George Hirst was born on 15 February 1999 in Sheffield, England. He is the son of former footballer David Hirst, who played for Sheffield Wednesday and England in the 1990s. George qualified for Scotland through his mother. He came through the Sheffield Wednesday academy — following in his father's footsteps — and progressed through the Leicester City system before pursuing his career in the Championship and lower divisions of English football.
His career has taken him through Rotherham United, Portsmouth and other English clubs as he sought regular first-team football and developed as a physical centre-forward with good aerial ability and link-up play. The Championship and League One have been his primary stages.
His path as a Scotland international is an interesting one, qualifying through heritage rather than birth. His inclusion in the Scotland setup reflects the national team's willingness to cast the net for players with Scottish heritage and his own quality as a forward.
For Scotland he has been considered within Steve Clarke's squad as an alternative physical option in attack. His size and directness offer Scotland a different profile from the more mobile options in the squad.
Standing around 1.89 m, Hirst is a strong, physically imposing centre-forward whose aerial ability and hold-up play give Scotland a direct attacking option when a target-man style is required. His English Championship experience and pedigree as the son of a professional footballer give him a solid professional foundation.