about the Chelsea youth team and being impressed by him (and embarrassingly championing Jody Morris at the time who was one of the youngsters he had - was disappointed to see how he developed).

Graham Rix is another interesting example you bring up and exposes again the range of crimes that are lumped together. My recall of the case was that Rix had sex with a girl who was a few days under her 16th birthday, having told him she was over 16, and that the sex (if it were not for her technical ability not to be able to consent to it) was consensual.

He was jailed and permanently put on the sex offenders list. 

Not wanting to draw rape apologist accusations - but I will make two distinct points - in this kind of case, the perpetrator is himself a victim of deception. This is a slightly different situation to someone who is aware of the age of the individual and perpetrates the act anyway. To commit an act under the belief it is not a crime is one thing - to know you are committing a crime and going ahead with it anyway is another. But apparently not in th eyes of the law. I understand this is to protect victims against an easy defence of 'she told me she was legal' when that wasnt the case.

My second, and main point is that there is a very big difference between what Rix did, and what Iain Watkins of Lostprophets did. Yet in the eyes of the law they are the same.

There is a big difference between the kind of crime Rix committed and violently raping a baby.

Im am not saying that crimes are not crimes and that the individuals perpetrating them should not be punished. But what I am saying is there should be a greater distinction between the two.

I hope people can understand the point I am trying to make rather than reaching for the pitchforks

I agree there are distinctions, as in most areas where the law is broken or challenged. Watkins was, in my eyes, a capital offender and there should be a return to the death penalty for capital offences. I guess that might deflect one of your pitchforks in my direction.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

I saw LostProphets at V Festival in 2008. One of their members had to be taken to hospital the night before so couldnt do the show. Watkins made a speech saying they'd rather be crap as a 5 piece than not play at all, so the show must go on - even though it would be difficult for them. He also made a speech about downloading music. He said he didnt care about the money, he didnt give a crap if fans downloaded the music for free, he just wanted people to listen to their music.

I remember thinking what a decent cool bloke he was.

Mind you, I guess most kids who sat in Jimmy Saville's magic chair thought he was a great bloke too (the lucky ones anyway). Im gutted that Jimmy Saville is unfortunately the only famous person I've ever really met. Met him in 2001 while he was a hospital porter. Everybody thought he was a good bloke.

He was just a bloke with a good disguise.

 

[ZLF]

it is the same offence but it is the seriousness or repeat offending  that dictates where within the range of sentence the punishment sits - hence watkins getting life compared to the much less punishment of rix

 

[Canaryboy]

it is the same offence but it is the seriousness or repeat offending  that dictates where within the range of sentence the punishment sits - hence watkins getting life compared to the much less punishment of rix

Same applies to Ched Evans who is convicted of rape but got 5 years (minimum sentence for that crime). The maximum sentence is life. 

 

[ZLF]

and that seems fair