‘I can’t wait to learn from many great players’ - Lisa Forrest expresses pride after signing first professional contract with Glasgow City

Glasgow City have announced that youngster Lisa Forrest has signed a professional contract with the club after impressing as part of the club’s Scottish Cup winning Under-18 side.

Forrest, who joined the Petershill outfit in March 2020, initially linked up with the club’s Under-17 Development squad before moving up to the Under-19s National Performance side. She made her first-team breakthrough earlier this season, netting his first goal for the SWPL 1 leaders in last Sunday’s 8-1 thrashing of Dundee United.

Commenting on her decision to commit her future to the club, Forrest who is looking to build on five appearances to date, admitted: “I’m excited to have signed professionally with Glasgow City. I’ve loved it here since I started, I can’t wait to get the opportunity to play for the first team and learn from many great players.”

Interim head coach Leanne Ross believes Forrest’s progression displays the clear pathway in place between the club’s academy anf first-team set up. She stated: “I am delighted to welcome Lisa Forrest to the Glasgow City first team squad. Lisa’s progression to the first team is testament not only to her own ambition & hard work, but also to the fantastic work being done within our academy programme to develop our youth team players.

“Lisa is an exciting young Scottish talent who I have absolutely no doubt will thrive in our first team environment. I am really looking forward to working with Lisa and supporting her continued development here.”

Forrest has been a regular started for the Under-18s this term and scored the winner in the Scottish Cup Final at the beginning of January. First Team assistant and Under-18s Coach Kieron McAneny said: “It has been great to work with Lisa at youth level over the last two years. It has been pleasing to see her development in that time on the pitch and she is growing into a great young player with a lot of potential. Moving into the first team environment will allow her to continue developing, adding new skill-sets to her game by working with more experienced players.

“Lisa’s capacity to get better and improve will allow her to continue on the path she is developing on and it will be great to continue working with her daily now within the first team environment.”

The announcement comes after summer signing Desiree Monsivais left the club by mutual consent. Paying tribute to City, the Mexican international striker commented: “It was magical to belong to the best Scottish team, because of the family we are, because of the colours, because of the fans, they made me feel very loved and valued.

“I take the wisdom and knowledge I have learnd at Glasgow City and my Scottish accent has never been better! Thanks for making me feel special and important, it’s time to go but we know that the world of football is tiny and we will meet again. Thank you eternally Glasgow City.”

A club statement added: “We would like to thank Desiree for being part of the squad for the first half of the season and we wish her all the very best.”