Head coaches of Scotland and Wales respectively, Shelley Kerr and Jayne Ludlow have been awarded MBEs in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Shelley was appointed Scotland’s national team head coach in 2017 and after a successful qualification campaign where they won seven out of eight matches, they secured their place at the Women’s World Cup.
She became the first female manager in British men’s senior football when she was appointed manager of Stirling University in 2014, leading them to a British Universities Championship Final and achieving consistent top five finishes in the Scottish Lowland League.
On the eve of the SWNT’s World Cup debut Kerr told scottishfa.co.uk: “It’s not often I’m lost for words but I was speechless when I found out I’ve been awarded an MBE and really surprised.
“It’s a tremendous honour and one I’m immensely proud of.
“I’ve always been brought up with good values and being a team player. It’s times like these that I look back and think about everyone who has helped me.
“As a wee girl I had a passion for football and I’ve developed over the years but I’ve always wanted to give something back to the game.
“To be recognised for that gives me a real sense of pride.
“I would say the award is more about other people than it is about me. The players have created a huge amount of profile for the women’s national team off the back of their performances on the park and they deserve a huge amount of credit for that.”
Jayne Ludlow has led Wales Women through their most successful period since her appointnent in 2014.
Under Ludlow’s management, Wales have broken into the top 30 of the Coca Cola/FIFA Women’s World Ranking for the first time and her team attracted a record crowd of more than 5,000 for the world cup qualifier with England.
She told faw.cymru: “I’m honoured and humbled to get this recognition. I hope all those working alongside me are as proud of this as I am.
“I am very lucky to have been given so much help from our women’s team staff and players over the last few years and as a group we are benefiting from loving the experience of working together as a national team.
“I hope all those who have helped me along the way from my days in Treherbert to the football clubs I have represented will enjoy this recognition too.”
