[Archived] Transfer Window - January 2016

[patrickvalery]

Rape is one thing. Death by dangerous driving is another. But I'm certain no club will touch a self confessed paedophile. No matter how good.

Edit.... at football I mean.

[VinjayV4]

Lee Hughes didn't murder anyone.

I never said he did but since no footballers have murdered anyone (at least not in England and they certainly never would have played again) he was probably the closest example since it resulted in a death. I was just making a society point in general.

Wonder if anyone will sign before Saturday...better keep a close eye on things tomorrow.

[Amo]

But I'm certain no club will touch a self confessed paedophile. No matter how good.

Not a paedophile. Ephebophile, maybe.

[VinjayV4]

Rape is one thing. Death by dangerous driving is another. But I'm certain no club will touch a self confessed paedophile. No matter how good.

Edit.... at football I mean.

Not a paedophile. Ephebophile, maybe.

Damn you I was just about to make that point! I think hebephile is the term.

[patrickvalery]

Not a paedophile. Ephebophile, maybe.

I'm not well versed on the subject to be honest toppers. I didn't realise there was a distinction. Does the law distinguish between the two?

[BlueMonday]

Anyway.

Signed any loanees?

[Baz]

It is strange that people like Lee Hughes can come back into football yet Evans (and Johnson) now will be completely ostracised. Of course Hughes exactly didn't intend to kill someone but society seems to think rape is worse than murder. Though I'm certainly no Christian people aren't generally beyond redemption. There's exceptions to that of course (Steve Kean for instance ) but imagine the reaction now if Leslie Grantham had joined EastEnders. It was controversial enough back then it wouldn't get past the PC Police now.

Of course Johnson has pleaded guilty (an indication of evidence stacked against him even if if its an attempt at a plea bargain) while presumably Evans still claims he's innocent? I can't imagine it even being considered in the future Rovers have had enough bad PR in recent years as it is!

Everyone should read that Garner interview on here just for Jim's questions! Hilarious!

Being a professional sportsperson is a privileged position, both financially and also as role models, therefore to me its not a case of once he's served his time, its a matter of principle that he shouldnt be employed by a professional football club.

Once hes served whatever punishment is given out, then he's free to pursue whatever other career he wants.

[EgyptianPete]

Being a professional sportsperson is a privileged position, both financially and also as role models, therefore to me its not a case of once he's served his time, its a matter of principle that he shouldnt be employed by a professional football club.

Once hes served whatever punishment is given out, then he's free to pursue whatever other career he wants.

Fair comment, but would you or anyone for that matter want to work day in day out with a convicted pedo if that's what seems likely to happen to Mr Johnson, i know i wouldn't purely because of trust, the guy looks like he has lost his footballing career and he only has himself to blame. Anyway moving on any loans in the pipeline.

[roverstdt]

The problem in these cases is that while in the case of Lee Hughes an accidental death occured, that is something that individuals can fundamentally overcome as people can understand when it is unintentional that accidents can happen even if you are the culprit in it. Pedophillia/Rape is harder and the backlash the individual will get more heat and issues with members from the squad and the fans. The problem with rape and pedophillia is that it is fundementally a choice in which individual can cause psychological and physical harm. No one can say "Oh well I accidentally rape someone, or I accidentally watched child porn". The other issue is that our society seems to go in circles. I seem to remember in the mid 90's we had a PC era, and now since 2010, we have seen a new PC era come back. With the current whole PC issues we are having, there is no way they will ever be able to find a place in football again.

So the difference between the two depends massivelly on the crime for me. In the case of Evans and Johnson no matter how talented they are, they will both have to understand that their playing careers are over.

[LJW]

Did Johnson not meet her in a night club (for over 18's) then went on to sleep with her? Also how many stories recently have we seen of female teachers sleeping with pupils and avoiding jail/ Id have johnson in a heartbeat as he is exactly the type of player Lambert likes

[beanie]

Did Johnson not meet her in a night club (for over 18's) then went on to sleep with her? Also how many stories recently have we seen of female teachers sleeping with pupils and avoiding jail/ Id have johnson in a heartbeat as he is exactly the type of player Lambert likes

No he's admitted to grooming so that would suggest he knew exactly what age she was. You might have him in a heartbeat but I would not want him any where near the club.

[K-Hod]

No he's admitted to grooming so that would suggest he knew exactly what age she was. You might have him in a heartbeat but I would not want him any where near the club.

