After pretty much being released by Man Ure, how would you feel if someone like us signed him? Do you think anyone will touch him? Wherever he goes I think he is going to be in for so much stick, I think his football career is pretty much over as can't see anyone taking him on ....not worth all the **** that will come with him!!
I feel the issue is that the general public think that he has got away unpunished for what he (allegedly) did. Trying to be as careful as possible in how I word this. He is still a very young man and rightly or wrongly, I think his career in the uk may be over although I’m sure there will be other countries only too happy to take him. Is this fair? He hasn’t actually been convicted of any crime but having listened to the audio, I would say he made his bed and now he has to lie in it. As to Spanish’s question, I wouldn’t want him anywhere near our club and I think any uk club who took him on would face a massive backlash from their own fans (with large numbers of season tickets being returned) and the media
As a player, he'd rip up the Championship and McKenna played a part in Greenwood's development at Manchester United. As a person - and the baggage that would come with him - Greenwood should not be anywhere near our club. I'd argue we're seen as one of the more family friendly clubs in the country, but we'd tarnish that reputation by bringing him in. I think I'd have reservations about watching us play at Portman Road if he was playing for us. The negative focus and attention of the national media would be counter-productive and potentially derail the positive journey we're on. In short, it's not worth it. Being careful how I word this, while he hasn't been convicted of any crimes, the charges were dropped - he wasn't actually found innocent (or guilty) in a court of law. However, the audio and photos that emerged were pretty damning and shocking. It is also a sad fact that our law fails a lot of women who live with and/or had experiences with domestic abuse. His career won't be over. A potential move to Italy could be on the cards. He might also be tempted to move to the riches of Saudi Arabia - materially wealthy, morally bankrupt - where their values and treatment of women could cause them to overlook the controversies.
Saying all this, how has Ched Evans been getting on these days, I don't know what sort of reception he got when he first started playing again but I know he got players player of the year at Preston, I think he then got ill and is out for a long period!! If I recall correctly he was convicted, sent to prison and then his conviction got quashed. Greenwood wasn't even convicted!! I'm guessing Evans took some real stick but was just wondering if anyone knew whether that soon died down or not?
Some light reading for you below, Spanish: Ched Evans is currently at Preston and he played fairly regularly for them, until he got injured last season (I think he's still injured). He had really poor receptions when he played at grounds after his release from jail, as in the eyes of the general public - he was a convicted rapist just out of prison (I believe he only served two/three years of his five year sentence). As for the case, basically the woman woke up alone in a hotel room with 'no memory of the night before' and believed she had her drinks spiked. Her friends encouraged her to go the police, who then found out the hotel room was paid for and booked by Evans. He was questioned and said that he had consensual sex with the woman. He said he met her outside a kebab shop where she appeared drunk and he texted his mate saying something like 'I've pulled a bird!' Afterwards, in the night, he left the hotel room via a fire exit because he suddenly realised that he had cheated on his girlfriend. Ultimately, it was a case of his word versus her word - but he'd lied about a hotel key (not sure on details) and why he left through the fire exit were a bit sketchy and he ended up getting charged. Fast forward after his release from jail and he acquired new information from a couple of the woman's ex partners about they had similar encounters with her - in terms of her behaviour in the bedroom - and so the court essentially examined her sexual past and then found Evans innocent. It wasn't without controversy, as Evans' family and friends had offered £50,000 for information to clear his name while he was in prison, so there were allegations of bribery which were dismissed by the court. There was also a lot off controversy around how a woman's sexual past shouldn't be brought up in rape cases and that the new information that came to light in that case wasn't sufficient to overturn a guilty verdict. Just goes to show how hard it is to definitively 'prove' a case like that. The difference with the Greenwood controversy is the audio recording.
Because of the way United have handled this, he’s got no chance of joining a top club in this country. I wouldn’t want him at Town because we want good role models and characters at the club ahead of any other consideration. As for the rest of it, we’ve no choice but to put our faith in the legal system. As a society - thinking particularly of the tabloids - is very good at demonising people that have done nothing wrong. None of us are in possession of all the facts.
You're right none of us know all facts,given recent events though some of us have less than 100% faith in our legal system.
Cheers nuggets!! It's a difficult one, especially when convictions have been quashed or people found not guilty but as a football club, it's just best to avoid altogether and not get embroiled in controversy!! You only have to look at what's happened with BadWillie and the backlash Raith rovers got!! Although he was convicted of several offences I think
Interesting comment made coming directly from Man Utd.... "The statement also said: "Based on the evidence available to us, we have concluded that the material posted online did not provide a full picture and that Mason did not commit the offences in respect of which he was originally charged. That said, as Mason publicly acknowledges today, he has made mistakes which he is taking responsibility for.""
I also think that the public (especially football fans) are a very fickle bunch, with memory loss. Just a simple quick google search brings up so many footballers who have been charged, and imprisoned, albeit not in the same category as greenwood allegedly has. Troy deeney for example, beating up a student. One of our ex-players, lee Bowyer, admitting a racial assault. I could go on with more (and these are ones that have actually been charged - Greenwood hasn't) Don't get me wrong, i'm not condoning what he has done, but we are all quick to jump to conclusions. Should any convict not be allowed to work again? Are they not capable of redeeming themselves?
I’m not saying I have faith in it at all. But I’ve more faith in a jury and a judge than a tabloid newspaper or an armchair critic.
