Scottish Women’s Football Chief Executive Officer Fiona McIntyre has been appointed Head of Girls’ and Women’s Football.
In a seven year spell with SWF, holding the position of Chief Executive Officer since June 2017, Fiona has helped to drive huge growth in the game, from participation levels to restructuring SWF competitions.
Her new role, commencing on 15 March, will see her lead on the delivery of the Scottish FA’s Girls’ and Women’s Strategy across a multitude of key areas, including National Teams, elite competitions, clubs, grassroots and youth participation.
She will aim to build on the recent success the Scottish FA has had in growing the girls’ and women’s game, which has seen the number of registered grassroots football participants rise to over 17,000 – an increase of 68 percent since 2016.
The game has also benefited from recent successes for the Scotland Women’s National Teams, including the SWNT’s qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Scotland’s successful hosting of the UEFA Women’s Under-19 European Championships in 2019.
She said: “The growth of the girls’ and women’s game in Scotland in recent years has been a tremendous success story, so it is extremely exciting to be appointed Head of Girls’ and Women’s Football at the Scottish FA and be in a position to try and capitalise further on the increased interest.
“Most importantly, this is a terrific opportunity to build upon the fantastic work and foundations laid before me.
“It is certainly a challenging time for all levels of the game, which only adds to the fundamental responsibility to ensure progress can continue to be made, but it is a challenge for which I am prepared.
“Participation in the girls’ and women’s game has almost doubled in the last five years, the domestic game is growing, our international players are doing so well and we’re seeing large commercial growth in the game.
“The game is in a strong place, but crucially, it is about building on that to try and take it to the next level.”
Scottish FA Chief Football Officer Andy Gould: “The continued growth of the Girls’ and Women’s game is a key priority for the Scottish FA and our success in this area in recent years has been testament to the dedication of everyone involved at all levels of the game.
“In order to ensure we can maintain this upward trajectory, it was crucial for us to find the right candidate to spearhead our strategy and in Fiona we have appointed someone who brings a wealth of experience in the Scottish girls’ and women’s game with a proven track record.
“Fiona was the outstanding candidate in an extensive recruitment process and, having worked with us closely in this area in her previous role at SWF, will be well-equipped to build on the strong foundations that are already in place across the game.
“Fiona joins during a challenging time for the girls’ and women’s game – as indeed it is for all of Scottish football and society as it deals with the impact of a global pandemic – and her knowledge
and relationships built from years of working within the game will be vital as we seek to not only get girls and women back on the pitch, but aim to increase the numbers doing so.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
