Rangers Women have confirmed that forward Sophie Townsley has been recalled from her loan spell at Hamilton Academical and will spend the remainder of the season with Motherwell, as the 18-year-old continues her development in the SWPL.
The move brings an end to a highly productive period at Hamilton in the second tier of Scottish Women’s football, where Townsley established herself as one of the standout young players in the women’s game over the past year.
During her time with the Accies, she made 43 appearances, scored an impressive 23 goals, and played a key role in their SWPL 2 title-winning campaign last season, which secured promotion to the top flight.
Her performances also earned her a nomination for SWPL 2 Player of the Year and a return to the Scotland national team setup at youth level.
Hamilton confirmed the recall in a statement, praising Townsley’s impact and the role the club played in her early senior career. The striker had been a bright spark for the Lanarkshire side even during a difficult SWPL 1 campaign, continuing to find the net despite Hamilton sitting at the foot of the table.
Rangers, meanwhile, moved swiftly to secure a new loan destination that would provide Townsley with continued top-flight exposure.
The Ibrox club announced that she will now link up with Motherwell for the second half of the season, wishing her well as she looks to gain further valuable experience in the SWPL.
Motherwell have welcomed the teenager as a significant attacking addition, with head coach Iain Robinson highlighting her goalscoring threat and potential. Townsley arrives with a strong reputation after her exploits in SWPL 2 and her ability to influence matches at senior level despite her young age.
“Adding excitement and firepower to the final third, striker Sophie Townsley has completed a loan deal from Rangers until the end of the season,” Motherwell confirmed in their statement.
“An SWPL 2 Player of the Year nominee, Townsley made her mark on the division last term, with her consistent goalscoring form guiding local rivals Hamilton to SWPL 2 title success and promotion to the first tier.”
Townsley herself expressed her enthusiasm about the move, citing Motherwell’s ambitions and her desire to contribute to the club’s goals for the remainder of the campaign.
“I’m really excited to be here at Motherwell,” she said.
“The club have really exciting ambitions for this season, and I wanted to play my part. I can’t wait to get started.”
Her strong domestic form has also been recognised on the international stage. Townsley is a regular member of the Scotland Under-19 squad, which recently secured qualification to Round 2 of their 2026 European Championship qualification campaign.
That exposure to international football, combined with consistent minutes at club level, is viewed as a crucial part of her long-term development pathway.
Robinson believes Townsley can make an immediate impact, adding much-needed cutting edge to Motherwell’s frontline.
“We’re really pleased to add Sophie to the squad,” he said.
“She is a very exciting young player, who could add that firepower to our frontline. We’re looking forward to supporting her development this season.”
Townsley is expected to be available for selection straight away, with Motherwell set to host Rangers Old Firm rivals Celtic at K-Park this weekend in league action, in what will be a demanding test for the young striker.
For Rangers, the move reflects a continued focus on developing emerging talent through strategic loan spells.
With Townsley gaining experience against top-level opposition, the Ibrox club will hope she returns with the confidence, sharpness, and maturity to push for a more prominent role in the future.