Spartans captain 'deserves recognition' after being nominated for Player of the Month

After a brilliant last few weeks, Alana Marshall has been nominated for the SWPL Player of the Month much to the delight of manager Debbi McCulloch.
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The captain led her team to three wins and a draw throughout April while also scoring two goals in a 4-2 win over Hamilton. The 36-year-old, who also suffers from multiple sclerosis has had a brilliant campaign to date as she fights disease off the field. McCulloch insists that her nomination for the award is justified as she insisted that no one else has to manage what Marshall does on a daily basis.

“It's well deserved for Alana [Marshall],” she told the Edinburgh Evening News. “She has a lot going on off the pitch in terms of managing her health and it can be really challenging for her to make sure she sustains her high performances week in, week out. However, she is doing brilliantly. Off her two goals against Hamilton and her performances in previous games, it’s justified.

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“We are all delighted for her that she is getting some level of recognition alongside other players who are full-time and certainly don’t have to manage what Alana [Marshall] has to manage on a daily basis with her MS. It is an extremely proud moment for her, her family and the club as a whole.”

Alana Marshall celebrates her second goal against Hamilton. Credit: Spartans Women FacebookAlana Marshall celebrates her second goal against Hamilton. Credit: Spartans Women Facebook
Alana Marshall celebrates her second goal against Hamilton. Credit: Spartans Women Facebook

Marshall’s form has helped them go on their best run of form this season. The Edinburgh club are currently on a five-game unbeaten run in the SWPL. The club are aiming to finish the rest of the campaign unbeaten as they look to finish seventh, the highest position in their side of the split. With only five games remaining, this is a real possibility for the club as they enter their last round of fixtures.

Next up, Spartans are set to take on Dundee United on Wednesday night as they hope to continue their good form. However, McCulloch warns her side that they cannot get complacent in their remaining fixtures.“We just have to keep reminding the players about our expectations and what is expected every single time they wear that jersey,” she added.

“I’ve got a great group of players so it is quite easy for me to manage. However, we were just a bit disappointed on Sunday as we allowed complacency to creep in. Sometimes that can be a good thing, a positive thing because it gives us a bit of a wake-up call. It helps us reset and update and make sure we don’t become overconfident or complacent. Sunday was beneficial for us because it gave us a wee bit of a shake.

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“It’s ironic because we aren’t usually on this run of form, it’s been a long time since we have been in this form, that can be slightly alien to the players as well. However, it is extremely enjoyable right now. The players are enjoying playing football and they have confidence, we just need to hold onto that and really utilize that to make sure we put in strong performances every single game.”