Hamilton Accies Women told to rebrand after club split

Hamilton Accies Women have been ordered by the town's men's team to change their name and rebrand the club, just weeks after sealing their 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 dramatic move comes after the women's side confirmed their intent to remain at New Douglas Park, in stark contrast to the men's side, 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 topflight, securing a stadium that meets elite-level standards was a key priority.

"New Douglas Park has long been a home for women's football in the town and we are pleased that it will remain so as we prepare for an exciting season ahead."

As a result, Hamilton Academical FC have announced their intention to form a new women's side and academy set-up - forcing the women's side into a rebrand ahead of the new season.

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.

"While the men's team has chosen to leave the town, we remain firmly based at New Douglas Park - continuing to invest in and represent our community."