So, Hamilton Academical then…
The season began with a reported players’ walk-out over unpaid wages, prompting the club to release a statement days before the opening match of the campaign to the effect that any ongoing issues were being looked at and sorted. On the pitch, only one win was recorded in the first five matches.
The season ended with the SFA deducting the club 15 points and fining them £9,000 after an independent tribunal found they had breached SPFL rules. An appeal failed to get the sanctions overturned and the club were relegated. They also announced that they would be leaving their New Douglas Park home.
Sorry, what’s that you say? The women? Oh, I’m sorry, let me start again…
The season began with the players back in training after having been relegated from SWPL1 the previous season determined to put things right. A few new signings arrived, some to the club and some on loan from elsewhere, and a new look squad took shape. The new faces, combined with some tried and trusted mainstays and a sprinkle of youthful enthusiasm promoted from the academy and HAWFC were ready to rumble. On the pitch, the team remained undefeated in their first eleven games.
The season ended with the SWPL2 title being sealed with a game to spare and their two main goal getters, Josi Giard and Sophie Townsley, finishing in positions one and three in the goal scoring charts. Throw into the mix a testimonial match for their long-serving captain Megan Quinn, for which a team of club legends returned for the festivities, and all is tickety-boo at New Douglas Park.
18 May 2025, the final day of the season, saw a 5-1 win over Rossvale, followed by a ticker-tape presentation of the SWPL2 championship trophy and joyous scenes all round. When the celebrations had (finally) died down, I spoke with manager Robert Watson and captain Megan Quinn about the season just gone, the one to come and kicking Megan out of the team WhatsApp group…
NB: What does it feel like to be champions?
MQ: Oh honestly, it was the best day, it really was. I’ve won that league before [in 2016], but this time it was better. It felt quite fitting to be lifting the trophy in my last game for the club. The girls deserved it, they’ve been the best team throughout the season.
RW: I enjoyed it. It was nice to have had it done and dusted the game before. I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it too much if we had needed a result, though. I tend to try to prepare for absolutely everything. I hate the thought of anyone pointing the finger at me and saying my preparation wasn’t good enough, so to have actually already won the league I could just relax and enjoy the game for once. Scoring an early goal helped, as well. I thought ‘Well, that’s it, we’re off and running.’ It was really good, I enjoyed the experience.
NB: Have you let go of the trophy yet?
RW: Unfortunately, I had to put it down at some point, so it’s sitting on my shelf.
NB: You’ve retired now, Megan, it was your last game as an Accie. How many matches into next season do you think it will be until you’re missing it and wishing you were still there?
MQ: It won’t be long. As soon as I see that they are all back for pre-season, I’ll be missing it! I know it’s the right time to stop, but I also know that I’ll miss it. My mum was so upset on Sunday after the last match. She was saying ‘This is the end of an era’ and I was like ‘I know it is and I know it’s sad, but I’ve been rushing about like an idiot for the last however many years, coming home from work to get in for training and to games and whatever.’ Sad though it is, I know it is the right time to finish now.
NB: It’s best to go out on top, anyway…
MQ: Exactly. I was actually thinking of stopping at the end of last year but then I thought that there was no way I could quit after being relegated! I decided on one more season, hopefully to get Hamilton back into the top league again, and that’s how it worked out.
NB: So what’s the plan for next year? Obviously, there is a step-up in quality in the opponents you’ll be playing, half the league is professional or at least semi-professional…
RW: First of all, replacing Megan is going to be really difficult…
MQ: Oh no, you’ll be fine!
RW: Over the years, Megan was first pick under Gary [Doctor, the previous manager] and more often than not a first pick for me as well. When you take her out of the team, you can immediately see how you miss her leadership qualities and game know-how. There’s a lot to be said for that. With her now not there anymore, we need to get a bit more depth and a bit more know-how to come off the bench.
Another thing is that the top league has moved on so much from even a couple of years ago that we are probably going to need to be a bit more athletic. Our players are going to have to cover a lot of ground and also have a good bit of technical quality for when we have the ball. I think we have got goals in the team, the thing will be to keep clean sheets.
NB: Taking out teams like Glasgow City, Celtic, Hibs, Hearts and Rangers, it’s going to be the games against the other sides that are going to make all the difference, isn’t it?
RW: I think Aberdeen might also be looking to become professional. I kind of thought that was going to happen with Scott Booth moving back up there as manager. He is not going to stake his reputation on being kind of hybrid part-time. So that really leaves Motherwell, Partick Thistle, Montrose and us. It’s going to be down to recruitment and probably getting a half decent start.
