Scotland Women v Ukraine Women

FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifier 

SCOTLAND v 

UKRAINE 

FRI, 26 NOVEMBER | 7.35PM 

HAMPDEN PARK, 

GLASGOW 

Lead partners of the 

Scotland National Teams 

Official Programme £2.50

THE UK’S FIRST 

WI-FI 

Only BT’s hybrid broadband gives you an 

unbreakable home connection backed up by 

Why settle for anyone else? 

Search BT hybrid broadband. 

88% UK availability. 4G coverage and BT fibre required. 4G network connection takes up to 175 seconds. To verify visit BT.com/verifyhybrid

Scottish FA 

Hampden Park 

Glasgow 

G42 9AY 

0141 616 6000 

Scottish FA Online: 

e. info@scottishfa.co.uk 

w. www.scottishfa.co.uk 

Twitter. @ScotlandNT 

Facebook.com/ 

scotlandnationalteam 

OFFICE BEARERS: 

President 

Rod Petrie 

Chief executive 

Ian Maxwell 

Vice-president 

Mike Mulraney 

Programme produced on 

behalf of the Scottish FA by 

Ignition Sports Media 

ignitionsportsmedia.com 

Production: David Middleton 

Photography: 

SNS Pix, PA Images 

Managing Editor: 

Michael Lamont 

Please note that the views 

expressed in this programme 

do not necessarily reflect 

those of the Scottish FA. 

The Scottish Football 

Association Limited is a 

private company limited 

by guarantee, registered in 

Scotland, with its registered 

office at Hampden Park, 

Glasgow G42 9AY and 

company number SC005453. 

IN THIS ISSUE... 

04 / A WORD WITH 

THE MANAGER 

Pedro Martinez Losa looks 

back on the last-minute victory 

against Hungary and assesses 

tonight’s challenge against an 

ever-improving nation. 

10 / UNITED WE STAND 

Kirsty Smith discusses life at 

Manchester United, her journey 

so far and her desire to return to a 

major tournament with Scotland. 

18 / WHISTLE WHILE 

YOU WORK 

Vikki Allan speaks about the 

benefits and challenges of being 

a referee, as well as officiating in 

some unusual places. 

22 / THE CAMPAIGN SO FAR 

A look back on Scotland’s first 

three matches in the campaign 

so far. 

24 / A-Z WITH LEE ALEXANDER 

Scotland’s number one 

goalkeeper talks team-mates, 

her career and her secret talents. 

28 / KIDS ZONE 

Word search and spot the ball 

MATCH OFFICIALS 

Referee: 

Sabina Bolic CRO 

Assistant referee 1: 

Maja Petravić CRO 

Assistant referee 2: 

Barbara Vidovic Volenik CRO 

4th official: 

Ivana Martincic CRO 

HAMPDEN PARK / FRIDAY 26, NOVEMBER 2021 

SCOTLAND v UKRAINE / 3

HAMPDEN PARK / FRIDAY 26, NOVEMBER 2021 SCOTLAND v UKRAINE / 4 

A WORD WITH 

THE MANAGER 

Ahead of a crucial double header, Scotland Head Coach 

Pedro Martinez Losa speaks about the strengths of Ukraine and 

Spain, how the team are developing their leadership qualities, 

and celebrating the late winner last time out at Hampden. 

Pedro, two huge matches to end the year, 

how much are you looking forward to these? 

I have been desperate to come back to training 

with these players, who I am really enjoying 

working with. It’s two very important matches 

that will be a key part of our objective to 

qualify for the World Cup. We will take it 

one step at a time in preparation for Ukraine 

- playing at Hampden in front of the fans 

we will try to get the three points first, and 

afterwards focus on a difficult match in Spain. 

Ukraine have a new head coach, will they be 

a different proposition to what you have seen 

previously? 

They have very clear patterns of play: they 

play with three defenders and try to play with 

a high-pressure system, which they have done 

very well with against the biggest teams. 

We are looking to prepare for the team to 

overcome these difficulties and put our own 

style on the pitch. 

The last time you were at Hampden you 

obviously enjoyed it, celebrating the lastminute 

winner along the touchline. 

Sport puts you in situations where you have 

to fight and you have to overcome obstacles 

together, so what we showed was character 

and determination. This is what we are about 

and we are improving at all levels. I really 

enjoyed the last-minute goal, seeing the players 

happy and the interaction with the fans. I am 

looking forward to more memories like that.

HAMPDEN PARK / FRIDAY 26, NOVEMBER 2021 SCOTLAND v UKRAINE / 5

BE THE NEXT BIG THING IN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL 

Tournament dates 

COMING SOON! 

