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Spiers on Craig Thomson


itsnomarooned

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I got into a my first proper twitter spat with a Celtic minded mouthbreather this afternoon over this column.

 

I agree with Spiers completely.

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Big Slim Stylee

Think it's quite a brave article.  He was 17.  Surely it's better to allow him to play at a proper level and a platform where he can say "I made a terrible mistake."

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fabienleclerq

I think it's a fair article, I always felt despite him being wrong he got hung out to dry a bit by the media. He was only 3 years older than them, silly laddie but Hardly the Saville he was made out to be.

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loveofthegame

Such a waste, still remember being at Milwall and those two freekicks flying into the top corner to win us that game.

 

Really could have been a brilliant full back.

 

Call me cynical, but if it was us bringing him back would we be hearing he's paid his dues or would it all be "Hertz to sign paedo" nonsense?!

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Teuchterjambo

I think it's a fair article, I always felt despite him being wrong he got hung out to dry a bit by the media. He was only 3 years older than them, silly laddie but Hardly the Saville he was made out to be.

 

You are right but the level of "hanging out to dry" from the media was very low compared to a whole lot of the vitriol on here which was actually disgraceful and shameful.

 

. Young lad made a bad mistake and was rightly punished but deserves a chance to show he has learned the lesson and make a career for himself like anybody else

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I got into a my first proper twitter spat with a Celtic minded mouthbreather this afternoon over this column.

 

I agree with Spiers completely.

 

Hiya Blair :lol:

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I think it's a fair article, I always felt despite him being wrong he got hung out to dry a bit by the media. He was only 3 years older than them, silly laddie but Hardly the Saville he was made out to be.

 

 

Said at the time, immaturity more than anything.

 

 

Good article, which I agree with.

 

 

You are right but the level of "hanging out to dry" from the media was very low compared to a whole lot of the vitriol on here which was actually disgraceful and shameful.

 

. Young lad made a bad mistake and was rightly punished but deserves a chance to show he has learned the lesson and make a career for himself like anybody else

 

 

A tragedy all round.  He's lost 5 years of what could have been a very good career and he might have to put up with a year or two of stuff from the terraces but good luck to him.

 

Newtongrange is close to the area  where the people involved lived so there must have been some forgiveness in the local community.

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Finally an article that clarifies the facts of this sad case.

What Thomson did as an immature 17 year old was totally unacceptable, he has been punished and will have to live with the consequences for the rest of his life, however some branding him another Saville is frankly ridiculous - there was no rape or physical abuse, no matter how distasteful his conduct was.

 

I note they have shown Thomson wearing a Hearts top in the article - this alone will have the 'green' lynch mob baying for blood again.

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Lord Beni of Gorgie

Having a daughter and appreciative of the vulnerability of children regardless of age society will not be tolerant or understanding where there is the slightest hint of a threat .

 

Sad if it was a maturity rather than predatory issue but I fear he will never be forgiven for it won't suit

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Said it all along. He got punished in court and Hearts were right to stand by him. He made a stupid mistake which has cost him dearly

 

It is not enough that the justice system punished him but that people want him to become some sort of lepoerd. To many people in society want to get involved in things that dont concern them.

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Edward snowdon

The piece Spiers has wrote is appalling one sided and trying to paint it as a naive mistake

Instead of saying the age of the youngest girl he states no older than 14 when he knows they were 12 and 14.

He also omits to mention the most disturbing part which was the fact that he had been contacting the 12 yo via texts trying to get her to go a drive with him.

I don't have my pitchfork out this is just a dig at poor journalism

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I agree he should be able to earn a living after being punished.

 

If he was signing a contract with us I'm not sure how I'd feel tbh. Its a tough one and probably easier to accept since he won't be playing for us.

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itsnomarooned

There can be a real "not in my back yard" attitude to this type of thing.  We're all (well, most of us) happy that Craig Thomson be allowed to resume a football career but would be reluctant to see him play for our club.  Somewhat hypocritical of the fans (and I'm including myself in this) and harsh on the player.

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If have no problem taking him back at hearts (provided he is good enough)

 

We employed Rix as a manager and continued to go to games so I think Craig would be fine.

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itsnomarooned

If have no problem taking him back at hearts (provided he is good enough)

 

We employed Rix as a manager and continued to go to games so I think Craig would be fine.

Good point - I'd actually forgotten about that!

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Not that I condone what he did, but if he was to be contacting young girls at the age he is now, then It would be more of a problem. The fact he was only a few years or so older than the girls (I'm not dismissing the seriousness here) should be enough for folk to just put it down to a daft error of judgement on his part. He has served his punishment and should be allowed to continue his career.

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

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I know a guy who is best pals with him.  They guy is a good guy seemingly and as far away from being a pedophile as could possible be.  Hope he gets back on his feet.

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I know a guy who is best pals with him.  They guy is a good guy seemingly and as far away from being a pedophile as could possible be.  Hope he gets back on his feet.

 

Sending pics of your tadger to 12 year olds isn't as far away from being a paedophile as could possibly be, and it definitely happened.

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The piece Spiers has wrote is appalling one sided and trying to paint it as a naive mistake

Instead of saying the age of the youngest girl he states no older than 14 when he knows they were 12 and 14.

He also omits to mention the most disturbing part which was the fact that he had been contacting the 12 yo via texts trying to get her to go a drive with him.

