Emma Lawton

Emma Louise Lawton (born 26 July 2001) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a right back for Women's Super League 2 club Ipswich Town and for the Scotland women's national team.

Her previous clubs include Partick Thistle (two spells) and Motherwell.

Club career Raised in East Kilbride, where she spent one season before re-joining Partick Thistle, now also members of the top tier. During the 2023–24 season, Partick reached their first major final – losing 4–1 to Rangers in the SWPL Cup – and finished in the league's top six, with Lawton named in the PFA Scotland SWPL Team of the Year and as the club's Player of the Year. She agreed a new contract with Partick and began the following campaign with the Jags, but joined Celtic on a full-time contract on 12 September 2024 (transfer deadline day) along with Motherwell's Morgan Cross. She quickly impressed with performances in the SWPL and the UEFA Women's Champions League.

On 26 June 2026, Celtic announced that Lawton was leaving the club after making 71 appearances and scoring 15 goals.

On 15 July 2026, Lawton was announced at Ipswich Town.

International career Lawton was selected for the Scotland under-23 team, which plays only friendly matches, in 2023 and 2024.

She received her first call-up to the senior Scotland squad in February 2025, making her debut as a starter in a 1–0 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League defeat away to Austria, and scoring her first international goal four days later in a 2–1 loss to the Netherlands at Hampden Park.

Personal life Lawton has studied and trained as a sports coach, achieving a BA in Football Coaching and Management from the UCFB in 2022, and holding a UEFA B licence by 2024.