Livingstone On Goalscoring Return & Spartans

Rosie Livingstone admits she is still “dusting off the cobwebs” after her goalscoring return from an arduous spell on the sidelines last Sunday. 

The young forward had been out of action since late April with an irritating back injury - spending over six months on the treatment table while the team rounded out last season and started strong this campaign.

“It’s been tricky,” Livingstone said in her pre-match media conference. “I think over time, I slowly just blocked football out. I was very supportive of the girls, but it felt I was more of a coach at times rather than an actual player. 

“It was definitely tricky at times when the team has been doing so well, I’d start thinking: ‘Oh, where am I going to fit in?’ Last weekend was a good opportunity for me to come in and make sure I’m not too rusty.”

Joining Livingstone on the pitch at the very same point during Sunday’s 5-1 victory was Club captain Rachael Boyle - who had spent an agonising 19 months out following a cruel ACL rupture in March 2023.

“It was really good. There were constant pushbacks. I never thought the day was going to come at some points. It was great for me and Rachael Boyle to both come on at the same time. We had been joking that I was out with a quad injury when she first done her ACL and then just now I was out with my back. 

“She was out for much longer than me but I was definitely around ‘Rehabernian’ a lot with her. So, it was really nice to come back together and we both did all right. It was a good occasion and it was nice to have my family there as they have been so supportive of me.”

An acrobatic finish perfected Rosie’s return just minutes after her reintroduction to the Meadowbank turf. However, the 19-year-old remains critical of her deft, improvised finish.

“Looking back at it now, it looks way worse than I originally thought it was going to look. 

“I had a chance earlier that I should have passed to Smally, so I had to get something back to recover from that. Tegan put a cross in, Linzi headed it and I thought I’ll just kick the ball and see what happens. I’ve been calling it a backwards roll rather than an overhead kick - but it’s a goal, so I’ll take it.”

Delighted to be back on the team - and score - sheet, Livingstone is not getting ahead of herself after six demanding months in the physio room getting back to match fitness. 

“I’m in a little bit of No Man's Land right now. I’m back with the squad, fit and ready to go, but I do feel like I’m dusting off the cobwebs a little - both technical and fitness wise. 

“The girls had all of pre-season so they’ve got a good bit of a head start. I do still have that little bit extra to keep me tipping over on my way to full fitness.”

With much reflection on a momentous past week, Livingstone is still focused on the task at hand. A trip across the capital awaits Grant Scott’s side as they face Spartans at Ainslie Park this Sunday (13 October).

“We are taking every game as it comes,” Livingstone told the media. “The girls aren’t thinking about the next month or so, we are all focused on Spartans. That’s been our vision as a team this season; winning cups and top six only happens if we win our next game. 

“We played Spartans in a pre-season friendly and, from an outsider's perspective, they lost a good few players that were maybe their more experienced players. We went into that friendly thinking we should dominate that game and it was very much a close game in the end. 

“They were so energetic and aggressive. And we were shocked by that. So it’s good we know that. I think it’ll be a very similar game to Montrose. It shows they have that fight and edge about them.”

CLICK HERE to watch Rosie's presser in full!