I'm related to one of Celtic's greatest ever players – but I've left Hoops to kickstart my career at another club
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IT's never easy to carry such a famous name on your back and follow in the footsteps of such an iconic figure in Scottish football.
It's even more challenging when there's not one or two legends in the family, but a long list of famous faces who have been involved in the game.
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Another relative of Paul McStay is an up and coming football star
Credit: Alamy
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Another branch of the family tree includes Celtic players Paul, and Willie McStay, pictured with their father
Credit: Steve Welsh - The Sun Glasgow
But unlike her three cousins Raymond, Willie and Paul - who all played for Celtic - Olivia McStay has left the East End of Glasgow to begin a new chapter of her career at the age of 17.
Olivia is a third-generation star who is the latest to carry the family DNA in the sport.
A Scotland Under-17 international, Olivia is one of our most promising stars in the women's game.
But after years in the Celtic youth team, she is no longer a prospect at the club which her cousin Paul captained throughout the age levels and in the first team.
Instead, she has decided to swap clubs and join Hamilton Accies after the club confirmed she has penned a pre-contract agreement with the South Lanarskshire outfit.
Olivia spent last season on loan from the Hoops and has decided to make the move permanent this summer.
But she could return to face her old team in the coming months after helping Accies win promotion to the top flight by clinching the SWPL 2 title.
A statement from Accies read: "We are thrilled to announce the capture of Scotland U17s international defender @OliviaMcStay_
on a pre contract agreement from Celtic.
"Olivia spent last season on loan from the Glasgow side & has made the move permanent for 25/26.
"Welcome back Liv."
Thousands of Celtic fans march to Hampden for Scottish Cup final vs Aberdeen amid heavy police presence
Olivia is the daughter of Jock McStay - famous for his stint with Raith Rovers and front and centre in one of Scottish football's most notorious incidents.
He was on the receiving end of Duncan Ferguson's famous headbutt at Ibrox in 1994 - one of the most infamous moments in Scottish football history.
He played for nine clubs around Scotland and starred 262 times for the Kirkcaldy club.
Football flows through the family veins as Willie's son - also John - is currently a coach at Celtic like his dad was, and Paul's son Chris most recently starred at Clyde alongside Peter Grant's son Ray.
Beyond the three brothers, their father was a scout for the Hoops - who discovered Kieran Tierney - and their great-uncles Jimmy and Willie McStay both successive Celtic captains and Scotland internationals.
They also had a cousin Francis who played for Motherwell - but that was more than a century ago.
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