Ashley crosses Old Firm divide for Gers

Aug 7 2008 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

HOPING to shoot Glasgow Rangers to glory next season is a football player from Whitburn.

Female star Ashley McCallum has penned a year-long contract with the ladies’ team of her Ibrox heroes after a spell starring for the Gers’ bitter rivals Celtic.

The 18-year-old right-back has already made an impression for the Light Blues after scoring in a friendly at Murray Park last weekend.

But the serious business starts with the league opener on August 23 when Ashley will line up for Rangers against her former team, Celtic.

“I’ve always played football and I love it but Rangers didn’t have a team,” she said.

“So I played for Hibs and then for Celtic last season. But then Rangers phoned me to ask if I’d be interested in joining up and being a fan of course I did.”

Ashley is a tough tackling full-back so it is no surprise that her football hero is a midfield tough guy but her favourite player is a former Celtic star.

“I’m a big Man Utd fan so my hero has always been Roy Keane,” she revealed.

“I was a bit gutted when he signed for Celtic but he’s still my hero.”

Ashley is clearly thrilled at getting the chance to pull on the famous shirt of her beloved Rangers but she could have been plying her trade on the other side of the Atlantic had she taken up the offer of a scholarship.

“I’ve been offered scholarships in America with universities like West Virginia but I don’t want to leave home.

“I love playing football in Scotland and I’m not ready to leave so I don’t regret passing up the chance.

“I have played in many different countries with Scotland though.

“We have been to places like Miami, Slovenia, Denmark and Finland and I’ve always enjoyed that.”

The talented teen has recently started a new job as a trainee hairdresser with the Whitburn salon Gavin Cochrane Hair Design, and she is enjoying doing something away from football.

“I recently finished a two-year football development apprenticeship with West Lothian Council and the SFA in which I was coaching primary school pupils.

“My whole life has been dominated by football as I was coaching it in the daytime and then playing it at night, so I’m loving doing something different now.

“I only started a month ago but I needed something to keep my motivation in the game.”

The forthcoming season is the first in the league for the recently formed Rangers Ladies team but with Ashley and five internationals in their ranks, besides Ashley, the championship could well be Govan-bound.