Join SPAR’s exciting 

GRASSROOTS 

FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT 

for girls 12-16 

and get the chance to play at a major stadium in the 

FUTURE STARS FINAL. 

Registration is now open! 

TOURNAMENT 

For more information and to register visit 

Scottishfa.co.uk/futurestars 

dO SomEtHinG InSparaTioNaL 

@SparScotland 

@ScottishFA 

SparScotlandOfficial

It was a nice moment with Rachel Corsie 

getting the winner as captain. How good a 

leader has she been? 

We are very lucky with the spirit of players we 

have and the leadership they bring. Rachel 

is a player who is calm and day by day lives 

the values of Scotland. That is what we are 

trying to develop and is something we want to 

encourage. It’s not just for the young players 

to learn, but for all the players so they can 

continue to develop and improve. 

You are a few months into the job, how have 

you settled in so far? 

The more I get into the job and the different 

tasks, in terms of the performance pathway 

for Scotland, the more I enjoy it. I think I can 

contribute massively - we have a group of 

people at the Scottish FA that are willing to 

make things happen and move things forward 

for the women’s game. I am enjoying every 

second of working for the senior national team, 

but also reviewing the youth programmes and 

trying to make the game grow for the whole 

country. 

“ 

IT’S NOT JUST FOR THE 

YOUNG PLAYERS TO LEARN, 

BUT FOR ALL THE PLAYERS 

SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO 

DEVELOP AND IMPROVE 

” 

After the Ukraine match you go back to your 

home country, Spain. What is your take on 

that match? 

To play away from home is always an 

uncomfortable feeling for every team, but for 

me it will be the opposite. I know the opponent 

and we will prepare to play against someone 

who plays in a way that you understand. 

I really respect the job that the Spain national 

team have been doing over the last year and 

the way the players have developed. We 

will aim to match them and be at the level 

of competitiveness required to represent 

Scotland. 




WE’VE MET 

BEFORE 

4 MARCH 2020 

UKRAINE 0-3 SCOTLAND 

PINATAR CUP | PINATAR ARENA, SPAIN 

Shortly before the Covid pandemic 

began, Scotland lifted silverware in Spain, 

winning the Pinatar Cup. During the 

tournament Scotland defeated Ukraine 

3-0 with Martha Thomas capping a 

memorable debut in scoring two goals. 

Thomas scored either side of half-time 

and Claire Emslie was on the scoresheet 

too. During the two-week camp in Spain, 

Scotland also defeated Iceland and 

Northern Ireland to lift the trophy.




UNITED 

WE STAND 

After working her way through the agegroups 

with Hibernian, Kirsty Smith is now 

living the dream in Manchester playing for 

one of the biggest clubs in the world. 

Words: Kenny Millar 

T 

he Manchester United 

full-back is now aiming 

to reach a third major 

tournament in her time 

with the national squad, having 

been a regular feature since her 

debut in 2014. 

After being ruled out injured 

for the upcoming games, Kirsty 

Smith will now battle back and 

strive to reach full fitness for the 

matches in April. 

Persistence is something that 

is in Kirsty Smith’s DNA though 

and has always paid off for the 

27-year-old. 

A trophy-laden spell 

with Hibernian coincided 

with securing a degree in 

accountancy and finance from 

Heriot-Watt University. 

The goal of playing football 

professionally was fulfilled with 

an invitation to be part of the 

newly-formed Manchester United 

women’s team. 

Like the rest of her team-mates, 

none of that was handed to her 

on a plate. Everything that’s come 

Smith’s way, she’s earned. 

She recalled: “I was always 

kicking a ball, from an early age.



If you’ve played The National 

Lottery, you’ve supported local 

football across Scotland. 

THANK YOU 

Every week, National Lottery players raise an 

amazing £36 million for good causes, including 

grassroots football. 

By buying a National Lottery ticket, you have supported 

clubs across the country, creating opportunities for 

everyone to get involved in the sport. 

www.sportscotland.org.uk

I’d take any opportunity I could to 

play, including going to summer 

camps when I knew I’d be one of 

the only girls there. 

“Going into school, I always 

tried to play with the older girls 

whenever I could. On Friday 

nights we’d play against the boys 

and, looking back, it probably 

helped me progress a lot quicker. 

I knew I could compete with them 

and it made me want to pursue 

playing properly. 

“It could be intimidating. You could 

see some people thinking ‘what’s 

she doing here?’ but just as many 

were welcoming and, anyway, 

there wasn’t an alternative. 

“There’s obviously more that can 

still be done on the development 

side but you can see the progress 

that’s being made. 

