ONE of Scotland’s greatest footballing families is celebrating the arrival of the fourth generation to play the game in the top flight of Scottish football – and this time the player is a girl.
Amy Gallacher is an 18-year-old student at Abertay University, who has just signed a deal to play for Hibernian Ladies in the Scottish Women’s Premier League.
She thus follows in an in illustrious line of Gallachers stretching back to the legendary Patsy Gallacher, one of the greatest players ever to don the Celtic shirt.
His son and Amy Gallacher’s grandfather was former Dundee FC player Tommy Gallacher, whose son Brian also played in the top flight with Kilmarnock, while her father’s cousin is the former Scotland striker and current TV pundit Kevin Gallacher.
Having made the step up from Forfar Farmington, the Abertay student said she is ready to push for the senior Scotland side.
She said: “It’s the same league I was in last year with Forfar but now I’ve moved to Hibs. Obviously because it’s a bigger club the training is so much better. I signed at Easter Road and the men’s team are much closer to the women’s team, so it’s a good system.
“I’m doing Sport and Exercise at Abertay and it’s my first year. It’s going really well so far, the lecturers are really nice.”
Gallacher is also on Abertay’s extracurricular Elite Athlete Development Programme, which gives athletes access to expert training advice and study support.
“Being on the EADP programme helps with my football because I am getting extra gym sessions that are making me stronger.
“It is helping me analyse things I am doing wrong in my performance.”
Gallacher attended Morgan Academy in Dundee and did work experience with the Active Schools coaching programme before enrolling at Abertay.
She is currently on the BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise course, one of an array of tailored sports programmes available at the university.
The attack-minded teenager, who already plays for Scotland U19s, said women’s football is a sport on the rise.
She added: “There’s a lot more girls playing football than ever before, particularly in the east region.
“Playing for Hibs will give me a better chance of being noticed for the Scotland A squad and I would like to become a professional.
“But it’s a leap to the senior squad. In men’s football there is an Under-21s squad and they don’t have that in the women’s game, so it can be difficult to make that breakthrough.”
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