Author: kcandy

Jade McLaren

Half Century Up for McLaren

Forfar Farmington defender Jade McLaren was delighted to reach a half century of appearances for the Premier League side at beginning of this month at just seventeen years old.

The defender made her debut in July 2013 when she was fifteen and has impressed since then with other sides keeping tabs on her last season.

McLaren spoke of her pride at being allowed the chance to make her mark on the senior ranks “Reaching fifty appearances in two and a half seasons feels great and I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to do so at a very young age. I’m hoping I can reach another milestone of some sort by the end of next season.”

The Fife based youngster has been played in different positions in her time in the side, beginning at left back before shifting to centre back followed by right back and has even appeared at right midfield, where she grabbed a goal against Hibernian in front of Scotland manager Anna Signeul.

McLaren is happy at having tested herself in these positions but reckons she’s at home at right back, saying “I feel that right back is my best position as I like to go forward and attack. That being said, I loved getting the opportunity to play in these other positions as it has allowed me to test my ability as a footballer and progress.”

For those that haven’t kept tabs on the side, they pulled off a fantastic escape this year having garnered just four points from their opening ten games, leaving them second bottom; they won ten out of the next eleven with nine games in a row to finish above the relegation places by a impressive twelve points.

McLaren spoke of her joy of achieving safety “I felt great relief that we stayed up; it felt like a great weight lifted off my shoulders, especially as we deserved it and with the new league coming up in March, I can’t wait for that.”

The defender has also stated her intention of staying at Farmington in 2016 in a reconstructed league. The league had 12 sides in 2015 and will be cut down to eight in an attempt to make it ‘better’.

“My plans for next season is to stay at Forfar.” she said. “I want to up my game by improving my fitness and technical ability and then my next aim is to hopefully be in contention for the Scotland Women’s U19’s squads.

Mark Nisbet

Nisbet Delighted with Return

Forfar Farmington’s returning head coach Mark Nisbet is delighted to be returning to the club after two years away.

The 33 year old was named as Damon Neish’s replacement last week with Neish departing after he and the club had a difference of opinions over the direction of the side.

Nisbet was in charge of the Premier League side until 2013 and in the two years since his last stint at Farmington he has had spells at Forfar Athletic coaching their youth team and Aberdeen Ladies; where he helped them reach fourth place this year.

Mark Nisbet

Speaking following his appointment, Nisbet said “I’m very excited to be back. I enjoyed my time away from the club and had a lot of good experiences both in the men’s game and with other female clubs. It gave me the opportunity to work with other coaches and review my own style and thought processes which has been really helpful.”

The Farmington side he has taken on finished their season in eighth place in the Premier League, avoiding relegation by a twelve point margin following an incredible ten wins in eleven games stretching back to June when the side had previously won just once in ten games.

Nisbet says that that run shouldn’t be ignored but added that it will be difficult to achieve that again with the league cutting down from twelve teams to eight next season.

“The group did extremely well to go on that run and that needs to be acknowledged.” he said. “It will be a far tougher task next season and as such we will need to strengthen the group in terms of numbers and SWPL experience which we are working extremely hard just now to achieve.”

Nisbet feels that although it will be difficult it was the right decision to reduce the amount of teams. “I feel it was a big but important step for the league and one I fully support. It will ensure the boundaries are pushed again which can only be a good thing.”

The league will again have 21 games, with Farmington facing their rivals three times. There will also be just one team going down to the newly created SWPL2 which will ease nerves for some but Nisbet already has eyes on the top half.

Joining him at the club are a few familiar faces, with Kev Candy, Ewan Greenhill John Diplexcito and Scott Knox all returning for their second spell at the club.

Candy said about his return that it was “extremely nice to be back.”

Bryan Middleton of the previous backroom team still remains; the talented performance analyst will working with Greenhill. Goalkeeping coach Robbie Hannan will also still be a part at the club as will Nathan Flight and Lee Smith.

One person that has departed the club recently is Tori Sousa, who returns to America after her three month stay at Forfar. The highly rated midfielder netted an astonishing ten goals in ten games while chipping in with six assists.

Sousa has already stated her intentions of returning to the club next year which will be a massive boost to the side if she does indeed do so.