“I did some one-on-one coaching a 

wee while back with an Edinburghbased 

group - Gold and Gray 

Soccer Academy - because they 

wanted to cater for girls and I really 

enjoyed it. I’m not sure coaching 

is for me on a wider scale, but 

working one-to-one with them was 

a really rewarding experience.” 

There’s a tinge of regret when 

Smith talks about her time at 

Hibs, having just failed to wrestle 

the league title away from allconquering 

Glasgow City. 

The Hibees, however, had the 

edge in cup competitions. 

She added: “I really enjoyed my 

time at Hibs and can’t thank them 

enough for my progression. They 

did so much for me. 

“It was brilliant when we finally 

started to achieve what we 

I REALLY 

ENJOYED MY 

TIME AT HIBS 

AND CAN’T 

THANK THEM 

ENOUGH 

FOR MY 

PROGRESSION. 

THEY DID SO 

MUCH FOR ME 



THE TEAM 

WAS STARTING 

OFF IN THE 

CHAMPIONSHIP 

BUT I COULDN’T 

PASS UP ON THE 

OPPORTUNITY, 

IT WAS A 

CHALLENGE 

I REALLY WANTED 

TO BE PART OF 

probably should have done 

earlier, because we had such a 

good team. There was a great 

atmosphere in the group and 

every cup win was special. 

“I just wish we’d been able to do 

the same in the league, but you 

have to give Glasgow City all the 

credit for getting it over the line 

every time. We pushed them hard 

but they just had that edge.” 

Determined Smith also had that 

edge, which drew interest and, 

ultimately, an offer from United. 

“I was away with Scotland when I 

first heard about United’s interest 

and that moment was one of the 

highlights of my career. I couldn’t 

believe it. 

“The team was starting off in the 

Championship but I couldn’t pass 

up on the opportunity. It was a 

challenge I really wanted to be 

part of and it’s the best thing I’ve 

ever done. 

“It had been my dream to play 

professionally, but I had that 

nagging doubt that I’d miss 

home and my family too much. 

Thankfully the city and the club 

exceeded all expectations and I 

haven’t looked back.” 

United have committed to 

upgrading the team’s facilities at 

their famous Carrington training 

ground and Smith has been 

wide-eyed ever since she walked 

through the front door at one of 

the biggest clubs in the world. 

She reflected: “I was used 

to more modest resources in 

Scotland, which isn’t a slight 

on the game up here. It’s 

just the reality.

“So when I got down there I 

thought ‘wow’. There’s been 

progression over the years 

and they’re still working on a 

modernisation plan at the moment 

but it’s something else already. 

“I was blown away by the size of 

the club, whether it’s the fanbase 

or just how integrated they make 

us feel. 

“Being able to say I play for one 

of the biggest clubs in the world 

is a novelty that I don’t think will 

ever wear off. It’s incredible and 

something I’d hope for ever since 

I was a little girl.” 

That starry-eyed side was 

underpinned by a steely streak 

and commitment to education 

which will surely serve Smith well 

whenever she hangs up the boots. 

While there’s a well-trodden 

path from playing to coaching, 

she’s open-minded about what 

comes next and where she can 

put her experience and skills to 

use within football. 

“Education was a priority for me. 

I turned professional later as a 

result but I wanted that safety 

net. I can’t play football forever. 

“I want to use my degree at some 

stage, but I’m not sure if I could 

get used to a 9am-5pm office job 

having worked outside for so long 

now. I definitely want to use my 

degree within a football context. 

“I put everything into getting it, 

and I love football and sport, so if 

there was a way to blend the two 

then that would be great. 

“Coaching isn’t the only avenue 

for people. You pick up so many 

experiences and form opinions 

along the way. There’s been a 

few times when I’ve thought ‘that 

would be a good thing to do’ or ‘I 

could add my voice to that’. 

“It’s really exciting but that’s all 

ahead of me. My focus at the 

moment is on helping Scotland 

get to the World Cup. That would 

mean everything.” 

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS 

Best game you’ve played? 

Scotland v Jamaica at Hampden was 

amazing with the crowd and the 

atmosphere. There was so much hype 

around the team at that time and showed 

the nation was completely behind us. 

Best stadium you’ve played in? 

Hampden Park. I’d been to so many 

games there as a fan but never actually 

thought I’d get to play on the pitch. 

Best friend in football? 

Hannah Reid. I played with her at Hibs 

before she moved down south. We’ve 

remained close. 

Best moment in football? 

Signing for Manchester United with 

Lizzie Arnot was amazing. We signed in 

a box that overlooked the Old Trafford 

pitch! 

Best thing about living in Manchester? 

The Christmas Markets are amazing so 

I’m looking forward to visiting them this 

December. 

