Hearts insist they have two "massive prospects" on their books

The duo started in the Jam Tarts’ Scottish Cup third-round tie against Edinburgh Caledonia which they came out as 9-0 victors. Erin Husband made her debut against the League One side whereas Jessica made her first competitive start after previously picking up SWPL1 minutes this season.

The twins fit into the side seamlessly and barely put a foot wrong throughout as Hearts eased into the next round of the cup. After the game, Beith believes the pair are major prospects at the club and is aiming to give them more minutes in the first team in 2024. 

“Both of them are fantastic,” he told the Edinburgh Evening News. “They are massive, massive prospects and I know them pretty well from the international set-up, the Under 17s. They have come in because they deserved to play and both of them did really well. Erin [Husband] made her debut and she didn’t put a foot wrong until the last minute. We said on the bench she hadn’t done anything wrong and then she gave one pass away but she was fantastic throughout. 

“Jessica [Husband] on the other side as well was really good. She can play in different positions whether it is wide left or dropping into a left centre-back position. They are two great youngsters who have come through the academy and will hopefully continue to come through and play a lot more games between now and the end of the season.”

The sisters clearly have a lot of potential. Last season, they were part of Hearts’ Under 16s side that won the treble. This saw the twins’ talent recognised on the national level as they were shortlisted for the 2023 ScottishPower SWF Youth Player of the Year. Both Erin and Jessica Husband are also regulars on the international stage with the duo both earning 10 caps each for the Scotland Under 17 squad. 

The two defenders have clearly risen through the ranks of the club quickly with manager Eva Olid trusting the pair to help guide the team through the cup. This trust hasn’t just come about in the new year either. Manager Eva Olid brought Jessica Husband on vs Glasgow City earlier in the campaign as Hearts picked up their first-ever point against the side in a 0-0 draw. Now, after making their first starts for the club, Beith insists both will be presented with more opportunities in the first-team again this season.  

“They have been in and around the training and now they have an opportunity to come in and step up and hopefully start to play more,” he added. “It is what we need to look to try and do, there is an academy in place for a reason just as there would be at any women's club. We want to try to integrate them. They are here on merit, not just because it has to be done, they are here because they are capable and they add something to training and the game. Hopefully, we will start to get them more involved going forward.”