I don't have my pitchfork out this is just a dig at poor journalism

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

As far as I am aware this was never reported in the records of his trial.

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Sending pics of your tadger to 12 year olds isn't as far away from being a paedophile as could possibly be, and it definitely happened.

 

 

 

Was there not only 3 1/2 years age gap between them and the girls tho?

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Where did you get 3 and half years from?

They were 14 and he was almost 18 or something. May be wrong but it wasn't exactly a 50 year old beast and a 10 year old.  Not defending his actions in anyway but their was mitigating circumstances.

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I always find the debate a bit redundant. He is of course free to play football, there is no law in place to stop him. He will be rehabilitated into football once a club weighs up the risk/reward and deems it a worthy risk. As yet, no club has done that and they cannot be forced to do so. There are absolutely no restrictions on a club signing him they have just chosen not to and it will continue until they deem otherwise. I don't really see why the discussion has been started. People are aware of him, his situation and his talent and if they want to sign him, they will. 

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I always find the debate a bit redundant. He is of course free to play football, there is no law in place to stop him. He will be rehabilitated into football once a club weighs up the risk/reward and deems it a worthy risk. As yet, no club has done that and they cannot be forced to do so. There are absolutely no restrictions on a club signing him they have just chosen not to and it will continue until they deem otherwise. I don't really see why the discussion has been started. People are aware of him, his situation and his talent and if they want to sign him, they will. 

 

 

To be fair i'm not seeing anyone disputing any of that on this thread.  Think it's more a case of everyone saying he deserves a club an deserves a second chance.

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They were 14 and he was almost 18 or something. May be wrong but it wasn't exactly a 50 year old beast and a 10 year old. Not defending his actions in anyway but their was mitigating circumstances.

One of them was 12. He was 18.

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One of them was 12. He was 18.

 

I don't want to go on with this as it seems I am defending him but it was not as black and white as that.  I'll say no more as I most sincerely do not want to come across as someone condoning him.  I don't know him, but I trust the judgement of his pal.

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Winston Ingram

The issue of morality and football is always very sketchy, depending on player and club and level of both. People can have very short memories. Do we seriously think had Hearts signed the lad Gallacher who Livingston took back, as little would be made of it as has been the case? 

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I trust the judgement of his pal.

I'm sure lots of sex offenders seemed perfectly harmless and normal to their mates in every day life.

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Just read spiers article.Talks sense this time although I'm not a fan.The only thing was he said Craig was found guilty.My memory was he pled guilty and therefore admitted his guilt.

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I'm sure lots of sex offenders seemed perfectly harmless and normal to their mates in every day life.

 

 

I'm sure most were/are.  However it is that thin line between what is a danger to the public, a piece of utter shit not worthy of rehabilitation and what is just a stupid little kid, with his whole life ahead of him and can actually become something.

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I would have thought that a move to England would be his best bet.  Certainly deserves the chance to resurrect his career.

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Almost as tedious as the pitchfork brigade are those downplaying his crimes and even going so far as to change the age of his victims and himself at the time of the crimes. For the avoidance of doubt, the first girl was 13 when he approached her online and the second was 12. He was 18/19. 

 

It wasn't a 'silly mistake', it was far more serious than that.

 

All for him trying to get his career back on track but as with Ched Evans, he can hardly be surprised if fans take issue with their club potentially employing him.

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To be fair i'm not seeing anyone disputing any of that on this thread.  Think it's more a case of everyone saying he deserves a club an deserves a second chance.

 

but that's up to a club, it is not a matter of public opinion really. I'm not disagreeing with you I just mean when he 'deserves' a second chance  he will have one because the only thing stopping a club taking that chance is themselves. There's no physical obstacle. 

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Almost as tedious as the pitchfork brigade are those downplaying his crimes and even going so far as to change the age of his victims and himself at the time of the crimes. For the avoidance of doubt, the first girl was 13 when he approached her online and the second was 12. He was 18/19.

 

It wasn't a 'silly mistake', it was far more serious than that.

 

All for him trying to get his career back on track but as with Ched Evans, he can hardly be surprised if fans take issue with their club potentially employing him.

I don't think anybody is playing down his crime. What he did was horrifically wrong. He shouldn't have done it. Full stop. New paragraph.

 

He was 19 when he wronged. He is approaching 24/25 now. If he has matured, grown up, and accepted what he did was horrifically wrong, I think he should be allowed to see if he can forge himself a career. That is for a potential employer to judge.

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I don't think anybody is playing down his crime. What he did was horrifically wrong. He shouldn't have done it. Full stop. New paragraph.

 

He was 19 when he wronged. He is approaching 24/25 now. If he has matured, grown up, and accepted what he did was horrifically wrong, I think he should be allowed to see if he can forge himself a career. That is for a potential employer to judge.

 

Indeed, and so far no clubs seem in a hurry to sign someone who is currently still on the sex offender's register. It's not just a UK thing either, he had a done and dusted deal with a Cypriot club who binned him as soon as they found out about his convictions. I also don't think football is much different to other modes of employment in that respect. I'd imagine that being a convicted sex offender would severely hinder you chances of getting most jobs.

 

With regards to downplaying his crimes, posting misinformation about the case and saying there were 'mitigating circumstances' sounds a lot like downplaying them to me.

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