Putting pen to paper over a fortnight after the closure of the summer transfer window, 16-year-old forward Sophie Black made the daunting switch to ML1 after penning a season-long loan deal from title-chasers Rangers.
Black made a name for herself very early on in her career. Making her competitive debut for the Gers at just 16-years-old, Black featured in the Glasgow sides 11-goal opening day victory over Aberdeen before featuring in the Champions League matchday squad against European powerhouses Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.
Ready to establish herself within the Scottish game, Black is determined to follow in the footsteps of fellow teammate Laura Berry, and progress though the ranks in the Scottish top-flight.
“Motherwell seemed like the perfect environment for me,” Black explained.
“From the very first conversation I had with Paul, Leanne and the other staff, I could see the clear vision of what they wanted to achieve whilst playing a style of football that suited my qualities as a player.
“You can see the impact of what both Paul and Leanne are doing. Providing young players with the opportunity to thrive in the top-flight and receive regular game time is brilliant and there are plenty of players footsteps to follow in.
“It’s great to see the likes of Laura [Berry] and Kayla [Jardine] coming through the club. It really shows the effort and commitment from all the staff to develop players and create a pathway to first-team football.
“That hard work behind the scenes is reflected and it’s great to see how far both of their footballing careers have progressed since being at Motherwell. I hope to be next on that journey.”
A striker by trade, the versatile forward had to wait for her competitive league debut after representing the Scotland U-17 squad alongside teammates Amy Sharkey and Sienna McGoldrick.
Scotland secured victory over Iceland, Northern Ireland and Poland to comfortably earn their qualification to the second round of UEFA European Championship Qualifiers ahead of the final qualification round in the Faroe Islands next summer.
“It’s always a great opportunity to go away with the national team,” Black emphasised.
“I learn a lot playing against different opposition that you don’t often have the opportunity to learn from. We’re always being pushed to progress our standards to the next level, and to come away from the international break with three wins and at the top of our group, it really shows how much we’ve developed as a team.
“It will be great to bring back these experiences and hopefully implement some new things into my game.”
Playing alongside Sharkey and McGoldrick on the international stage whilst coming through the youth ranks at Ibrox with Berry and Mason Blyth-Clark has enabled a seamless transition into claret and amber.
“Coming into the team recently, it has been brilliant to already know some of the girls from national team, as well from my time with Rangers.
“They have helped me to settle in quickly, as have all the other girls and staff who have been so welcoming. It has made this transition much quicker for myself personally, and I can’t wait to get back onto the pitch.
“I’m really enjoying my time at the club so far.”
Despite having to wait for her competitive debut in South Lanarkshire, Black introduced herself to the K-Park faithful as a second-half substitute in the women of steel’s comfortable 4-1 victory over Dundee United. A Berry double, with strikes from Chelsie Watson and Louisa Boyes sealed a convincing victory in East Kilbride.
“I’m really delighted to have made my debut for Motherwell,” Black noted.
“I have been working hard for this moment, so to finally put on the shirt and represent the club was an incredible feeling.
“It was really important for us to get the three points, and making that small gain into the top-six. I really enjoyed playing my part in the game and am delighted to have made a great start to my time at the club.”
The women of steel have made a positive start to league proceedings. Victory over the Tangerines enabled Paul Brownlie’s side to overtake closest rivals Partick Thistle into the final top-six place, returning 12-points from nine outings. Victory on derby day saw Motherwell progress past local rivals Hamilton to confirm their place in the Quarter-Final of the Sky Sports League Cup.
Keen to play her part, Black hopes to add vital competition for places, as the women of steel travel North next weekend to face Aberdeen at Balmoral Stadium.
“On a personal level, my main goal is to establish myself in the squad and make a real impact on the pitch,” Black said.
“I want to contribute as much as possible whilst learning from the talented group of players around me. As a team, finishing in the top-six is our aim for the remainder of the season. We are capable of achieving this, but we need to stick together and take each game as it comes.
“I can’t wait to see all the supporters back at K-Park supporting us through what will be another tough run of fixtures.”
