Latest news with #SWPL2
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I'm related to one of Celtic's greatest ever players – but I've left Hoops to kickstart my career at another club
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) 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. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 2 Another relative of Paul McStay is an up and coming football star Credit: Alamy 2 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. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Record
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Hamilton Accies Women boss heaps praise on champions on trophy day
Robert Watson's side won the title with a game to spare Hamilton Accies Women boss Robert Watson got his hands on the SWPL2 trophy and says his 'brilliant' team deserve all the credit they will receive, after winning the league with a bit to spare. Accies received the silverware on Sunday after beating Rossvale 5-1 at New Douglas Park, ending their campaign four points clear of Kilmarnock in second, having scored 103 league goals and conceded just 28, and with 21 victories from their 28 games. With final day doubles, Josi Giard was top league scorer on 26 [27 in total] and Sophie Townsley ended on 20, with Justine Strain also on the score-sheet. Watson says his record-setting squad deserve all the plaudits. He said: 'Sunday was really good, being able to finish off with a really good win and put a wee bit of a show on for the crowd that come in. 'When you lift a trophy, you want to make sure you win on the day, and it was good that Josi managed to finish top scorer in the league, Sophie was aiming for 20 league goals, which she did, and Justine got another goal. 'Between the game at the weekend there and when we won it through at Gartcairn, every single player got on the pitch, which was important as well, to make sure everyone was a part of it. 'Every player has delivered something at some point over the season, so it was a really good day. 'Scoring 103 league goals and 28 conceded means we have the best attack and defence, and there was only one game we didn't score in, which was the Scottish Cup last-16 up at Aberdeen. 'There are loads of records that the club have beaten, from a club point of view, and they deserve all the credit that they've got over the last week or so, because they've been brilliant since last August.' Watson added: 'I knew we would make chances, it was just making sure that we were clinical enough, and we were in the first half, with Josi and Sophie getting two each. 'From there we were in total domination of the game and it was probably a fitting way to finish off, hitting those numbers of goals. 'The game went a wee bit flat in the second half, we were never in danger of losing the game. 'But I have to pay credit to the subs who came on in the second half, because we definitely took a lift in the last 25 or 30 minutes of the game, and probably should have scored another couple more than we did. 'But it's testament to how much everybody has contributed over the season.' On next season's targets in the top flight, Watson said: 'The immediate thing is finding a way to stay up. We're going to have the smallest budget, we're going to be the smallest team in the division. 'I'm sure we'll keep a few players with experience, but we're going to need to look to bring more players in and probably improve the depth of our squad. 'I'm really optimistic. I think the experiences of last season are going to stand us in good stead, both for the players who played last season and will be involved next year, and just from us as a coaching staff. 'Having had a year to build and develop a bit more of a playing style has been really important as well. 'A lot of that work has already been done. 'Aside from all of that there will be excitement from everyone, because we're playing against the big teams again.'
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
SWPL finale - will Hibernian or Rangers take title? Plus, watch Glasgow City v Hearts
SWPL Trophy Day is here Here we are. Another final day decider. It has all come down to this. All eyes are on Ibrox, where the two real challengers meet. Can Rangers win on home soil, leapfrogging Hibs, for the second ever title? Or will the Hibees hold off the challenge and lift the trophy for the first time since 2007? There is also drama at the bottom, where either Montrose or Spartans will join Queen's Park and Dundee United in dropping to SWPL 2. Stick with us.
