I used to wonder what a politician had to do to get sacked in this place. Up until last night I was wondering what a footballer has to do to lose his job.
Jay Donnelly is currently in jail, having had his sentence for sharing an indecent image of a child with at least 10 of his friends, including some of his team-mates, reduced from four months to three. With remission, he'll be out in six weeks.
In reality hundreds, if not thousands, of people have seen the graphic picture after it went viral on social media.
It also appeared on a fan site and another football club's Facebook page.
All those who shared the picture were sharing an indecent image of a child; I hope at least some of them reflect on that now.
Cliftonville Football Club, where the north Belfast man played and was treated like a celebrity every Saturday during the season, only last night announced his sacking.
An appeal of sentence was never going to alter the charge Donnelly admitted on November 23 last year. Why the club is still dragged its feet on the issue is nothing short of shameful.
The day after his guilty plea, Donnelly played against Linfield.
It is unclear whether Cliftonville knew at that time of the plea, but they certainly knew the case was pending.
He remained unpicked when details of the conviction were made public.
Why a 21-year-old man, as Donnelly was at the time, would want to have sex with a schoolgirl rather than a woman his own age - never mind take a picture of that act and send it to others - is one question that may never be answered; other than to be displayed like a "trophy", as the appeal judge said in his summing up.
The girl's victim impact statement was graphic and distressing. I will not go into details - they are available elsewhere for those who wish to read them - but needless to say this was not a passive crime and is one that has had a life-altering impact.
In December, Cliftonville's first team coach Neil Adair resigned from the club saying he felt he had "no choice in the circumstances".
At least one person restores a failing trust in human nature and general decency in sport.
The same cannot be said for ex-Cliftonville manager Barry Gray who gave character evidence on behalf of his former striker.
Asked if he would have any qualms about signing Donnelly again in future, Mr Gray replied: "Absolutely no hesitation at all."
And that sums up all that is wrong with the culture of sport at a high level.
Mr Gray's main concern was that Donnelly is a young man with considerable skills on the pitch - his talent is not in dispute.
However, that seems to be where all responsibility ends, with no consideration about what message his behaviour sends to fans - to the youth team, the young players of the future, to the female team, who should be treated with equal respect, to the fans, many of whom are female or at least have granddaughters, daughters and sisters they would not care to see treated as collateral damage in the footballing career of Jay Donnelly.
A review of the way rape and sexual abuse trials are held was carried out by retired judge Sir John Gillen last year. It followed issues raised by the high-profile so-called 'rugby rape trial', in which the accused were acquitted of all charges.
Among the Gillen Review's preliminary recommendations was the need for education in schools about rape myths and consent. The Donnelly case again highlights this necessity.
Even though they were acquitted, Ulster Rugby still dropped two of its star players because their behaviour, highlighted during the trial, brought the family ethos of the sport into disrepute.
Are we now to believe soccer - traditionally regarded as a more working class sport - has a different moral compass to rugby?
As a working-class woman are my daughters and their friends deemed less worthy of respect and protection that those in the well-heeled suburbs?
In his summing up of the Donnelly case, His Honour Judge David McFarland said: "This abuse has been captured, it's on the worldwide web, it will never disappear and that will have a continuing impact on this young lady."
Jay Donnelly is a young man with a supportive family. He will have the opportunity to rebuild his life.
His victim, as the judge noted, has to live with his actions forever; the internet is an unforgiving place.
I send her all my support as she moves forward with her life and hope she does so with her chin up for she - and no-one else - is the victim here.
