Scottish Women's Football

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Winger Abbie Ferguson has joined WSL2 side Southampton after leaving Scottish champions Hibs.

The 20-year-old Scotland youth international scored four goals and recorded five assists in 27 appearances last term as she helped Hibs lift the SWPL title for the first time in 18 years.

Ferguson, who started out with Celtic before spending two years at Hibs, said: "I've played in Scotland throughout my career, so I wanted to make the move [to England].

"Hopefully it will help me develop as a footballer and mature as a person - I'm really looking forward to the challenge."

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Aberdeen have signed Scotland Under-19 defender Abi Tobin on a two-year deal following her departure from Rangers.

The 18-year-old spent last season on loan with Hamilton Accies and featured in all 28 league games as the Lanarkshire side were promoted back the top flight at the first time of asking.

"She really stood out in what was a strong Hamilton side last season, something which is even more impressive considering her age," said manager Scott Booth.

"I'm really excited to work with her and develop her game, and I believe she can have a big part to play in what we want to achieve going forward."

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Defender Samantha van Diemen has departed Glasgow City for Serie A side Roma for an undisclosed fee.

Van Diemen, 23, joined City last season from Fortuna Sittard and was a standout performer for Leanne Ross' side as they finished second in the SWPL, securing Champions League football in the process.

Her last act for City came in the Scottish Cup final where she was sent off late on - when Rangers were already three goals to the good - for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.

The Dutch-born defender, who made her debut for the Dominican Republic, was nominated for the PFA Scotland SWPL player of the year award and picked up her supporters' player of the year trophy.

The centre-back made 38 appearances for City last season, scoring five goals.

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Republic of Ireland international Claire Walsh has joined Celtic on a one-year deal following the expiry of her contract at fellow SWPL side Glasgow City.

Defender Walsh, 30, joined City from Peamount United in 2021, making over 100 appearances and winning the league three seasons ago with the Petershill Park club.

She was an ever-present for City as they pipped Celtic to the title in 2023, but missed the majority of the following season through injury.

She made 15 appearances for Leanne Ross' side last term and she's keen to share her experiences.

"I'm really excited to have joined Celtic," Walsh told club media. "It is obviously a massive club.

"It's somewhere I've been many times as a fan too, so to come in here as a player is pretty cool, and I'm really excited about it.

"I'm hoping to come in, and bring what I have experienced before and help as much as I can."

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Scotland defender Jamie-Lee Napier has become former Rangers manager Jo Potter's first signing at Crystal Palace.

Full-back Napier, 25, joins Palace - who were relegated to WSL 2 last season - on a two-year deal after captaining Bristol City in the second tier.

The former Chelsea defender - who was named SWPL player of the year in 2018 after scoring 22 goals in 33 appearances for Hibs - says she "shares the club's values, goals and ambitions".

Napier will have a familiar face in fellow Scotland international Chloe Arthur, who has been at Palace since 2022.

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Former England youth goalkeeper Anna Prawer says Scott Booth's "great philosophy" was a key factor in her move to Aberdeen.

Prawer, who previously played for Chelsea and Arsenal Under-21s, joins the Dons on a 12-month deal after four years in America with Seton Hall University.

"It has been a quick turnaround from when I got back from the States. As soon as I heard of the interest, I knew what an opportunity it was, so I was sold on the move right from the beginning," said the 21-year-old.

"The manager has a great philosophy for the club, and I'm really excited to see what he can do, but also what we can do to help him."

Booth says Prawer has "all the attributes to be a success" at the Dons and will provide "real competition" for the number one jersey.

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Hibernian defender Shannon Leishman has joined fellow SWPL 1 side Motherwell on a permanent deal.

Leishman made over 150 appearances in Leith and became one of Hibs' most decorated, and longest-serving, players with four trophies and UWCL appearances under her belt.

The 29-year-old joined Paul Brownlie's side in January last year on a short-term deal and went on to make nine appearances, helping Motherwell secure their first ever top-six finish.

"I'm excited to be back at the club," Leishman told club media, external.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club last season. I knew when Paul spoke to me about coming back to the club that I would be keen to be a part of their plans for the season ahead.

"I'm looking forward to meeting the squad again and getting started at K-Park."

Head coach Brownlie added: "I'm really pleased to have Shannon back in the squad.

"Shannon is an incredibly talented and experienced footballer, who showcased her ability in the squad last season.

"To have someone of her ability in the squad and now on a permanent basis is really encouraging."

