He helped launch a football team to make a level playing field for girls.
Dad of two Robin Watt created a girls team in Aberdeenshire after his daughter Iona was being overlooked in a boys’ team.
Formartine United academy’s girls section was founded in 2017 to encourage more girls to play.
Being pushed out
Robin, 41, from Pitmedden, said: “At the time, Iona was six but she was being passed over despite being one of the best players.
“She had talent but wasn’t getting as much game time as she should have been in the boys’ team and it was almost as if she was being pushed out.
“So we started a girls team and it is now going well.
“There are now around 75 girls playing. It was about taking an element of adversity and turning it into something positive.
“Iona is now 12 and she has moved to Aberdeen Ladies where she is doing well.”
Dedicated fans such as Robin and Iona have ensured the women’s and girls’ game is on the rise around the country.
However the sport still faces a number of issues uncovered by our in-depth probe.
Our survey found 68% have suffered hate – in person and online – just for playing football.
‘Unbelievable in this day and age’
Mechanical engineer Robin agreed the girls and women’s game had made great strides but said there was a need to remain vigilant to combat sexism.
He said that a recent national newspaper story which claimed that women footballer’s names in a match report were “likened to the sound of toffs romping in bed” triggered outrage.
He said: “Sexism can rear its head. There was a national newspaper story about the names of women footballers and it was ridiculous.
“You would never see that nonsense in relation to the men’s game. It would be about tactics, strategy and the game itself.
“It’s unbelievable in this day and age that someone thought it was acceptable to publish something like that.”
Since Robin founded Formartine United academy’s girls section in 2017, it had continued to grow.
It now boasts 73 players with a pathway starting at under-sevens up to under-13s.
Formartine United Girls are currently looking for girls born in 2008 and 2009 to join their current under-13s squad and future under-14s squad.
Mike Paterson, Formartine United Girls secretary and under-13s coach, previously said: “Our ethos is inclusive, not exclusive.
“It doesn’t matter your ability, we are here to support and encourage the players no matter what.
“Seeing the girls with a smile on their face is what it is all about.
“Of course, we want to help them get better at football, but it’s about creating the opportunity for them to do something they enjoy.
For further information, email Mike at fuyagirls@outlook.com
Anyone who witnesses sexist abuse, harassment or discrimination, can report it in a number of ways.
You can report discrimination within Scottish grassroots football to the Scottish Football Association.
Or search for Scottish FA Grassroots in Google Play or App store.
Also, the Her Game Too anti-sexism campaign has an anonymous online form.
If you feel the form of discrimination you witnessed either on the pitch or online could be a hate crime, you may also report it to Police Scotland via 101.
Read more from this series
- Survey reveals scale of sexist abuse facing those who love the game
- Rachel Corsie: You can think I’m the worst player in the world but don’t tag me in posts or say nasty remarks
- Amy Strath: We are playing our own game – it is women’s football. We deserve to be treated with respect
- Sophie Goodwin: I was too scared to call out abuse in women’s football before. But that’s what I’m doing now
- Zoe Ogilvie: Let’s celebrate the differences and opportunities women’s football offers
- Georgia Carter: Online abuse has to be taken seriously for women’s football to grow
- Elsie Cook: We have to speak out against sexists. We can’t let them win
- Donna Paterson: We were left to get changed in the stands… You’d never see that in the men’s game
Credits
Words and interviews by Sophie Goodwin and Stephen Stewart
Story design by Cheryl Livingstone
Graphics by Carly Gilchrist
Data visualisations by Emma Morrice
Video by Drew Farrell, Kim Cessford and Gregor Aiken
