Rachael Boyle
{{short description|Scottish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Rachael Boyle
| fullname =
| image =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1991|12|20}}
| birth_place = Aberdeen, Scotland
| height =
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Hibernian
| clubnumber = 23
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = | caps1= | goals1 = | clubs1 = Aberdeen
| years2 = 2010–2013 | caps2 = | goals2 = | clubs2 = Forfar Farmington
| years3 = 2013–2016 | caps3= | goals3 = | clubs3 = Aberdeen
| years4 = 2016– | caps4= | goals4 = | clubs4 = Hibernian
| pcupdate = 10:37, 11 May 2017 (UTC)
| nationalyears1 = 2007–2008
| nationalteam1 = Scotland U17
| nationalyears2 = 2008–2010
| nationalteam2 = Scotland U19
| nationalyears3 = 2010–
| nationalteam3 = Scotland
| nationalcaps3 = 43
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| ntupdate = 05:01, 11 June 2021 (UTC)
}}
Rachael Boyle (née Small; born 20 December 1991) is a Scottish international footballer who currently plays as midfielder for Hibernian in the Scottish Women's Premier League.
Career
Boyle grew up in Aberdeen and represented Scotland at schools' level in 2005 while a pupil at Northfield Academy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=1986&newsCategoryID=27&newsID=9441|title=SSFA U15 Girl Internationalists|publisher=Scottish Football Association|date=7 March 2012|access-date=12 May 2012}} She later progressed through the national under-17 and under-19 squads, captaining the latter in the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship finals in Macedonia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/womensunder19/news/01e5-0e11ecb3c15c-823c0bda807a-1000--small-walking-tall-for-scotland/|title=Small walking tall for Scotland|publisher=UEFA|date=26 May 2010|access-date=12 May 2012}} She made her full debut for the Scotland women's team in July 2010 against Poland.{{Cite web|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/football_player_profile.cfm?page=2492&playerID=56481&squadID=2|title=Rachael Small – Women's A Squad|publisher=Scottish Football Association|access-date=12 May 2012}}
At club level, Boyle began with her hometown team, Aberdeen Ladies before moving to Forfar Farmington in 2010.{{Cite web|url=http://www.womenssoccerscene.co.uk/womens-football-news-2009-2010/100201-02.htm|title=Small contribution brings double boost|publisher=Women's Soccer Scene|date=1 February 2010|access-date=12 May 2012}} She also attended the Scottish FA's North Regional Football Academy in Aberdeen.
In July 2013, Boyle returned to Aberdeen after Forfar failed to make the top six at the SWPL mid-season split.{{cite news|last=Campbell|first=Alan|title=Robison targets level playing field for women|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/robison-targets-level-playing-field-for-women.21670347|access-date=26 July 2013|newspaper=The Herald|date=24 July 2013}}
Boyle joined Hibernian Ladies in July 2016, with her fiancé Martin Boyle playing for the Edinburgh club's men's side at the same time.{{cite news|title=Dons star defender Rachael Small off to Hibs|url=https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/sport/local-sport/dons-star-defender-small-off-to-hibs/|access-date=11 May 2017|newspaper=Evening Express|date=20 July 2016}} After winning the Scottish Women's Cup in 2016{{cite web |url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/6942 |title=Hibernian Ladies win the Scottish Cup |publisher=Hibernian FC |date=6 November 2016 |access-date=18 June 2019}} and 2017,{{cite news|title=Hibs hammer Glasgow City to 3–0 win Scottish Cup final |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42128892 |access-date=9 March 2018|publisher=BBC Sport|date=18 June 2019}} and the SWPL Cup in 2017,{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39993502 |title=SWPL Cup: Hibernian cruise to victory over Celtic to retain trophy |first=Andrew |last=Southwick |publisher=BBC Sport |date=21 May 2017 |access-date=18 June 2019}} she missed much of the 2018 season due to pregnancy, and gave birth to a daughter in September 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/9783 |title=Rachael Small on the cover of The Hibee |publisher=Hibernian FC |date=7 March 2019 |access-date=7 March 2019}} She and Martin Boyle married in June 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/hibs-winger-martin-boyle-ties-the-knot-with-fellow-easter-road-star-rachael-small-1-4948987/amp |title=Hibs winger Martin Boyle ties the knot with fellow Easter Road star Rachael Small |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |date=18 June 2019 |access-date=18 June 2019}}
She was recalled to the Scotland squad in November 2019.{{cite news |url=https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/sport/football/womens-football/boyle-joins-fellow-north-east-representatives-corsie-and-little-in-scotland-squad-for-euro-2021-qualifier/ |title=Boyle joins fellow north-east representatives Corsie and Little in Scotland squad for Euro 2021 qualifier |first=Ryan |last=Cryle |newspaper=Evening Express |date=25 October 2019 |access-date=6 March 2020}}
Due to the upheaval it would cause to their daughter, Rachael opted to stay in Edinburgh when Martin left Hibs to play in Saudi Arabia in January 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/rachael-boyle-staying-at-hibs-as-husband-martin-goes-to-saudi-arabia-3537672 |title=Rachael Boyle staying at Hibs as husband Martin Boyle goes to Saudi Arabia to set family up for life |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |date=21 January 2022 |access-date=7 April 2022}}
Boyle returned to play well in February 2022,a year after the birth of a daughter. She scored twice for Hibs and played two games before she damaged her anterior cruciate ligament. She was still at home in March 2024 complaining that she had not played for so long.{{Cite news |date=2024-03-13 |title=Hibernian: Rachael Boyle on injury, children and staying strong |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68503387 |access-date=2024-12-18 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
Career statistics
=International appearances=
{{updated|the match played on 11 April 2023}}{{SFA Profile|id=56481}}
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="12"|Scotland
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 17 | 100 | |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2014 | colspan=2|— | ||
| 2015 | colspan=2|— | ||
| 2016 | colspan=2|— | ||
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2019 | colspan=2|— | ||
| 2020 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total || 43 || 0 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{SFA profile}}
- {{UEFA|1907722|name=Rachael Small}}
- {{Soccerway|rachael-small/133863|name=R. Small}}
{{Hibernian L.F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyle, Rachael}}
Category:People educated at Northfield Academy
Category:Scottish women's footballers
Category:Scotland women's international footballers
Category:Hibernian W.F.C. players
Category:Footballers from Aberdeen
Category:Women's association football defenders
Category:Forfar Farmington F.C. players
Category:Scottish Women's Premier League players
Category:Aberdeen F.C. Women players