Oldham Athletic

Oldham Athletic director Barry Owen stands by Ched Evans decision

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 11 January 2015

Barry Owen admits that he "did not anticipate the amount of sponsorship pressure" that would be placed on Oldham following their decision to negotiate with Ched Evans.

Oldham Athletic director Barry Owen has insisted that he "will never regret" the club's attempt to sign convicted rapist Ched Evans.

The 26-year-old Wales international was released from jail last October having served half of a five-year sentence.

A proposed move to Oldham soon broke down following pressure put on the League One side by sponsors, as well as alleged threats made to the staff and families of board members.

Owen opted to resign from his role as chairman of the Latics' Trust, although he stands by his decision to make a move for Evans.

"I will never regret it," he told BBC Sport. "I am hugely disappointed for many reasons that I can't discuss. Oldham were going to get a footballer that in other circumstances they wouldn't have been able to afford. This was driven by football reasons.

"We knew there would be a storm to bear and were prepared to accept a lot of that and take it on the chin because we believed strongly in the right to employ this man.

"We did not anticipate the amount of sponsorship pressure, which was understandable because they were under extreme pressure. In the end it came down purely to the finances."

Evans issued an apology to his victim after the move to Oldham collapsed.

An investigation into the former Sheffield United striker's conviction by the Criminal Cases Review Commission is currently ongoing.