League One side Oldham Athletic's plan to "sign the convicted rapist Ched Evans is off following huge pressure on the club and sponsors promising to withdraw if it happened," according to David Conn of the London GUARDIAN. The club has "formally briefed" that the deal is off and has "also moved to deny a report" that Oldham Owner Simon Corney has resigned. Evans, meanwhile, has "for the first time" apologized for the "effects that night in Rhyl has had on many people, not least the woman concerned." His statement via the Professional Footballers' Association "marks his first act of contrition towards the victim since he walked from prison on licence 83 days ago" (GUARDIAN, 1/8). In London, James Ducker reported Evans' apology came shortly after Oldham abandoned its "controversial move" to sign him due to "unbearable pressure." The statement followed an Oldham board member saying that the decision not to sign Evans "had been taken as a result of threats made to staff and their families." BBC News sports correspondent Natalie Pirks claimed that one Oldham
board member "had been told the address of where his daughter works and that
she would be raped if the club proceeded with signing Evans" (LONDON TIMES, 1/8).
OLDHAM STATEMENT: Also in London, Lawton, Keegan & Gaughan reported Evans, who was "released from prison 83 days ago, maintains his innocence" despite apologizing for the first time. Oldham "confirmed the deal for Evans was off" in a statement released on Thursday afternoon. The statement said, "It has been widely reported that Oldham Athletic will not be signing Ched Evans, which we can now confirm. ... Proceeding 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" (DAILY MAIL, 1/8).
THREATS INVESTIGATED: The BBC reported Greater Manchester Chief Constable Peter Fahy said his
force "would be launching an investigation into threats to the club's
staff and their families." Fahy: "It is totally unacceptable. We will be contacting Oldham Athletic to make sure that it's investigated." Jim McMahon, the leader of Oldham Council, urged "all sides of the debate to show restraint and calm." McMahon said, "In recent days we've seen an horrendous 'trial by
social media' with intimidation, abuse and harassment on a scale that
has cast a terrible shadow" (BBC, 1/8).
EVANS APOLOGY: The BBC reported in a separate piece Evans has apologized "for the effects" of his actions. He said, "I wholeheartedly apologize for the effects that night in Rhyl has had on many people, not least the woman concerned." He had been criticized for failing to apologize to his victim, but he said in his statement, "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" (BBC, 1/8).
REDKNAPP SPEAKS OUT: In London, Gary Jacob reported EPL side Queens Park Rangers Manager Harry Redknapp has suggested that football "is being hypocritical in its
treatment" of Evans, when other players "had returned to the game after other
criminal convictions including death by dangerous driving." Redknapp did not "condone what Evans had done but said
that everyone needed a second chance." He said, "I think it's about getting a second chance in life. Where's
he going to go? His life's got to go somewhere, hasn't it?" Redknapp continued, "There's another lad who killed somebody and fled the scene of the crash. He's
back playing football again. This lad's made a big mistake as
well. What does he do with his life? I don't know. Something's got to
happen, hasn't it?" (LONDON TIMES, 1/8).
