Dedicated Glenrothes Strollers Ladies FC boss Pauline Harley gets top award at Hampden
As a young girl being raised in Templehall, Pauline Harley already harboured ambitions to be a football manager one day, despite her tender years.
The now 51-year-old Glenrothes Strollers Ladies Football Club gaffer was reminiscing this week after her stunning exploits in getting the team promoted to Barclays Scottish Women's League One last summer were recognised at Hampden Park on Saturday evening when she received the RJM Sports/Uhlsport SWFL Coach of the Year award.
Harley told the Glenrothes Gazette: "This award means the world to me because when I was a kid I knew I was going to be playing football as I was half decent, but I also wanted to be a manager one day.
"It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I even played Football Manager on the ZX Spectrum.
"It was just an aspiration I had for life when I was younger. I looked up to legendary managers like Jock Stein and Bob Paisley.”
Prior to taking over at Strollers upon their establishment three years ago, former player Harley had managed Raith Rovers Ladies and Girls for four years before moving north to lead Turiff United Ladies, prior to coaching at East Fife Development.
"It has been a hard slog at times,” she added. “It’s things like receiving this award that make it worthwhile.
"The coaching is the easy bit. It’s managing the players that’s the hard thing.
"But I’ve got a good support network there that helps me, I’ve got a few coaches who help. A lot of players have been loyal to me. I really believe in them.”
Strollers Ladies – who reached League One by winning 1-0 in a promotion play-off against Bishopton at Ochilview Stadium last summer – have done well so far in the higher division.
Sunday’s 1-0 home league victory over Inverurie Loco Works, thanks to a lone Makayla King goal, moved them onto 21 points from 13 matches in fifth place.
Harley said: “We are doing very well in League One. All the games are very tight, you see the amount of draws there are.
"It was a nice win at the weekend because Inverurie had beaten us 3-0 in the second game of the season. But this time we wanted it more. In this league you’ve got to have the heart and dig.
"The League One women’s games are on the edge for 90 minutes. It’s probably a wee bit like the men’s Scottish Championship with Raith Rovers, there is never an easy game.”
Strollers Ladies now get a winter break from match action before returning for training in the first week of 2026 and a friendly on Sunday, January 11, with their league campaign resuming at Queen of the South seven days later.
When February comes around, Strollers Ladies also have a League Cup quarter-final at home to Westdyke Ladies.
Harley said: “I’m really pleased with how well we’ve done so far this season.
"It’s been hard, it’s been difficult, there’s been games we could have won that we’ve lost by an odd goal.
"I just want us to consolidate our position in the top six, because the league splits in April or May.
"I know what we’re capable of doing. I think it would be great to get promoted again but I think another season in this league and then come back for next season.
"But we’re more than capable of beating anybody in this league on our day, as are all the other teams.
"We also want to get at least a semi-final in the League Cup because we can win that quarter-final. That will be a difficult game as well but at least we’re at home.”