Just because some footballers get to go back to work after driving drunk and even causing death does not diminish this case. I wouldn't employ them at a club either.

In regards of his innocence, rape is notoriously hard to prove, look at the case of the tory MP in the news this week, case dropped due to lack of evidence. It's hard to get a conviction.

Most cases are not prosecuted even after after report is filed. The reason for that is the general attitude towards rape that we have here and the fact that often, it's one word against another.

For a conviction there must have been some quite compelling evidence. He probably thinks that what he did wasn't what he would call rape.

In this country, we sometimes focus too much on the criminal and the victims are largely forgotten. Think about what that girl has gone through. It is not easy to go through the courts as a victim of rape. For women to have to recount the whole incident in front of a court, having to go into all the intimate details. Many victims say it's like going through the whole thing all over again.

Victims of rape rarely get any closure even after a conviction. They have to live with it constantly, flashbacks, fear of strangers and even loved ones.

From what I understand of this case, I have to come down on the side of the victim and that isn't, IMO, Mr. Evans

I can't feel sorry for him because he doesn't get to earn a load of money doing what he has always loved to do.

He obviously has talent but unfortunately, I feel, he has wasted it.

IMO, he is in the position he is in because of the way he has behaved. No one else is to blame. Same as those drink drivers. Don't be upset because people now think your a waste of space and you can't work.

This is just my opinion and I'm not involved so it counts for nothing. It's a tough one, he's served his time but to me it just doesn't seem right.

"You can lead a horse to water but a pencil must be lead"

Stan Laurel

To be fair, he doesn't express remorse because he maintains he is innocent.

Am also hearing he will sign for Oldham.

"It's almost like a moral decision. Except not really cos noone is going to find out," Jez, Peep Show

I get what you're saying, but this idea that footballers are role models is very outdated.

Gerrard, Terry, Cole, Rooney, any number of others - long gone are the days when anyone would look up to a footballer for anything other than his sporting ability!

Whilst I agree that previous convictions may bar you from many types of work, it does tend, at least, to be work where it is somehow relevant - convictions related to dishonesty would bar you from most jobs in law or finance, sexual offences would proclude you from working with the vulnerable, etc. I still come back to this being about the fact that his job is a high profile and well paid one rather, which I struggle with the logic of (as people have said, I'd argue that killing people is worse than what he's done, and several players have returned to football after such convictions).

I'm sure he's a total scumbag (sadly most footballers seem to be - too much, too young, and all that). It just seems a bit odd to continue punishing someone after their release from prison.

No. Just no. It's not blurry at all. He was found guilty in a court of law of rape. He is a convicted rapist.

The Lee Hughes/McCormick things are irrelevant. Just because football got it wrong in the past, doesn't mean we should carry on doing it. In the 70s Dave Whelan's comments would have been fine, nowadays they have not. Society and football move on. It should be seen as progress that fans and clubs are actually taking a stance on this.

Evans is a scumbag. Not only has he never apologised or admitted his guilt. He took video evidence that made his victim easily identifiable and posted it online (without permission which may prove to have been illegal) resulting in her having to change her name 5 times in 3 years.

Employee of the month is a good example of how someone can be both a winner and a loser at the same time.

Steering clear of the moral debate but I can understand the decision of the Oldham board.

The facts are that they have got what was a £3m player for nothing and probably on smaller wages.

The majority of fans will probably still go as at the end of the day people will say to themselves that they are following the team rather than the players.

On top of that they are only 3 points off the play offs and stand a much better chance of making them with him leading the line. I would wager a bet that even just making the play off final would bring in more cash than they get per year from their main sponsor.

Then you have to factor in that he rightly or wrongly is still protesting his innocence. Should his conviction be overtuned then they have an asset that they can flog.

Putting morals aside it is probably a win win for Oldham.

Edited by Monty the Eagle (07 Jan 2015 12.26pm)

Depends on how much income they lose from sponsors (of which one has already publically stated they will withdraw if Oldham employ Evans). But yes I can see - especially at a lower level - it could end up being a commercially viable proposal.

No premier league (or probably championship) club could afford to do so. But maybe a league one club can do it.

"It's almost like a moral decision. Except not really cos noone is going to find out," Jez, Peep Show