But
while the moral question is ultimately an issue of personal
perspective, it seems that there can be little doubt that this move
is not good for the club – in terms of its perception to the
outside world, its relationship with the supporters, its financial
situation and in footballing terms.
Regardless
of your opinion on the morality of the signing, the arrival of Luke
McCormick at the club is going to attract a host of unpleasant
headlines and difficult questions: such as, for example, how can
a club boasting a 'Football
League Family Excellence Award' justify employing the convicted
killer of two children? Ian Lenagan's explanation
– that it gives us “the
opportunity to allow him to rehabilitate whilst meeting our unique
goalkeeping situation within the salary cap” - is simply not going
to hold water with many people, whether they be outsiders looking in
or lifelong supporters of the club. On an issue as emotive as this,
simple financial imperative is a weak justification to say the least.
The
media circus surrounding McCormick – spearheaded by that bastion of
family morality, the
Sun
– is not going to allow the club to emerge from this situation with
its reputation intact. And with the club announcing earlier that very
day that it is searching for a new
shirt sponsor, is this really the kind of press attention we want
or need? No company is going to want to be associated with a football
club creating these sorts of headlines.
When
the above factor is considered alongside a backdrop of a huge
£450,000 loss this season and with crowds plummeting below the
6,000 mark for the first time in years (Tuesday's attendance of just
4,906 was the lowest league gate at the Kassam since we rejoined the
Football League), Ian Lenagan has been forced to plead with fans to
come back. Yet on the same day, this message is completely undermined
with possibly the most divisive signing ever made in the history of
the club.
And
whether the club itself feels morally justified in making the
signing, they shouldn't simply ignore the opinions of the Oxford
United supporters. One would have liked to think the club had learned their
lesson on this point after the backlash
that followed when they accepted Swindon's bid for James Constable a
year ago. Relations between the club and its fans have still yet to
fully recover from that incident, and when that is added to high
ticket prices during a recession, a disappointing league position and
now this, how can the club possibly expect fans to start turning up
in greater numbers? If anything it is likely to cause some to boycott
the club while McCormick remains an Oxford United player, as was the
case during his brief spell at Truro
City.
Even
for the many who will choose not to boycott, this puts us in a very
difficult position and instead of talking football we're forced to
discuss the moralities of employing someone who has been convicted of
an appalling crime. Some look at the continuing popularity of Adam
Chapman and may wonder whether this is such a different situation.
Chapman was also convicted of death by dangerous driving, after
killing 77-year-old Tom Bryan in a car accident while using his phone
at the same time. His contract at Oxford was suspended while he
served his sentence and he has since continued his career much where
he left off. McCormick killed two children, aged eight and ten, in a
car accident after driving with more than twice the legal alcohol limit in his blood. He was immediately sacked by Plymouth Argyle and has
until now failed to make a return to professional football. The
similarities and differences in the two cases should be immediately
apparent, but whether you choose to make a moral distinction between
them is obviously a matter of personal opinion.
When
it was announced in the summer that McCormick was training
with Swindon, they were roundly (and gleefully) condemned by
large numbers of Oxford fans. Are they now supposed to welcome him
with open arms now that he plays for our club? This should have given
the management some clue as to the reaction amongst our supporters if
they decided to sign him, but they arrogantly decided to do it
anyway, regardless of the uproar it would cause.
Finally,
from a footballing perspective, the move is a huge risk. McCormick
may well have been an excellent goalkeeper while he was at Plymouth,
but that was several years ago and since then he has played not a
single game in the Football League and only a handful at Conference
South level. What's to say that he will be able to perform at League
Two level now, especially with opposition fans (or even Oxford fans)
baying for his blood every week? For that level of risk, we would
have been better off sticking with Max Crocombe in goal, who by all
accounts had a very impressive debut on Tuesday.
It
seems to be the latest in a whole series of baffling, disastrous
decisions which have caused the club to start regressing again
at an alarming rate. Just two years ago the atmosphere around the
Kassam was still one of huge optimism the likes of which hadn't been
witnessed around here in many years, with a profit-making club attracting average crowds of more than
7,000 and the widespread belief that we would be in League One within
a year and a half. Now, our support is dwindling once again, debts are once again rising dramatically and the team is wallowing in mid-table in League Two. Decisions such as this
hardly fill me with confidence that the current management know how
to reverse the slide, or that they care about the beating heart and
soul of Oxford United – its fans.
4 comments:
Tremendous piece of writing which eloquently expresses many of my ambivalences about this signing. I found Lenagan's mention of the salary cap within his statement particularly distasteful. If as a club we feel that he's served his time and deserves another chance, that's one thing; but to practically say "plus, we're skint - what did you expect us to do?!" completely undermines any moral standpoint we can possibly make.
I saw at very close hand the terrible consequences of his actions that day, the screams of the Mother as she was told her 2 Sons were dead and her Husband was close to death will haunt me forever. Has he paid his price for the death of 2 boys? out of prison in less than 5 years seems cheap to me he ruined a entire families life forever surely the cost should be far higher than the one he has paid.
Absolutely disgusted with Oxford Utd. They should realise this will damage them very badly
The cicumstances that came about at Truro,McCormick being signed prior to Peter Masters taking control as chairman,had only one likely outcome,McCormick being shown the door.His joining Truro brought unwanted press attention,not only to the club but brought about a scenario that Masters distanced himself from,his self preservation coming to the fore at all costs.Peter Masters himself was the driver in an R.T.A. on the A39 at Hartlake bridge,near Glastonbury,Somerset.He was subsequently convicted and sentenced at Bristol Crown Court.Sadly,an adult male and an adult female with her near term unborn child died,with several others receiving life changing injuries.Whilst Masters has been, by some sections of Truro fans,seen as their saviour in saving Truro City,his continued links to the club can only bring about their demise once the national press picks-up and runs the story.
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