Girls football boss Olivia Blair delighted as Thornton Hibs Ladies FC is founded

Bright sunshine blessed Sunday’s launch event at Memorial Park, with Provost of Fife Jim Leishman and former Hibernian star Mickey Weir joining Blair and her squad; the new team’s chairman Steven Hamilton; senior players; Mid Fife and Glenrothes MSP Jenny Gilruth and girls from fellow pathway club Kennoway Star Hearts.

“I’m beyond excited,” Blair said. “The formation of this team was as a result of a meeting of minds between Steven and myself several months ago. Both our clubs were in a similar position, not being able to provide a pathway for our under-18 girls.

"We didn’t want them to be lost to the sport, so we had this idea of the collaboration and Steven has brought it all together.

"The feedback I’m getting from the girls is amazing, the set-up down there is fantastic so I think the future looks really bright for them.

"I was really proud to be a part of the event on Sunday.

"I’ve had some of those girls at St Andrews & East Neuk since they were very young and I didn't want to just lose them.

"It’s lovely to think they’ll be able to continue their footballing journey under the watchful gaze of some great coaches and a super club.

"Things like this are brilliant because I’m now able to say to my under-12s, my under-14s and my current under-16s: ‘Look, here’s your pathway now’.

"Whereas before it was girls getting to second year under-16s and then they tended to go to East Fife, Dundee West or wherever they could find a team which they didn’t really want to do.

"So I couldn’t be happier with the current situation.”

Thornton Hibs Ladies’ 19 players – a mix of youth and experience – will be led by head coach Chris Laird, who has an extensive coaching background in youth, men’s and women’s football spanning 18 years.

With Scottish women’s football leagues in mid-season, it is anticipated Thornton Hibs Ladies will join the first tier of an SWF regional league in August, the start of the 2025-’26 campaign.

The team’s first match is a friendly against East Fife Development on Sunday, April 13, venue to be decided.

It is hoped that one day a development team will be working alongside the Thornton Hibs Ladies FC first team.