If you could be a team-mate for 

the day, who’d you be? 

Caroline Weir so I could score 

worldies at Hampden and do 

knee-slides. 

Favourite music artist? 

Dermot Kennedy. He performed at 

a Manchester United Player of the 

Year night which was pretty cool. 

Favourite film? 

Pursuit of Happiness. 

Favourite Disney film? 

Toy Story. 


MOMENT IN TIME 

SCOTLAND MAKE WORLD CUP DEBUT 

IN 2019, SCOTLAND MADE THEIR FIRST APPEARANCE AT A WORLD CUP, 

BEING DRAWN IN A GROUP WITH ENGLAND, JAPAN AND ARGENTINA. 

In front of large crowds in France, Scotland narrowly lost out on their first two 

games 2-1 before taking on Argentina on a warm summer’s night in Paris. 

After taking a 3-0 lead a dramatic conclusion to the match, including VAR 

controversary, saw Argentina level the game late on and Scotland exit the 

competition. The tournament will go down in history for a group of players who 

inspired the nation in the summer of 2019. 


WHISTLE WHILE 

YOU WORK 

Scots referee Vikki Allan would love to see 

more women follow in her footsteps. 




Vikki Allan always knew she’d have to deal 

with highs and lows in her double life as a 

referee. 

She just didn’t expect the words of wisdom to 

be quite so literal. 

Allan’s adventures have taken her from 

prestigious games in Scotland to the UEFA 

Women’s Champions League, but she’s also 

taken a few unexpected turns along the way. 

She made the trek up Mount Kilimanjaro to 

help stage the highest altitude match ever 

played, before running the line in Jordan, next 

to the Dead Sea, for the lowest ever recorded. 

Allan said: “I passed my course in 2009 and I 

could never have predicted where refereeing 

would take me within football. It’s only grown 

my love of the game and I’ve had some 

amazing opportunities. 

“Back in 2017 I was involved in a game that 

took place in a crater close to the summit of 

Mount Kilimanjaro, as part of an initiative to 

close the gender equality gap in the game. 

“It took us seven days to get to the top and it 

was easily one of the toughest things I’ve ever 

experienced. 

“I got quite ill at one point. We put it down to 

altitude sickness but it turned out to be a bad 

reaction to my malaria tablets. So I was juggling 

being ill with walking eight hours a day. 

“I remember on the last day we set off at 

2am and we didn’t reach our destination until 

about 8.30am. It was a straight climb and the 

altitude hit me. 

“The 90-minute match felt like it lasted about 

six hours. We had to mark the pitch out with 

flour because you couldn’t leave a permanent 

mark on the site. 

“There were oxygen tanks at the side of 

the pitch and, afterwards, we climbed to 

the very top. 

“Second time around we were in Jordan, next 

to the Dead Sea, and it was another amazing 

experience. 

“We had 170 girls there and it was the first 

time they’d ever played football outside. I felt 

really emotional after that. That pitch was left 

intact so they had a safe place to play. There 

was a lasting legacy to it.” 

It’s taken dedication to balance working her 

way through the refereeing ranks alongside her 

day job as an Edinburgh-based finance worker, 

but she wouldn’t have it any other way. 

She reflected: “I look back to lockdown and it 

felt like a real privilege to be able to travel the 

country, and Europe, to officiate. 

“It was a bizarre, stressful experience at times 

with deserted airports and differing protocols 

for each country. I went to Lithuania, Poland, 

France and Denmark, and it could be a case 

of being packed into a car and having meals 

delivered to a hotel room. 

“I’ll never take any of it for granted. I can’t kick 

a ball to save my life, so there was no way I’d 

ever be anywhere good enough to play in the 

Champions League. 

“I feel like I’ve been able to do the next best 

thing. When you’re walking out and you hear 

that music playing, there is a bit of you that 

thinks ‘this is a moment’.” 

Allan’s also acted as a mentor for 

young hopefuls looking to emulate her 

achievements, and she’d love to see those 

numbers swell. 

The game has come a long way in a short 

space of time and some of the hurdles she 

had to overcome simply no longer exist. 

She said: “Football’s moved on massively, 

even in the relatively short space of time that 

I’ve been involved.

“When I first started there wasn’t a changing 

room for us. Now we know that clubs look 

out for us and treat us really well. The game 

has come on leaps and bounds, whether it’s 

the national team reaching the Euros and 

the World Cup or a female official like Kylie 

Cockburn doing the same. 

“I still think the prospect of refereeing doesn’t 

occur to enough people and more girls should 

definitely look into it. It doesn’t have to be a 

case of playing, coaching or falling through 

the cracks. There are other options out there 

that will keep you in the game. 

