Aberdeen FC Ladies boast a successful pathway with Aberdeen Women with five more players moving up to the Dons’ first team this season.
Annalisa McCann, Millie Urquhart, Madison Finnie, Brodie Greenwood and Mya Christie are now Aberdeen Women players after graduating from Aberdeen Ladies’ U19s squad.
The quintet follow in the footsteps of former Aberdeen Ladies players Bayley Hutchison, Jess Broadrick and Eilidh Shore, who have become integral for the Dons, and were each rewarded with a semi-professional contract at the end of last season.
So, why were these five players chosen to make the move into senior women’s football?
The Press and Journal spoke to Jamie Duncan, Aberdeen Ladies U19’s coach, to find out what the five young players will bring to the table in SWPL 1.
Annalisa McCann – Goalkeeper
Despite only being 17 years old, McCann has had plenty of exposure of top-flight Scottish women’s football.
She played for Forfar Farmington in SWPL 1 before they folded and she returned to the Aberdeen Ladies national performance (NPL) team last season.
Her former coach believes that she has the experience and the skills to contest Aaliyah-Jay Meach for Aberdeen’s number one jersey.
Duncan said: “Annalisa wasn’t apprehensive about moving up to Aberdeen Women because she’s had that kind of experience before playing at a top level.
“She is a really confident individual, which is good for a goalkeeper. She’s really good at communicating which is vital as well.
“Her overall skills as a goalkeeper were a standout for me, she came back and was immediately our first-choice keeper.
“She made some crucial saves in really big games. In games, we didn’t have her because of injury we recognised that we were conceding a lot more.
“She was so important for us – her saves kept us in games, which allowed us to challenge and win more points.”
Madison Finnie – Defender
Finnie’s graduation to the senior team at only 15 years old is even more impressive, after considering she broke her ankle last year while playing for the U19’s.
She sustained a small fracture in a ‘goal-saving tackle’ against Glasgow City, and worked hard to recover in time to play the last few games of the season.
Her former coach says that her work rate, relentlessness and commitment are some of the young defender’s best qualities – on and off the pitch.
Duncan said: “I’ve never seen someone work so hard to get themselves fit again. Even when she was out, she stayed around the club and started helping with coaching.
“She was very much a leader figure in the team – even when she wasn’t playing.
“Madison would be taking drills and would come to us with her own plan of what she wanted to do at training. It was great to see that from somebody so young.
“She is definitely future captain material – and I think her being Aberdeen Women captain should be the minimum of what she aims for.
“On the pitch, Maddie’s very talented and technically gifted. She just loves defending and she’s not afraid to make a tackle – even when it results in a broken bone!
“Although she’s only 15, she’s physically strong and can cope coming up against these physical players in SWPL 1.
“Her age doesn’t hold her back – if anything it benefits her because she’s only going to get better.”
Millie Urquhart – Defender
Urquhart made her SWPL 1 debut last season against Hibs and didn’t look out of place then, or when she next played against Glasgow City.
She has featured already this season as she came on as a second-half substitute in the defeat to league champions Rangers.
The Aberdeen Ladies coach believes that Urquhart can add to the Dons’ attack and defence, with her pace being something they should look to make use of this season
He added: “Millie has a really high glass ceiling – like all the girls – and is a very talented player. Her strength and her speed are what will benefit the squad.
“Her control on the ball has come on leaps and bounds since she joined the U19’s – and I think that’s one of the things that has helped her push on to the first team.
“She’s a really good commander and a good voice to have in the backline. She’ll help organise the defence and those in front of her.
“We used her as a fullback, whereas Aberdeen Women look to be playing her as a centre-back, but her pace is great going forward. She scored four goals last season.
“It would be great to see them utilise that this season because she’d be a perfect outlet down that right-hand side.”
Brodie Greenwood – Midfielder
She might be small in stature, but Greenwood is one of the biggest talents at Aberdeen.
The 16-year-old already has some famous fans, having been singled out by Scotland captain and Evening Express columnist Rachel Corsie on her BBC podcast.
A pupil at Hazlehead Academy’s SFA Performance School, Greenwood prefers to play as a sitting midfielder, but Duncan says she offers much more than just that one role.
“Brodie has the best footballing brain and the best technical ability of a player that I’ve had the pleasure of coaching,” the Aberdeen Ladies coach said. “She’s fantastic.
“She’s very much a player who wants to get on the ball and release it, but it’s not just for the sake of passing it. She knows how to play, and when and where to move the ball.
“She’s a player that can get forward as well, she doesn’t just stick to being a sitting midfielder, which is probably her preferred position.
“Brodie has the quality to create chances in the final third or to even score goals as well. She had a memorable goal last season, which was a great strike from outside the box.
“Her overall ability to make things tick in the midfield is really impressive, and I think as the season goes on, we will see more and more of Brodie in SWPL 1.”
Mya Christie – Forward
The 17-year-old striker has already found the back of the net this season, scoring against Partick Thistle, and Duncan believes there will be more to come.
And while he says she is a big threat in front of goal, the Aberdeen Ladies coach reckons that Christie’s pace is her best attribute.
He said: “Mya was a big part of our season last year. Her speed is a massive factor and I think you’ve seen that in the games that she has played in already this season.
“It helps with the long runs trying to get those over the top balls, but also those short bursts that she has to do – it’s really impressive.
“She has real quality in front of goal – but she maybe needs to believe in herself a wee bit more – and has the ability to create chances regardless of who the opposition are.
“One big thing we seen with Mya was her level of effort and motivation on the park and in training was outstanding. She really stepped it up a gear.
“That allowed us to have an easy conversation with Emma (Hunter) about moving her up to Aberdeen Women – and she’s clearly shown that again with them this year.
“Mya wants to grab games by the scruff of the neck – even against the top teams – and wants to make an impact. She’s not a player to shy away from big games.”