SCOTTISH Women’s football pioneer Rose Reilly was in Glasgow’s southside last Saturday morning to officially open the Govanhill pub that now bears her name.
The Rose Reilly, formerly the Hampden Bar on Albert Rd, has been ‘saved from becoming a restaurant’ by Steven Clark, operator of nearby gastropub, The Bell Jar, and Partick’s The Sparkle Horse.
A large crowd turned out to see Rose cut the ribbon across The Rose Reilly’s door. The Stewarton native famously left Scotland for a glorious sporting career in Europe after the SFA refused to recognise women’s football as a professional sport.
She ultimately led the Italian National Women’s Football team to win the Mundialito – an unofficial precursor to the Women’s world Cup – in 1984. Her rift with Scottish football’s authorities has healed over time, and she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to women’s football.
Steven said that he had been keen to see the venue – which had been closed following the retirement of its long term licensee – retained as a traditional neighbourhood pub, and settled on the name as it continued the venue’s association with Scottish football, while also being ‘just right’ for a more inclusive era.
Expressing his delight that Rose agreed to formally open the pub that now bears her name, Steven – a lifelong Ayr United fan – added that it was also nice to be associated with some footballing success for a change.