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Rangers are "in the final stages of a great recruitment process" as they look to appoint a new head coach "in the next couple of weeks, if not sooner", confirms managing director Donald Gillies.

Former England international Jo Potter departed Rangers four weeks ago after winning four cup trophies in two years at the club.

"It has been going really well," Gillies told RangersTV.

"The quality of the candidate has been excellent, really strong.

"Probably a mark of the time that we have taken actually to get to the point that we are at right now.

"I think for us it is about finding the right qualities in all those excellent candidates and resumes that we received and applying them from the context that we have.

"We are in the final stages of that process and will be able to confirm what we are going to do, hopefully in the next couple of weeks if not sooner.

"It has been a great process and it has really said a huge amount about where we are at as a women's club and really the strides that the women's game has made in Scotland that we are attracting some really highly qualified and impressive people."

Rangers will take part in their first pre-season friendly next week and kick off their SWPL campaign on 17 August against Montrose.

Gillies is hopeful of having a decision made by that point, but he will not rush the process.

"Have someone in place for first pre-season game? Yes, that would be the hope but we are not held to it," he added.

"That shouldn't go beyond the priority of making sure we get the right person."

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Glasgow City have secured an "exciting young talent" in Republic of Ireland midfielder Erin McLaughlin, who joins on a two-year deal.

The 22-year-old moves to the SWPL club after helping Portsmouth to survival in their first season in England's second tier.

"It feels great to be here," McLaughlin said: "With how positive the environment is, how successful the club has been, and after speaking with Leanne - it seemed like the right move for me."

City head coach Leanne Ross is delighted to add the international midfielder, who won the League of Ireland Premier Division with Peamount United in 2023 before her switch to Portsmouth.

"She's an exciting young talent with a great deal of potential and we're confident she'll continue to develop here," said Ross.

"Erin has proven herself in the domestic leagues in Ireland and England, and has been capped at international level.

"We're excited to see her grow in our environment and to see what she can contribute to the team."

Daldeep Kaur
BBC Sport Scotland

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Abi Harrison says Glasgow City is "the place I wanted to be" after making the move from Celtic to Petershill Park on a one-year contract.

The 27-year-old Celtic academy graduate re-joined Celtic in January after spending four years at Hibernian, winning three Scottish Cups and three League Cups, before making a move to Bristol City, where she spent six years.

"I'm delighted to be here. As soon as I spoke to Leanne Ross and Leanne Crichton, I knew it was the place I wanted to be," said Harrison.

"It is the best place that will get the best out of me and make me fall back in love with football, so I can't wait for the season to start."

Head coach Leanne Ross believes Harrison will add "value" to the side.

"I'm delighted to bring Abi to Glasgow City. She brings a wealth of experience and is a proven goal scorer at both club and international level," said Ross.

"Abi is a player I know well from my own playing career and is somebody who we believe will add real value to our squad, not just in her talents on the pitch but also with her personality off of it."

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It's been a busy day on the SWPL transfer front, with two players returning to past haunts and a Scotland youth international moving north of the border.

33-year-old midfielder Lisa Robertson has resigned for Celtic following a season's sojourn at Hearts.

The Scotland international starred for Eva Olid's side last season next to Eilidh Shore, and her good form has won her a return to Celtic on a two-year deal.

Across the city, Rangers have signed Fallon Connolly-Jackson on a two-year deal from Sheffield United.

The left-back, who turned 19 yesterday, made her Scotland under-23 debut earlier this summer and says she is excited to develop at Rangers.

Meanwhile at Motherwell, they've announced the signing of former star striker Carla Boyce, who returns after a spell at Partick Thistle.

She scored 15 goals in her final season at Motherwell before departing for the Jags in January 2024.

Paul Brownlie's side have also added Spartans defender Tegan Browning to the squad.

Another former Scotland age-grade player, she came through at Hearts before moving to the US on a football scholarship.

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Scotland midfielder Kirsty Maclean said it was "an incredibly hard decision to leave" Rangers for Liverpool.

The 20-year-old, who is a product of the Govan club's youth academy, made her first-team debut at the age of just 16 and went on to play more than 100 times.

She was part of the Rangers side that won their first SWPL title in 2022, before winning the Sky Sports Cup for the first time later that year.

Maclean, who has 10 Scotland caps, also played in a key role in the team that secured back-to-back domestic cup doubles across the past two seasons.

