Senior Ross County women's team to make competitive debut in Highlands and Islands League against Orkney
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Ross County's senior women's team are finally set to play their first ever match this weekend.
The Staggies have entered the Highlands and Islands League for the 2024 season, and will host Orkney in Alness on the opening day of the campaign this Sunday afternoon.
A senior side completes the pathway that began years ago with a primary school team, and has grown into over 140 girls and women attending training on a weekly basis ranging from under-8s to under-18s – and now beyond.
Having played in north leagues throughout the age groups, many of the players will be used to travelling, but entering the Highlands and Islands League will add an extra layer of logistical challenges.
However, players like Emma Scobbie – who has been involved with the club since day one in her time at primary school – are excited at the opportunity to test themselves in a new environment.
"We will have to deal with a lot more transport," Scobbie reasoned.
"We've only got one minibus as a club, so we're all going to be fighting over that.
"When we have to travel to Orkney, we will probably be struggling, but on the pitch we just have to play as a team and communicate.
"I'm delighted for the club having a senior team, I can't wait to get going.
"I'm just looking forward to being in a women's league and being able to continue the progression of the pathway of the club.
"I've been involved with the club from the start. We started as a primary school team, and we have come all the way to being Ross County.
"The club has developed massively in that time.
"We started with about seven girls. I even used to play in a boys' team because there was no football at all for girls or women, so it's great to see women's football thrive."
Ambitions are high at Ross County, who also plan to enter the SWFL next season, with club head coach Iain MacIver aiming for the very top of Scottish football in the long run.
"We’ve got a very strong team for the seniors, so we want to push them into the north league and challenge them," he had previously said.
"We’re confident that ability won’t be an issue.
“We’d like to progress through the national league pyramid, so starting in the north league is the first step in trying to take the club as far as we can.
“Our aim is to take a senior Ross County team right to the top of Scottish Women’s football if we can, but we also want to keep a development team in the Highlands and Islands League to be represented there.
“With the amount of girls we have coming through, hopefully it will give them all an avenue to play at the level that’s right for them.
“This has been quite a few years in the making but it is fantastic to be at a stage where we can have a senior team that takes its place in the leagues next season.”
See players from several Highlands and Islands League clubs discuss why you should support the competition in 2024 below
