Radcliffe FC release Goodwillie and apologise for misstep

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - English seventh-tier side Radcliffe FC said they apologise for the "misstep" in signing striker David Goodwillie, confirming the former Scotland international has been released from his contract.

Goodwillie and former Dundee United team mate David Robertson were ruled by a civil court judge to have raped a woman after a night out in 2011 and ordered to pay her 100,000 pounds damages.

No criminal case was ever brought against Goodwillie or Robertson after the Crown Office deemed there to be insufficient evidence. He maintains his innocence, saying they had consensual sex.

Radcliffe did not announce that Goodwillie had joined the club, but the striker was named among the starting XI to take on Belper Town on Tuesday night, and scored a hat-trick in a 4-2 win.

The signing happened "very quickly" the club said, and they were unable to reveal details of the deal prior to Goodwillie playing for them on Tuesday. Radcliffe said they regretted their decision to bring him in at all.

"We can confirm that David Goodwillie has left the club," Radcliffe said in a statement.

"As a club we have always been about second chances and have been a part of many players and staff members rehabilitation along that journey, we've always given people a chance to improve their life and found support in this endeavour.

"When the club were presented with David Goodwillie that same logic was applied, but in this case it's clear that was a significant misstep and our due diligence should have been of a much higher standard.

"The focus was misplaced and as a growing Community Club we realise that our impacts are also more widely felt too. This was a bridge too far. We sincerely apologise to everyone connected with the club and the Community - this is a mistake that will never happen again."

(Reporting by Peter Hall; Editing by Robert Birsel)