I reckon there was some sort of plea bargain, it's been said that the maximum sentence he COULD receive is 2 and a half years. I'm pretty confident he won't do any time, there will be a suspended sentence and some sort of curfew I expect.

[patrickvalery]

I reckon there was some sort of plea bargain, it's been said that the maximum sentence he COULD receive is 2 and a half years. I'm pretty confident he won't do any time, there will be a suspended sentence and some sort of curfew I expect.

I'm not convinced about that. He's still being tried for two other charges. If he gets found guilty of those on top of pleading guilty to the other two then I think he'll do some time.

As for the hypothetical situation of us taking him on. No ta. You have to draw a line somewhere.

[beanie]

I reckon there was some sort of plea bargain, it's been said that the maximum sentence he COULD receive is 2 and a half years. I'm pretty confident he won't do any time, there will be a suspended sentence and some sort of curfew I expect.

He may not but I'd still not like to see him anywhere near the club. Don't think I have anything to worry about anyway he would make any club he went to toxic for sponsorship.

[K-Hod]

I think he will end up in the Middle East or China on silly money once all this blows over if I'm honest. He's definitely done in this country (and most likely Europe as well).

[gumboots]

Personally I'd rather he didn't go to jail. Not because I don't think he deserves punishment but because prison does not get to the root of what happened. He needs help to understand just how wrong his behaviour is. He needs counselling to assure as far as possible that he does not reoffend . You get none of that in jail. Being put on the sex offenders register makes it hard to do normal things like get insurance on your car etc. It restricts your freedom to travel. It means you can't have kids to stay in your house even if they are your nieces and nephews and their parents stay too. It means you find it hard to get any kind of work which may not seem bad to Johnson atm but will when you look a few years ahead, you're still a young man with the rest of your life ahead. If you have kids social services get involved. I'd make sure he was going to get that kind of treatment not bang him up in jail and have him free to come out and start reoffending without accepting any real blame for what he's done. He'd cost a fortune in jail too as he'd be in a separate wing for sex offenders.

I don't want him at rovers btw regardless of talent.

[davulsukur]

No he's admitted to grooming so that would suggest he knew exactly what age she was. You might have him in a heartbeat but I would not want him any where near the club.

I agree, no where near Rovers.

[bluefred]

I agree, no where near Rovers.

Yes me too , we have had to much negativity

around the club for the past 5 yrs, don't need anymore .

[pick32]

I would have Adam Johnson, 15 year old girl who was drinking in a club and easily looks 20, could have happened to anyone.

[oldjamfan1]

I would have Adam Johnson, 15 year old girl who was drinking in a club and easily looks 20, could have happened to anyone.

I don't know the circumstances of the case, but the 'grooming' charge would suggest it might have been a bit more than simply that. However, the general point that young men have ended up on the sex offenders register for doing what you describe, which probably happens in every night club on every night, is a valid one.

[roverandout]

Ewan McGregor shagged an underage girl in trainspotting, should he go to jail?

[AJW]

I would have Adam Johnson, 15 year old girl who was drinking in a club and easily looks 20, could have happened to anyone.

i agree but i think there is more to it in this case

[davulsukur]

Ewan McGregor shagged an underage girl in trainspotting, should he go to jail?

Is that a joke?

It's a film, they didn't actually have sex, Kelly Macdonald was 19 when Trainspotting was filmed.

[beanie]

I would have Adam Johnson, 15 year old girl who was drinking in a club and easily looks 20, could have happened to anyone.

No she was not see twitter @joshhalliday for the court transcripts going on right now

[Blue blood]

I'm not well versed on the subject to be honest toppers. I didn't realise there was a distinction. Does the law distinguish between the two?

I don't think it does.

I don't know the circumstances of the case, but the 'grooming' charge would suggest it might have been a bit more than simply that. However, the general point that young men have ended up on the sex offenders register for doing what you describe, which probably happens in every night club on every night, is a valid one.

Yes, I think this is the nail in the coffin. Every year at safeguarding training we get warned of the dangers of picking up someone in a club = and stories of doing assemblies and/or greeting your form class and seeing the girl from last Saturday night suggest it's not uncommon and that many careers are over because of it. So that happening is perhaps not surprising. The grooming charge however is a completely different kettle of fish, removing any pleas of ignorance.