“When I first started I walked into a room of 20 

men and just had to get on with it. Now we’ve 

had a few girls come through the system, and I 

try to get to as many of the training sessions in 

Edinburgh as I can to reassure them that they 

have a voice and that there is that community 

there to support their journey. 

“It’s not as daunting as people might think. 

You just have to take that first step. 

“I also think it can really help you in your 

working life. It’s an interesting pastime to talk 

about. Once you tell people, they always want 

to know more about it. You also learn a whole 

range of applicable skills around leadership 

and teamwork. 

“As much as anything else, it’s also a great 

way to keep fit. 

“Whether you want to get involved at 

grassroots level or go the distance, there are 

so many opportunities out there for people. 

“I’ve never regretted if for a second and it’s 

good to give something back to the football 

community. You have to remember, if there’s 

no referee then there’s no game.” 

Be part of the game. Be a referee. To become 

a referee and find out how to get involved, 

email referee.recruitment@scottishfa.co.uk. 




THE CAMPAIGN SO FAR 

Scotland have enjoyed an unbeaten 

start to their 2023 FIFA Women’s 

World Cup Qualifying group, 

currently sitting level with tabletoppers 

Spain on nine points. 

Goal difference is all that separates Pedro 

Martinez Losa’s team from their fellow Group 

B side, who are among the top 10 teams in 

world football. 

With Ukraine and Spain up next for Scotland, 

it is a crucial international window for the 

Women’s team. 

Their campaign got off to the perfect start 

under Martinez Losa back in mid-September, 

when a tricky away fixture against Hungary 

was the opening fixture of the group. 

Scotland emerged 2-0 victors on the night 

thanks to goals from Erin Cuthbert and 

Martha Thomas. 

The opener, and the first goal under the 

reign of the new manager, came after a 

delightful lofted pass from Jane Ross picked 

out Cuthbert, who found herself through on 

goal before being hauled down in the area by 

Turanyi, leaving the referee no choice but to 

award a penalty. The Chelsea star saw her 

spot kick saved down to the ‘keeper’s left, but 

she was there to follow up on the rebound 

after 17 minutes. 

Scotland gave themselves the cushion their 

second-half dominance warranted with 

just over 20 minutes left in Budapest. Claire 

Emslie’s corner was met by Thomas and 

her header from the middle of the area was 

nodded into the far corner to double the lead 

and secure all three points. 

Next up was a first home fixture for Martinez 

Losa, and his players duly stepped up to mark 

the occasion in style, notching a 7-1 win over 

Faroe Islands. 

Goals from Cuthbert, Emslie, Chloe Arthur, 

Chirsty Grimshaw, Thomas and a debut goal 

for Jenna Clark ensured the home fans had 

plenty to cheer about under the lights at 

Hampden.

The last competitive fixture for Scotland came 

just last month, with familiar opponents in 

Hungary arriving at Hampden Park. 

The opening goal came courtesy of 

Grimshaw, who bagged her first Scotland 

goal in the victory over Faroe Islands and 

followed it up with a neat finish in the first 

half against the compact Hungarians. 

A deep, angled cross from Nicola Docherty 

on the left evaded the defence and landed at 

the feet of Grimshaw on the edge of the sixyard 

box. With the goal gaping, the winger 

made no mistake with the finish, burying a 

low strike to give Scotland the lead they so 

desperately craved before half-time to the 

delight of the crowd. 

In the second half though, the Hungarians 

capitalised on a slack back pass, doing well 

to work it to Vágó inside the Scotland penalty 

area, who stunned the home side with a rifled 

shot into the top corner from ten-yards out 

that left Lee Alexander with no chance. 

With the score level and time running out, it 

took a dramatic ending to ensure Scotland 

kept a hold of their perfect start to life in 

Group B. 

A stoppage-time corner wasn’t cleared by the 

visiting defence and as it was launched back 

in, captain Rachel Corsie was on hand to bury 

a header into the net for the second injurytime 

Scotland winner at Hampden in the 

space of a few weeks to send the Scotland 

fans into raptures. 