Daily Record
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Champions Hamilton Accies won't relax in final league clash as they chase goals record
Boss Robert Watson says Accies owe it to the rest of the league to go all guns blazing against Rossvale Hamilton Accies Women are already SPWL2 champions and will receive the trophy on Sunday as they host Rossvale in their last game of the season – but there will be no let-up. Boss Robert Watson reckons they owe it to the rest of the league to go out with all guns blazing, while also chasing a goals record. It happens all too often that trophy day is hampered by a poor result, and Watson is determined not to let that happen. He said: 'The day that you pick up the title you want to make sure you win as well, and that's what we'll be doing. 'I think it would be disrespectful to the league to not prepare properly, and Rossvale and Ayr United still have something to play for, so it wouldn't be right if we just took things lightly – that's not how we approach things. 'We've got our own targets, and we want to finish the season on over 100 league goals, and with the best defensive record. 'That's going to require us to keep a clean sheet and score a couple of goals, so we've still got a focus this week on what we want to achieve. 'That would be the final cherry on top for a season, but we have to go and deliver that as well. 'We're on 98 league goals going into the final game, and we have the best defensive record in the league. When you factor in the goals we scored in the cups that's 104 goals we've scored. 'There has only been one game that we've failed to score in, going into the weekend, which is just incredible. 'We've only actually lost five league games, one cup game, and in the Motherwell game we went out on penalties, so it was a draw over 120 minutes. 'We've set a club record in clean sheets as well, it has been an absolutely incredible season for them. 'I'm really keen to make sure the players get the credit they deserve, because they've worked so hard. 'It's probably no secret that I can be really tough on them at times, and I'm really demanding, but ultimately when they go across the white line it's up to the players. 'More often than not, they've delivered this season, and that's why they've picked up a title.' It's full circle for both Watson and captain Megan Quinn, and the gaffer said: 'We won the inaugural SWPL2 title in 2016, so it's nice to bookend it. I was assistant manager in that year, Gary Doctor was the manager, and it's nice to bookend it, being the manager and picking it up. 'Megan Quinn had a great testimonial to send her off, and she's now able to pick up the SWPL2 title as the final thing in her career, having picked it up in 2016, is again a nice way to bookend her career as an Accies player and captain.'
Daily Record
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Hamilton Accies Women one win from title after hitting St Johnstone for six
Robert Watson's side could wrap up the SWPL2 crown on Sunday Hamilton Accies Women are one win away from clinching the SWPL2 title, but boss Robert Watson warned them not to underestimate Gartcairn on Sunday. Accies bounced back from a 2-1 defeat at second-placed Kilmarnock on April 20 with an emphatic 6-0 win over St Johnstone, after Boroughmuir Thistle had held their Ayrshire rivals to a 2-2 draw. That stretched Accies' lead at the top to four points with two games left, and Watson wants the silverware wrapped up as quickly as possible, while being wary of their Airdrie opponents. Watson said: 'We're now in a position where we need one more win from the two games to secure it, but it's important that we don't underestimate Gartcairn or Rossvale, because they're going to want to pick up points for their own reasons. 'We've got to use the momentum we've got now to try and bring it home as quickly as we can. 'On Sunday, if we win, we'll pick up the title. If Kilmarnock drop points we can do it as well, but I'm not really focusing on what happens over there – we'd rather win it ourselves, anyway. 'Gartcairn is a very difficult venue to go to and, from their point of view, I'm sure they won't want a team winning the league at their ground. 'I understand that motivation, so we're not going to get anything easy. If we do win the league on Sunday, it's because we've earned it, and we've prepared correctly.' A Josi Giard double and goals from Melissa Reid, Chloe Muir, Sophie Townsley and Eryn Brown got Accies back on track on Sunday. Watson said: 'It was really pleasing, especially under a little bit of pressure. 'We knew Kilmarnock's result, going into the game, and it was in our favour, but we still needed to deliver a win at the other side of it, and we managed it. 'I felt we were maybe a wee bit nervy for the first 20 minutes, but once we got the first goal we settled down, and thoroughly deserved the win, especially in the second half. 'We were back to what we're good at, and the expectation of what we've set each other as a squad and a group of coaches, and I'm really pleased for the players to bounce back so well. 'The players have been speaking. We've been able to sort of mull on it over two weeks, having that weekend off, with the cup semi-finals. 'There's a real determination between them to make sure that we got back on track and got the win.' A few milestones were set on Sunday, as Giard bagged her 25th goal of the season, Chloe Muir scored her 30th Accies goal, and Sophie Townsley her 20th of this campaign. Watson said: 'Chloe has been chasing her 30th goal for the club for a few weeks now, and it was a fairly straight-forward tap-in for her, so she was delighted. 'She re-signed for us in January and has now got, in 11 appearances, 10 goal involvements, which is brilliant. 'Josi is the top scorer in the league and Sophie is second-top as well, so having that sort of threat in attack is really important.'
