WINDSOR, Colo. – Scottish winger Daniel Scally has signed with Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC from Scottish League Two side Stirling Albion, pending league and federation approval.
In two-and-a-half years as a professional in Scotland, 22-year-old Scally has made 62 appearances across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and adding nine assists.
“Daniel Scally is a player who I have extremely high hopes for,” said Hailstorm FC head coach Éamon Zayed. “He is a really exciting young attacker. He’s a very technical, pacey, direct player, who can both score and assist with either foot. At 22 years of age he is still very young, but has been around the pro game for almost five years. I have no doubt he is going to adapt to USL very quickly and be a household name within USL by the end of the season. We are extremely happy to have him as part of our team here in Northern Colorado.”
Scally joined Stirling Albion in the summer of 2021, and during the 2021–22 season, prior to him signing with Hailstorm FC, he started seven matches and came off the bench in eight others. Five of his League Two starts came after December 11, including a match against Annan Athletic on December 18 in which he scored both Binos’ goals. In all he scored three goals and two assists in his 15 appearances for Stirling Albion, including an assist during the Bino’s 4-0 win over Tranent JFC in the third round of the Scottish Cup.
During the 2020–21 season, Scally played for Forfar Athletic in Scottish League One, scoring three goals and adding three assists in 19 appearances. He made 13 league starts, including starting eight of the Loons’ final nine matches of the season. All three of his goals, and one of his assists, came in the final four matches of the campaign. Scally made a further two starts in the Scottish Cup as the side progressed to the Round of 16, and played all 120 minutes during a third round win over Edinburgh City.
The Glasgow native made his senior debut with Albion Rovers in 2019, and scored five goals with a further four assists in 28 matches. He came off the bench in the second match of the Scottish League Two season and had his first assist minutes later. He went on to make a further 22 league appearances, while also playing in three Scottish Cup matches, starting Albion Rovers’ Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup match against Hearts FC II, and coming off the bench in the Rovers’ Scottish League Cup win over Edinburgh City.
During the 2017–18 season, while a member of the Kilmarnock FC U20 side, Scally made a lone appearance in the Irn-Bru Cup.
“I’m delighted to have joined the club,” said Scally. “The fact it’s the club’s first season just adds to my excitement. It’s a new challenge for me moving over to the States, but from my first conversation with Éamon I knew I wanted to be a part of such an ambitious club.”
Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC will make its USL League One debut on April 9 with a match against Richmond Kickers. Due to construction at the Future Legends Complex, the club’s first home match will be almost two months later, when they host North Carolina FC on June 8.
Hailstorm FC will play its home matches in the 6,500-seat main stadium of the Future Legends Complex, the premier destination for sports and events in Northern Colorado. Opening in 2022, the 118-acre complex will feature a professional stadium, multiple baseball diamonds and multi-purpose fields, an indoor sports arena, lodging, and retail; and will host guests for major sports tournaments, events, leagues, and more.