Lee Hughes' return to football was questioned by many (including me) but the general argument in his defence was that he had served his time for his criminal conviction and was entitled to get on with his life. The same has applied to several other footballers convicted of various crimes.

David Goodwillie doesn't have a criminal conviction, only a civil finding against him, but the nature of his crime is the problem in the eyes of the public (and sponsors) who evidently view a crime such as rape to be less forgivable than causing death through an act of extreme negligence.

I suppose the only conclusion you can really draw is that the Court of Public Opinion is more dangerous to the career of a wrongdoing footballer than a criminal or civil court.