Buckie Ladies skipper McMillan in the running for major award silverware
The skipper of a Moray women’s football team is in the running for a prestigious national award.
Buckie Ladies captain Rebecca McMillan has been unveiled as one of four vying for the Highlands and Islands Player of the Year title at the 2024 ScottishPower Scottish Women's Football Awards.
Rebecca has lifted her share of silverware, her list of winner’s medals amounting to an impressive two league championships and three League Cups, all within a three-year period.
News that she was in the running for silverware of her own came as a bolt out of the blue.
Rebecca said: “To be honest it was a total surprise, it was really, really unexpected but I’m very touched.
“It’s great that Buckie Ladies is being recognised on a Scotland-wide level and reflects on the hard work and commitment of everyone at the club.”
Skipper for the last two seasons, Rebecca has been with the club for around seven years, harking back to the early days of the club when heavy defeats were the order of the day and just winning a game - never mind dominating the silverware - was something of a pipe dream.
“Being captain is a really easy job, this team gives you so much to be positive about and it’s a privilege to be captain.
“The girls are brilliant, their commitment is off the scale.
“I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved over the last few years and I’m proud of everyone who has had anything to do with the club, who has helped the club.
“We’ve got a thriving development section now and we’re all about encouraging girls and women to come along and play football.
“For me, football isn’t just a hobby, it’s a passion.”
Rebecca has had a journey of her own as a player, starting out as a striker before converting to left back where she plays now.
She commented: “I enjoy playing there now although it was initially difficult to get myself into that defensive mindset.
“However, the coaches were great at helping me make that transition, especially as a right-footed player to a left-side position, and it has brought on my development as a player.
“I think playing further back has made it easier to captain the side, too.”
The season just gone saw Buckie Ladies retain the League Cup for the third season in a row and agonisingly miss out on repeating the same feat in the league in a final game clash with eventual champions Ross County.
The Buckie skipper reflected: “It wasn’t exactly an unsuccessful season for us; we lost out in the league on the last day of the season against a new, really good team who’ve a lot of development players.
“We’re obviously disappointed but not too disheartened, our positivity and commitment was brilliant.
“In the League Cup, it was great to have that consistency to win it three years in a row, especially with new players coming in and younger players coming up through from development. We’ve worked, thrived and been successful together.”
The end of the season brought the curtain down on Laura Duncan’s time in charge of the club, a role she held for two seasons after serving as assistant manager under her predecessor Mel Smith. The duo won the club’s first silverware in the shape of the League and Cup double in 2022.
Rebecca paid tribute to Laura and looked forward to working with new boss Eddie Wolecki Black, who comes to the club with a raft of silverware under his belt, including leading Glasgow City to eight consecutive SWFL League titles, leaving the club on the brink of securing their ninth.
She continued: “Laura will always be a Buckie Ladies legend.
“For me personally she’s the heartbeat of the club, it’s amazing what she’s given to Buckie Ladies and women’s football.
“We’re all delighted to have Eddie on board, he’s a legend in his own right with what he’s achieved. The new season is already looking really positive for Buckie Ladies.”
Rebecca is joined on the Player of the Year shortlist by Bethany Sutherland (Sutherland Women), Daisy Fraser (Ross County) and Keira Syrjanen (Ross County).
Buckie Ladies are no strangers to success at the ScottishPower Scottish Women's Football Awards, the Player of the Year title last year being won by the team’s goalkeeper Sophia Golebiewski while Laura Duncan claimed the Volunteer of the Year Award.
The club itself was also shortlisted for Sustainable Club of the Year, but did not win the award on the night.
One of those looking forward to the awards is Scottish Women’s Football CEO Aileen Campbell.
She said: “Last year’s ScottishPower awards ceremony at Hampden was an incredible evening, marking the rapid growth and visibility of the women’s game in Scotland.
“We received more than twice as many nominations for this year’s awards, highlighting some amazing stories of success, bravery and sportswomanship, sometimes against all odds. So it’s therefore tremendously exciting to reveal the shortlists, which again showcases the best the women’s game has to offer and the women and girls who sometimes don’t even realise the power they have as role models.
“A huge thanks is due to our Principal Partner ScottishPower for backing the awards again, and to our media partners the Sunday Post and MG Alba.
“I can’t wait to celebrate all those shortlisted at Hampden, but first the judging panel has a difficult job ahead.”
ScottishPower’s Stephanie Todd, who sits on the judging panel, added: “ScottishPower are incredibly proud to be again sponsoring this annual celebration of the women and girls in Scotland who play the beautiful game as Principal Partner of both Scottish Women’s Football and the SWPL.
“Looking through the nominations it’s clear there are so many unsung heroes who go above and beyond to provide opportunities for girls and women in their communities, which is exactly why ScottishPower is backing women’s football in Scotland.
“All of those shortlisted deserve recognition, which will make judging a real challenge indeed.”
Over a thousand nominations from the public have been received for the various award categories up for grabs.
Rebecca and her fellow nominees will discover their fate at a ceremony on November 30 at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
