I was always football mad and people thought it was really weird because I was this wee girl playing with all the boys. There weren’t the same role models then, so they were probably thinking it wouldn’t come to anything. But I always knew. I’d go to the opticians every year and they’d always ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up… my answer never changed. It’s so rare that someone actually gets to do their dream job, so I feel very fortunate.
I didn’t have a choice, there weren’t any teams for girls when I was growing up. All my teammates were sound, it was usually the parents of other teams’ players who had something to say. My dad used to hear some wild things on the sidelines. I think in hindsight I was better than their sons and they probably hated that. My dad is probably my biggest fan, and has been from the start. He used to drive me all over the country to go to games, and my sister always says thank God I made it after all the effort he put in.
Playing for Scotland is the proudest thing for me. There’s nothing like getting the chance to represent your country like that. Now that I’m a bit older I also feel a responsibility to lead the team and be a role model for the younger players coming up, which is something I really enjoy.
You’re never as good as you think you are and you’re never as bad as you think you are. So just don’t get too high with the highs and too low with the lows. That is something I live by – I like to think I’m quite balanced.
It was very surreal, but it’s also so nice to have something to look back on because I don’t usually take a minute to breathe, so I loved the reflection it forced me to do. They did a screening for the launch of it and it was so weird, like should I be laughing at my own TV programme? Everyone seemed to love my parents and my sister though, so that was nice to see.
I think maybe I’d be a sports journalist or pundit. I dipped my toe into TV work this summer by presenting a couple of things for the Euros. Let’s just say it’s a lot harder than the professionals make it look. It was fun, though, so maybe I’d like to do something along those lines when I retire from playing.
It’s funny, the things that I miss the most are the things I was trying to get away from when I moved: the calm and the quiet. I also miss being close to my family. When I’m back, I love being able to spontaneously go to a coffee shop with my sister and little things like that.
It’s always been Arran. We grew up going there as kids, and so there’s a real sense of nostalgia there. It’s so beautiful. I went back to Madrid after this summer and had said all my goodbyes, but when I found out my family were going to Arran, I flew back four days later. I couldn’t miss out, I just love it.
Humble (sometimes too humble), funny and kind.
Since living in Spain, I have a new appreciation for the weather. I know weather chat is dull, but I actually love coming back to Scotland in November when it’s grey and a bit rainy. Everyone else is miserable and I’m like, ‘This is great, guys!’.