If we get to October without having picked up a win yet, it could be quite a long year. There’s not going to be many wins against the current top five, plus Aberdeen if they do go full-time, so it will be like two leagues within the league. It’s going to be really, really tough but that’s all part of the success of getting to be in the top league. You have to find a way to deal with the next stage. The club have never finished higher than seventh in the top division, so if we can achieve that next year, or even finish eighth and stay up without the need of a play-off, it could well be our best ever season, particularly when considering what we’re going up against with regards to other teams’ finances.
NB: What were your highlights of the season? What would you say were the big moments?
MQ: One of the points that sticks in my mind is when we played Ayr United away. It was a Wednesday night and we drew 2-2. We scored an equaliser in the 91st minute and, looking back, that was probably one of the biggest results of the season. Going to Ayr is a long drive for most of the girls and that night I went with Kirstie McIntosh and it took us about three and a half hours to get there because of the rush hour traffic. I know for a lot of the girls it was the same. With all due respect, the facilities weren’t the greatest, we had been sitting in a car for all that time beforehand and we didn’t play all that great. We went 1-0 up, Ayr equalised and then went ahead with only a few minutes to go and then we got the equaliser right at the end. They were bottom of the league so that was a massive point for us in the circumstances.
Another big one was away at Gartcairn when we won 3-2. It was cold and windy that day and we were two down at half-time, so that was a nice one for us.
Those are two that stick out for me because had we got beaten by Ayr and then by Gartcairn, which was only a couple of games later, we wouldn’t have won the league.
RW: For me, probably winning 4-0 at Kilmarnock. That was the game where I thought to myself that we were in with a chance of winning this thing. Even though we had won all of our games before that, that was the one where people started thinking that we might be onto something special here. Also, the cup game against Motherwell was a good one. Even though we lost the game on penalties, we hung on for dear life during extra time, we did so well to get to penalties. To do that against a team that finished in the top six of the first division was a pretty good show.
NB: You had a few players on loan this year, a couple from Celtic and Rangers, so what happens now? Do they go back to their parent clubs? Especially as these are teams you are going to be up against next season…
MQ: Well, I can imagine their parent clubs are delighted with them having played such a big part for us this season. Sophie [Townsley] and Abi [Tobin] were playing pretty much constantly in every game and both played a really big part in winning the league, and wee Liv [McStay] also did very well when she came in. If their clubs are going to send them out on loan again, I don’t know if they would come back to us because of playing in the same league next year.
RW: I would like them to stay with us, but you just never know. It’s a thing that we’re used to anyway, having a big turnover. I’ve already had a couple of positive conversations with different clubs about players for next year and I also think that the players themselves are more switched on nowadays.
NB: Is what’s happening with the men’s side of the club going to have any effect? Without going into it too much, we know they’re in trouble financially, the team were relegated, they’ve had to move grounds and there seems to be all sorts going on…
RW: The short answer is no. The financial side of what’s going on shouldn’t affect us. We need to see what the deal with New Douglas Park will be, but we’ve always been given preferential rates which are cheaper for us than if we would have to hire a council facility. I am hopeful we will still be playing there next year, it’s just thrashing out the deal to see what we can get for our money. With regards to what’s happening with the men, I don’t know what’s going on, we’re not really on the inside. It’s just a shame. Hopefully they will be alright but, for us, it would take something drastic to not still be playing at New Douglas Park again next year.
NB: That’s good because I think for next year at least it will be important for you to stay there because it is your home ground. To move elsewhere, like the men are going to now be at Cumbernauld, it will be like every game is an away game next season.
RW: Yes, exactly, it’s home. We’ve played here for over ten years and it would be weird not to play here.
NB: Ok, so first game of the new SWPL season, you’re in the big time, what are you hoping for?
RW: I’m hoping we get Rangers or Celtic away in the first game of the season and we can play at Ibrox or Celtic Park.
MQ: Hang on! If we’re playing at Celtic Park, I’m coming out of retirement for that game and you can put me on the bench!
RW: You’ve retired, you’ll be there as a fan. You’ll be in the crowd booing me and throwing things at me…
MQ: Bobby texted the group chat yesterday and asked to meet a few of the players at Starbucks and I was like ‘Does that still include me…?’
NB: Whoever the administrator is will be kicking you out after the Player of the Year awards!
MQ: It’s me – I’m the administrator!
RW: Don’t worry, we’ve got another one without you in it…
Note: This interview was conducted before it was announced that Hamilton Accies Women have been ordered by the owners of the town’s men’s club to change their name and branding.
