The Spartans are delighted to confirm the re-signing of Rachel Murchie, Olivia Hurrell and Zara Andrews for the forthcoming 2026/27 SWPL 1 season.
Rachel Murchie
Head Coach Jack Beesley said of Rachael’s permanent move to the Vanloq Community Stadium, “We’re delighted Rachel has decided to make her loan move from Glasgow City a permanent one. In the second half of the season especially, we started to see Rachel’s quality – her ability to break pressure, retain possession and arrive late in the box.
“With more regular football last season than she had the season before, and a full pre season, we hope to continue seeing the best of her next season”
Following her decision to remain at Spartans, Rachel said, “I really enjoyed my loan period last season; the staff and the girls were all so welcoming so I’m delighted to be signing permanently for the club this season.”
Olivia Hurrell
The Gaffer has welcomed Olivia back for the new campaign and looking forward to what she can bring to the party.
“Olivia didn’t find the consistency she was looking for last season, with some niggly injuries not allowing her to get into her full rhythm. However, she showed the power she possesses, both with and without the ball, and we will need plenty of that this season. We need people who can break lines and support attacks, and match the physicality that SWPL1 demands, and Olivia can certainly do that”
Keen to build on her debut season at Spartans, Olivia said, “I’m looking forward to another season at Spartans. From coming in last season and feeling so welcomed by the team instantly and to finish this season how we did, I can’t wait to be back in with the girls and working hard for what will be a challenging season ahead”
Zara Andrews
“Last season was frustrating for Zara, with a couple of innocuous injuries causing her to spend large chunks on the sidelines. However, we’ve seen both last season and the season before in SWPL1, that Zara is an outstanding player, and brings different attributes to our other attacking players.
A challenge for us in SWPL1 last time was having enough people scoring enough goals, and we certainly hope Zara can be a large contributor of these this season”
Speaking of her decision to stay at the Club, Zara added, “Signing for Spartans again after we won the season is an incredible experience, especially because of the togetherness of the squad. I’m grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to hit the ground running for what should be another special season”