FIXTURES 

& RESULTS 

16 September 2021 

Faroe Islands 0–10 Spain 


Hungary 0–2 Scotland 


Hungary 0–7 Spain 


Scotland 7–1 Faroe Islands 

21 October 2021 

Ukraine 4–0 Faroe Islands 


Scotland 2–1 Hungary 


Ukraine 0–6 Spain 


Faroe Islands 1–7 Hungary 

25 November 2021 

Spain v Faroe Islands 


Scotland v Ukraine 


Hungary v Ukraine 


Spain v Scotland 

8 April 2022 

Ukraine v Scotland 

8 April 2022 

Hungary v Faroe Islands 

12 April 2022 

Scotland v Spain 

12 April 2022 

Ukraine v Hungary 


Spain v Hungary 


Faroe Islands v Ukraine 


Spain v Ukraine 


Faroe Islands v Scotland 

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts 

1 Spain 3 3 0 0 23 0 23 9 

2 SCOTLAND 3 3 0 0 11 2 9 9 

3 Ukraine 2 1 0 1 4 6 -2 3 

4 Hungary 4 1 0 3 8 12 -4 3 

5 Faroe Islands 4 0 0 4 2 28 -26 0 




A-Z with… 

LEE ALEXANDER 

By Kenny Millar 

ANGER MANAGEMENT. Who is the most 

competitive player in the squad? 

She’s off on maternity leave, but I’ll still 

have to say Emma Mitchell. She is ultracompetitive. 

If you find yourself on the same 

losing side as Emma you’ll see her absolutely 

fuming. It’s best to leave her alone for a little 

bit in that situation but it’s people like that 

who drive a team on. 

BOX-SET. What should we be watching? 

I’m watching Dopesick on Disney+ just now. 

It’s a drama about a company that sparks a 

drug epidemic in America and I’ve got really 

into it. They’re uploading an episode a week 

so it’s a long wait in between. 

CABINET. Where are your medals on 

display? Are they pride of place in the living 

room or hidden away somewhere? 

To be fair, they’re all in a box somewhere. I 

have shirts that I’m proud of that are framed 

and on display. I’ve got two from the times 

we’ve made it to the quarter-finals of the 

Champions League, which also has a pair of 

my gloves. The others are my World Cup strips. 

I think the medals are still there somewhere. 

DESERT ISLAND DISCS. What’s the go-to 

pre-match music? 

I like a bit of everything. I’m normally in 

charge of the music when we’re away with 

the national team. People want a bit of house 

music, some GBX but we put some ‘90s girl 

and boybands in there. It’s not a dictatorship 

- I do take requests! But some of those are 

ignored. Michelle McManus appears every so 

often as well. 

EXTRA TIME. Who’s the most likely to 

be hammering out those additional reps in 

the gym? 

Jane Ross. I don’t even need to think about 

that. Easy. She’s the ultimate professional. 

Ever since we were wee she’s probably been 

slagged off for always doing that extra little 

bit. For all the grief she’s had, I really respect 

her for it. 

FAY. You had to wait for two years after 

your first call-up to make your competitive 

debut as understudy to the legendary 

Gemma Fay. How do you look back on that? 

I had to be patient but, working with her, it was 

easy to see why she’d performed at that level 

for such a long time. She was the true leader 

of that squad. A really good captain. It’s no 

surprise to me that she’s had more caps than 

any other Scotland player, male or female. 

GOALKEEPER. Why would anyone want to 

be a goalkeeper? 

I was always an outfield player when I was 

younger. I had visions of being a star striker 

but I seemed to drop further and further 

back down the pitch. At the age of 13 I’d go 

in goal for a half and play outfield for a half, 

then started to take it more seriously at 15. I 

really just fell into it and I’m stuck there now. 

HIGH SCHOOL. Can you name any of the 

other famous faces that went to Claremont




High School in East Kilbride? You’re on their 

Wikipedia page under ‘notable alumni’… 

I know this! Lorraine Kelly went to my school. 

She came to visit us and did some filming 

when I was in second year. The actor John 

Hannah’s another one. I’m sure Jonny Gray, the 

Scotland rugby player, is on the list as well. 

IDOL. Who was your favourite player 

growing up? 

I absolutely loved David Beckham. The way 

he could strike the ball was unbelievable. I’d 

practise his free-kicks but we’ll not go into 

how they turned out. 

JOB CENTRE. What do you see yourself 

doing after football? 

I’ve worked part-time in a bank and recently 

completed an undergrad in sports science. 

Hopefully I’ll make use of the six years I went 

to university at some point! We’ll see where 

that takes me. 

KENDALL JENNER. Who in the squad is 

hooked on social media? 

Erin Cuthbert’s always on it. She’s Instafamous, 

so she has to reply to all of those 

DMs. Lisa Evans is right up there as well 

through her involvement in #WePlayStrong. 

LAST SUPPER. What would be your cheat 

meal of choice? 

It would be fillet steak. That might not be the 

most exotic choice, or the unhealthiest, but 

when you don’t have it for a while and save it 

for special occasions then you really do look 

forward to it. 

MALLBACKENS IF. Tell us about the time 

you spent playing in Sweden. 