"It was an incredibly hard decision to leave," the midfielder said. "I think obviously being at the club for so long, it means a lot to me.

"To leave was hard, but I feel like it was the right time for me to move on to something new.

"I will miss everyone at the club so much. I said to the girls they all mean so much to me and I mean it.

"I'm leaving with the best memories and it has been the best 11 years; I couldn't have asked for a better group of girls to do it with."

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Hearts have completed the signing of goalkeeper Emma Thomson from Spartans on a deal until the summer of 2027.

The 17-year-old began her career at Hamilton Accies during which time she picked up her first SWPL Player of the Month trophy before making the switch to Spartans.

During her time at Ainslie Park, Thomson featured nine times for Jack Beesley's side and has also been capped for Scotland at both under-16 and under-17 level.

"We're really pleased to bring Emma in," manager Eva Olid told club media.

"She's a young goalkeeper with good experience already, and we see a lot of potential in her.

"This is a chance for her to keep learning and developing in a full-time environment, and we're looking forward to helping her take the next steps."

"I'm delighted," Thomson said of the move.

"It's a big step in my career, a dream come true really so I'm looking forward to next season.

"It's the opportunity of a lifetime and one I'll grab with both hands. It's been a long off-season but I'm really excited to meet everyone."

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Partick Thistle have signed Scotland's most-capped outfield international Jo Love upon her release from Glasgow City.

Midfielder Love, 39, won 21 major honours during her 14-year stay at City, including 11 SWPL titles and was made captain in 2021.

She represented Scotland 191 times and was part of the squad's who reached Euro 2017 and the 2019 World Cup.

Thistle manager David Elliot said her signature is "a real coup" for the club.

"You just have to look at what she has achieved at both club and international level to see how big a signing this is for the club," he said.

"She has been there and done it and will be massive both on the pitch and in the dressing room in helping the younger players of the squad who are aiming to follow in her footsteps at the top of the Scottish game."

Thistle also added defender Addie Handley and forward Lia Tweedie earlier in the day.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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Northern Ireland international Keri Halliday has joined SWPL side Hearts from Women's Premiership outfit Linfield on a two-year deal.

The 20-year-old, who can play as an attacking midfielder or on the wing, has won 13 Northern Ireland caps since making her debut against Albania in 2023.

Halliday came through at Linfield and scored 53 times in 85 matches for the Blues.

She was also named Northern Ireland's Young Player of the Year in 2024.

"We're really pleased to bring Keri in. She's a direct, positive player who always looks to make things happen in the final third," said Hearts manager Eva Olid.

"She's confident on the ball, not afraid to take on defenders, and has a real instinct for finding space in and around the box.

"Although she's still young, she's already shown she can handle the demands of senior football, and we believe our environment will really help her develop further.

"Keri fits the kind of profile we're looking to invest in — players with ability, work rate, and the right attitude to grow with us."

Halliday joins fellow Northern Ireland internationals Joely Andrews and Lauren Wade at Hearts, while striker Kerry Beattie has left the Jambos to join Aberdeen on a permanent deal.

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Champions Hibernian have signed Tiree Burchill on a one-year deal after her exit from fellow SWPL side Partick Thistle.

Scotland Under-23 international Burchill, a league winner with Celtic, scored nine goals for Thistle last season, including the goal of the year, and "can't wait" to return to full-time football.

"I'm so happy to be back in full-time football," the 20-year-old said. "I spent about four years here when I was younger in the academy.

"I think it's a great place for young players like myself to develop. Seeing the team's success last season, it was a no-brainer to come here."

Head coach Grant Scott said the club's "environment" will benefit the youngster.

"She is an exciting forward we have tracked for a couple of seasons," he said. "I think our environment will really help towards her development."

Across the city, Hearts have signed goalkeeper Carolina Vilao on a two-year deal from A-League side Wellington Phoenix.

The 24-year-old is Eva Olid's third signing of the season and the manager is adamant she will bring "a different dimension".

"Carolina is a goalkeeper with a really unique profile, and that's exactly what we were looking for," said Olid.

"She's calm, confident with the ball at her feet, brings a different dimension to how we want to play and we feel she's a great fit for the team and the direction we're going in."

Forward Kodie Hay has returned to Motherwell following the expiry of her contract at Partick Thistle.

The 27-year-old spent three seasons with Well before making 72 appearances for Thistle.

Head coach Paul Brownlie says she will add "creativity" to the squad.

