Dunoon’s own Layla Finnegan is making waves in Scottish women’s football after making her senior debut for St Mirren’s women’s side at just 15 years old.
The young centre-back played 25 minutes in a crucial 1-1 draw against Airdrieonians on Sunday, March 30, securing a top-six finish in the Barclays SWF League One split.
Despite her age, Layla showed composure beyond her years, delivering a strong and commanding performance at the heart of the defence.
Stepping into senior football is no easy feat, but she embraced the challenge, proving why St Mirren has placed their trust in her.
Layla’s footballing journey began at Glasgow City, one of Scotland’s top women’s academies, where she developed her skills and collected an impressive haul of silverware, including league, league cup, and Scottish Cup titles.
However, after the club could no longer fund the team, she made the move to St Mirren in December 2024—a decision that has already begun to pay off.
Now playing within St Mirren’s under-16 youth performance team, Layla is hungry for more senior football.
With the club’s strong focus on youth development and a family-oriented culture, she has quickly settled in and is eager to continue growing under the guidance of under-16 coach Mark and senior team manager Kate.
Balancing football with academics is no small challenge, but Layla is excelling on all fronts.
She travels from Dunoon to Paisley three evenings a week for training, plays on Saturdays, and still managed to achieve straight A results in her prelim exams in December.
With her final exams approaching in April, she remains dedicated to both her studies and her footballing ambitions.
Looking ahead, Layla hopes to make the full step up to senior football come August.
For now, she remains focused on gaining as much experience as possible, learning from her senior teammates, and continuing to develop her game management and understanding of the senior level.