I was used to staying close to Glasgow but 

I was in the middle of nowhere there. It was 

in woods and 45 minutes away from the 

closest small town. So I was right out of my 

comfort zone but it was a great experience 

in a competitive, difficult league. The people 

were lovely and really looked out for me. 

NEXT BIG THING. Who should we be 

keeping an eye out for? 

I got the chance to spend some time 

coaching the Scotland Under-16s and I was 

really impressed with the standard there. 

Sticking with goalkeepers, Rachael Johnstone 

at Celtic is a real prospect and looks like 

she’ll go on to do big things. 

ONLY AN EXCUSE. Who in the squad has a 

gift for impressions? 

It’s definitely not me. Lisa and Claire Emslie 

would be my best guess because there’s 

never a dull day with them around. 

PEDRO MARTINEZ LOSA. What are your 

early impressions of the new Head Coach? 

First and foremost, he’s a nice guy. That goes 

a long way. He gives the players their own 

space in camp but everything’s full focused 

when we’re on the training ground. He has 

real attention to detail on the small things 

that will hopefully take us up a level.

QUIT IT. Any bad habits or superstitions you 

wish you could shift? 

I tape my fingers, routinely, and have done 

for years. I know I probably don’t need to 

but it’s now in my head that I’d be more 

vulnerable if I didn’t. I think that’s as bad as it 

gets, thankfully. 

REFLECTION. What advice would you give 

to a young Lee Alexander? 

Enjoy the journey. It’s a bit of a rollercoaster, 

with great highs and some real lows. 

Whether it’s injuries or losing. Keep working 

hard and know the end goal is in sight, but 

enjoy it for what it is. Your football career is 

short and I have friends who have had to 

retire early through injury. So you need to 

enjoy it while you can. 

SODA AND LIME. How do you deal with 

livewire duo Chloe Arthur and Claire Emslie? 

The two of them are constantly together, 

chuckling away. You’ll see them in a corridor 

in fits of laughter and you’ll have no idea 

what it’s about. You just assume they’re up to 

no good. They’re mischievous. 

TRAVEL AGENT. What’s the best trip you’ve 

been on? 

A few of us went to Dubai two years ago. I’m 

heading back there in a couple of weeks and 

really looking forward to it. Sunshine and 

relaxation next to the beach. 

UNSUNG HERO. Anyone behind the scenes 

who deserves a shout? 

I’d have to say Alex Ralton, who is our team 

manager that looks after the logistics side 

of everything. She’s put up with us for years 

and is like a second mum in camps. The 

medical staff are a close second - our physio, 

Johanne, our doc, Emma, and our masseuse, 

Linda. They’re just lovely people who really 

take care of us. 

VENTRILOQUISM. Any secret talents we 

should know about? 

Well, I can play the piano if that counts? I’ll 

do that every so often. One of the girls used 

to play a trumpet. A few of the girls play 

instruments, so we could cobble together a 

band if we had to. 

WORLD CUP. Not many Scots get the 

opportunity to represent their country on 

the big stage like that. What sticks in your 

mind from the experience? 

It’s probably two-fold. It ended in bitter 

disappointment but that’s football. The 

biggest lesson you’ll probably ever learn is 

dealing with those moments. On reflection, 

it was the best thing to have been involved 

in. When I was growing up I’ve never have 

imagined I’d get an opportunity like that. 

Singing the national anthem in that first 

game against England, seeing friends and 

family, was a ‘pinch yourself’ moment. 

X-RATED. Any initiation shockers? 

At Glasgow City people would have to 

perform on away European trips but I’ve 

been there so long that I pre-date the 

tradition! So I got lucky, or they got lucky. 

Depending on which way you want to look 

at it. I’m sure Rachel Corsie and Leanne 

Crichton both suffered. 

YOUNG AT HEART. What was your favourite 

film as a kid? 

I loved ‘The Lion King’. I still cry during it now 

but when I went as a kid I actually had to 

leave the cinema halfway through the film 

because I was so upset. My mum handpainted 

my room around the film. I had a 

massive Zazu on my wall. I really wish I had 

pictures because it was incredible. 

ZZZZ. What completely bores you? 

Politics. I can’t be bothered with it. There are 

too many people talking for the sake of it so I 

tend to zone out. If anyone’s talking about it I 

wander off to make a cup of tea. 