Daldeep Kaur
BBC Sport Scotland

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Goalkeeper Kelsey Daugherty, defender Celya Barclais, and forward Abi Harrison will leave Celtic after the expiry of their contracts.

Daugherty joined Celtic in 2023 and kept 32 clean sheets in 68 appearances, while Barclais was voted players' player of the year for the 2024-25 season.

Celtic academy graduate Harrison re-joined Celtic in January 2025, making 14 appearances and scoring three goals.

Meanwhile, striker Carly Johns has joined Hearts on a two-year deal.

The 22-year-old becomes Eva Olid's second summer signing, and the Hearts manager said: "We're really happy to have [Johns] at Hearts. She's got great quality, a strong work ethic, and brings a really good attitude to everything she does."

Midfielder Amy Bulloch has joined Motherwell from Partick Thistle to become manager Paul Brownlee's first signing of the window.

"I was really attracted to the club as they performed to a really high standard last season," Bulloch said. "Achieving a top-six finish and a place at Hampden, I want to be a part of that again this season."

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Hearts have signed "intelligent" SWPL winner Mairead Fulton on a two-year deal after the midfielder left Glasgow City at the end of the season.

Fulton, 30, won two league titles with City as well as appearing in the Champions League for the Petershill Park club during her five-year stint at the club.

"Mairead is someone I've admired for a long time," manager Eva Olid said. "I'm really happy to bring her to Hearts.

"She has a huge amount of experience and has consistently shown her quality at the top level in Scotland.

"We were looking for a player with her intelligence, calmness, and control - and she fits that perfectly.

"She's won trophies, played in big games, and brings a mentality that will help the whole group."

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Scotland should take a "long, hard look at ourselves" for failing to reach this summer's Women's Euro 2025, says former goalkeeper Gemma Fay.

Fay, Scotland's most capped player with 203 appearances, says the nation simply "must have aspirations" of getting back to major tournaments after failing to qualify in their previous three attempts.

Since reaching the 2019 World Cup, the Scots have missed out on back-to-back European Championships and the 2023 World Cup.

Asked on BBC Sportsound how Scotland take that next step, Fay responded: "We have to. We have to have the aspirations if that's where we want to be.

"We should be at these finals, and the ones before, and we should take a long, hard look at ourselves as to why we're not."

Now led by head coach Melissa Andreatta, Fay has been encouraged by the new boss' start after being appointed in April.

A narrow home defeat to Austria consigned the Scots to Nations League A relegation, but a draw away to the Netherlands prompted praise.

"It was good performance against the Netherlands," Fay added. "I like [Andreatta's] style. It goes back to that mentality. We always have pride in how we fight.

"I like the initial things I've seen from her, but the challenge she has is now is how she gets the quality of opposition for this team to be able to compete against [Nations League] A teams."

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Glasgow City have signed "versatile defender" Emma Brownlie from SWPL side Hearts on a two-year deal.

The 31-year-old, who is comfortable at full-back or in the centre of defence, started her career at Hibernian and went on to play for Celtic and Rangers, as well Everton in the WSL.

She captained Hearts at Hampden in the 2024 Scottish Cup final and was the first player to sign a professional contract with the Jambos.

Head coach Leanne Ross believes Brownlie's "leadership skills and competitive nature will be invaluable" to City.

"I am delighted to add a player of Emma's ability and experience to our squad," Ross told club media.

"A versatile defender who can play full back or centre back, Emma will not only add a physical presence to our backline, but her leadership skills and competitive nature will be invaluable to the team.

"Her composure in possession, range of passing and ability to carry the ball forward also fit perfectly with our style of play."

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Hibernian have signed "one of Scotland's top young talents" in Hannah Jordan, says head coach Grant Scott.

Forward Jordan, 20, has been a bright spark for Spartans since her breakthrough campaign three seasons ago, and after netting 13 league goals last term for the relegated side, has been rewarded with a one-year deal with the SWPL champions.

The Rangers academy product believes Hibs is "the perfect place to thrive".

"To have another one of Scotland's top young talents decide to join Hibs to further their development is fantastic," head coach Scott told club media.

"After a decent goal scoring season in a team that had a tough campaign last season, we think she can kick-on and add to our attacking options."

Jordan, a recent Scotland under-23 cap, said Scott "sold" the move across the city to her.

"I am looking to make the next step in my career and I think this is the perfect place for me to thrive in a full-time environment," she added.

"Grant sold the move to me well. Seeing what the team did last season, winning the league, this is something that I wanted to be a part of."