Hamilton Accies Women told to change name by men’s club

Hamilton Accies Women have been ordered by owners of the town’s men’s club to change their name and branding, just weeks after sealing promotion to the Scottish Women’s Premier League.

In a letter to the club from Hamilton Academical’s board of directors, the women’s side have been told to stop using the intellectual property of the men’s club, who have been relegated to Scottish League 1.

The move comes after the women’s club confirmed their intention to remain at New Douglas Park, in contrast to the men who are attempting to move to Broadwood Stadium, 15 miles away in Cumbernauld, following a dispute with the stadium owner.

In a club statement on social media, Accies Women said: “Following our title-winning campaign in SWPL2 and promotion to the top flight, securing a stadium that meets elite-level standards was a key priority.

Hamilton Academical FC have announced their intention to form a new women’s side and academy set-up – ending their affiliation with the current women’s team.

In a social media post, Accies Women wrote: “We are surprised and disappointed to see an attempt being made to ban Hamilton Accies Women from using the club badge – something that has been part of our identity for over a decade.

“Since 2013, we’ve had a long-standing and formally recognised agreement with the previous owners of Hamilton Academical FC, allowing us to use the club name and badge in perpetuity. This agreement reflects our deep-rooted commitment to representing the town of Hamilton with pride, integrity and ambition.