THIS 

IS OUR 

HOME 

SCOTLAND v SPAIN 

TUE, 12 APRIL | 7.35PM 

HAMPDEN PARK 

TICKETS.SCOTTISHFA.CO.UK

A 

B 

WORD SEARCH 

M L A B D M C A N F O K U D O 

L K E L K L K C A K L K D O T 

U O F N E W U O S Z R K J C H 

R E G E C X B J T A T B E H Q 

R X Y Q L G A B I B S H L E N 

B E A T T I E N G D F E L R G 

D Z M M X P E N D E H L I T Q 

E R M O G J L W I E K A V Y V 

B X Y Y Y K A A Z A R B E C A 

V Z P L Q H L I P N P X S G K 

J O J D S Z Q K A F Q S Z R R 

O M Z M X M B I E H U X X A B 

N O I T A C I F I L A U Q L W 

P R L G Z Y C N A X D G E H J 

G F O F O Z Y P T M K X X A U 

Ukraine 

Qualification 

Spain 

Seville 

C 

Grimshaw 

Beattie 

Alexander 

Docherty 

SPOT THE BALL 

QUIZ QUESTIONS 

1. What was the score 

the last time Scotland 

played Ukraine? 

2. Who scored on their 

debut that night? 

3. Which team did 

Ukraine’s head coach 

recently join from? 

4. Who scored Scotland’s 

first goal against 

Hungary last month? 

5. Who do Scotland come 

up against next? 

6. Where was Pedro 

Martinez Losa born? 

7. Where is the World Cup 

going to be held in 2023? 

8. Who is the former 

Scotland player who’s 

part of Scotland’s 

coaching staff? 

Quiz Answers: Ukraine 0-3 Scotland, Martha Thomas, Barcelona, Christy Grimshaw, 

Spain, Madrid, Australia and New Zealand, Leanne Ross. Ukraine. Spot the ball: A. 




SCOTLAND 

MANAGER: 

Pedro Martinez Losa 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

Lee Alexander GK 

Glasgow City 

Eartha Cumings GK 

Charlton Athletic 

Jenna Fife GK 

Rangers 

Rachel McLauchlan 

Rangers 

Nicola Docherty 

Rangers 

Kirsty Smith 

Manchester United 

Rachel Corsie 

Kansas City 

Jenna Clark 

Glasgow City 

Jenny Beattie 

Arsenal 

Sophie Howard 

Leicester City 

Lucy Graham 

Everton 

Chloe Arthur 

Aston Villa 

Lisa Robertson 

Birmingham City* 

Lisa Evans 

West Ham United** 

Rachael Boyle 

Hibernian 

Christy Grimshaw 

AC Milan 

Caroline Weir 

Manchester City 

Lizzie Arnot 

Rangers 

Jane Ross 

Rangers 

Christie Murray 

Birmingham City 

Erin Cuthbert 

Chelsea 

Claire Emslie 

Everton 

Lana Clelland 

Sassuolo Femminile 

Abi Harrison 

Bristol City 

*On loan from Celtic 

** On loan from Arsenal 

UKRAINE 

HEAD COACH: 

Lluis Cortes 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

Bondarchuk Daryna 

Zhytlobud-2 Kharkiv 

Podolska Iryna 


Petryk Anna 


Kochnieva Iryna 


Andrukhiv Veronika 


Basanska Olga 


Kalinina Yana 


Kytayeva Tetyana 


Hiryn Viktoriia 

Ladomyr Volyn 

Shevchuk Yuliia 


Kunina Nadiia 

Linkoping 

Sanina Iryna 

Kolos Kovalivka 

Pantsulaia Natiia 


Shmatko Liubov 


Pereviznyk Khrystyna 

Ladomyr Volyn 

Ovdiychuk Olha 


Apanashchenko Daria 


Korsun Kateryny 


Kravchuk Roksolana 


Malakhova Yana 


Khimych Tamila 

Split 

Kravets Darya 

Fiorentina 

Herasymchuk Alla 


Khavanska Nadiia 


Kozlova Nicole 

Virginia Tech 

Boichenko Olha 

Zhytlobud-1 Kharkiv

BE THE NEXT BIG THING IN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL 

Tournament dates 

COMING SOON! 

Join SPAR’s exciting 

GRASSROOTS 

FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT 

for girls 12-16 

and get the chance to play at a major stadium in the 

FUTURE STARS FINAL. 

Registration is now open! 

TOURNAMENT 

For more information and to register visit 

Scottishfa.co.uk/futurestars 

dO SomEtHinG InSparaTioNaL 

@SparScotland 

@ScottishFA 

SparScotlandOfficial

GAMING MARATHONS 

ARE NOW 

with the UK’s first 

hybrid home broadband 

backed up by 

Why settle for anyone else? 

Search BT hybrid broadband. 

88% UK availability. 4G coverage and BT fibre required. 4G network connection takes up to 175 seconds. To verify visit bt.com/verifyhybrid

Scotland Women v Ukraine Women

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?