Scottish Women's Football

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, Colin Poultney/Malcolm Mackenzie

The SWPL is back with new faces, a new structure, and new champions Hibs looking to retain their crown.

The action gets under way on Sunday, so here are some things to keep an eye out for in the women's top flight.

New structure

In a bid to make the league more competitive, the number of teams has been reduced from 12 to 10.

After 18 rounds of matches, the league will split into a top six and bottom four, with the clubs in each section playing each other twice.

The team finishing 10th will be relegated, while the second-bottom side will face a relegation play-off against the winners of the SWPL 2 play-off semi-final.

While on paper a 10-team top division should be more competitive, the worry is the quality gap will widen.

For example, last term Motherwell secured their first ever top-six finish - but then lost all 10 post-split games.

The last time Hamilton Accies, who won promotion last season by winning SWPL 2, were in the top flight they finished bottom with just 14 points.

Dundee United fared even worse last term, mustering just seven points to be one of three teams relegated.

New managers

After securing a second successive cup double for Rangers, manager Jo Potter left to take the manager's job at Crystal Palace.

The Ibrox club have turned to Leanne Crichton as the replacement. As a player, the Scotland midfielder was a serial winner with Glasgow City before returning as assistant coach after a spell with Motherwell.

Now Crichton is leading a Rangers team that are desperate to bounce back from their final-day disappointment of letting the league title slip from their grasp.

They're not the only ones with a new face in the dugout. Brian Graham left Partick Thistle this summer and joined promoted Premiership outfit Falkirk to continue his playing career.

Graham has been replaced at Petershill by David Elliot, who has spent the majority of his playing and managerial career with the Glasgow club and will have his first taste of managing in the SWPL when his side travel to Hamilton on Sunday.

New signings

SWPL sides have been busy in the transfer window and there's a couple of interesting signings to look out for.

Aberdeen have been one of the more active teams this summer with one name standing out among the rest.

Goalkeeper Katie Cox joined the Dons from WSL winners Chelsea on a season-long loan deal.

The 19-year-old academy graduate signed her first professional contract last year and although she is yet to make her senior debut, she spent last season as part of the treble-winning side's travelling party.

Rangers fans have been getting excited about Wales international Alice Griffith, who has signed up for two years in Govan.

The midfielder travelled with Wales for the Euros this summer after playing an important part in their qualification campaign.

The arrival of Griffith may bring back memories of fellow Wales international Rachel Rowe, who won the Scottish Cup and and SWPL Cup in a successful spell with Rangers.

How to follow opening day on the BBC

Hearts v Celtic will be live on the BBC Sport Scotland app, website and iPlayer. It kicks off at 13:00 BST on Sunday.

Later, BBC Alba has live coverage of champions Hibernian's home game against Aberdeen. That kicks off at 16:10 and will also be on the BBC Sport Scotland app, website and iPlayer.

Image source, SNS

Jade McLaren insists Montrose's togetherness is key as they bid to defy the odds again and survive in the SWPL.

Craig Feroz's side ensured a third straight season in the top flight with a 4-0 win over Dundee United on the final day of last term and midfielder McLaren hopes for a less stressful route to safety in the new campaign, which kicks off on Sunday.

"We always knew it was going to come right down to the last day, and we're a team that don't give up," said McLaren.

"We'll go to the end, it doesn't matter who we're playing, and it was a nervy four minutes after we finished playing on the last day.

"Craig instils it in us, that we fight to the end. Every game we go into is a battlefield, and you leave everything on the pitch. Even if you're getting beat eight or 9-0, you still keep going and don't give up.

"There's just a real togetherness in the team, and everybody wants to fight for each other. Even with the new girls coming in over pre-season, it's how our team is built and what we strive to do.

"It's going to be a lot tougher this year. Our aim is just to stay as far away from relegation as possible. It's been two seasons in a row, and although it's fun, you've just got to hope that we can pick up points and try and stay away from it as best as possible."

Image source, SNS

Emma Brownlie is ready to embrace "a great opportunity" as she prepares for her first game with Glasgow City in Sunday's season opener at home to Motherwell.

The 31-year-old defender joined 16-times champions City this summer after three years at Hearts.

Leanne Ross' side are bidding to get back among the trophies after finishing runners-up to Hibs last term.

"It is a great opportunity for me, a new challenge, I felt like I was in a position that I was playing well," said Brownlie.

"I was at a point that I fancied something different, I fancied that new challenge and it seemed to be the right fit.

"It's a club that has had success over the years. Every season they'll go for titles, they'll go for cups and the Champions League. It's good to get back into European football and challenge myself.

"I'm looking forward to it, as players you want all those games, you want those challenges, you want the difficult games, individually and as a squad, we're looking forward to that.

"We are ready, pre-season has been good, there's a lot of new faces in there. I feel like I've known the girls for years, but I've only actually played with a few of them.

"We're very much focused on what we can do. We build a team that can go and challenge. We know that we've got a squad that is going to be competitive."

Image source, SNS

Defender Gill Inglis is hopeful Motherwell can make the SWPL top six again this season but says it will be "really difficult".

Motherwell finished in the top six for the first time in their history last term and also reached the Scottish Cup semi-finals.

The new campaign - which kicks off on Sunday - brings a revamped top flight, with 10 teams rather than 12, and the division splitting into a top six and bottom after 18 games.

"Last season was an amazing season for us, if you look back we achieved our aims of getting to the top six," said Inglis, 35.

"It was an incredibly difficult time, you look at the teams that you play against, you look at the finances that they have and everything, but we did really well getting to the top six.

"Now, the aim this season, can we do the same? Again it is going to be really, really difficult for us, but having been there last season, we almost know what it takes.

"You look at the signings that we've made, and we've got that good mix and blend of youth and experience, and it's so important."

Alfie Robinson
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

After "exceeding expectations" in the "big" games last season, young Hearts defender Carly Girasoli believes her side can pose a real threat for the SWPL title.

A promising campaign ended in disappointment for Girasoli as she ruptured her ACL in September in the 4-0 victory over city rivals Hibs.

After signing a two-year contract extension this summer, Girasoli has high expectations heading into the new campaign with Hearts, who twice beat Hibs and Celtic last season on their way to a fifth-place finish.

"Over the last few years the club has progressed massively and the style of football is great to play," Girasoli, 23, said.

"I think it's a really exciting time to be a part of this club.

"It's about knowing what we have in the dressing room, it's a really special group and now we want to be up there competing and we will.

"I think we exceeded expectations in the big games and surprised a lot of people. But we need to take care of every game because you see how tight it is at the end, sometimes even coming down to goal difference.

"So it's just about keeping those standards all throughout the season."

The former Glasgow City player added: "I think there's a really good balance of young players and experience, it's a really good group.

"The manager [Eva Olid] drives the standards but that's all throughout the team. She's great to play under and I think you can see everything we've been working on coming together, so it's very exciting.

"We want to have a successful season as a team and we know were good enough to be up there challenging."

With the development of women's football over the past few years, the vast majority of the Hearts squad, including Girasoli, are full-time. Something the former London City player feels has allowed for the marked improvement.

"I think it's such a professional environment," she added.

"It's one of the reasons I moved here, I think the facilities we have are some of the best if not the best in the league and that allows us as players to strive to get better every day."

Alfie Robinson
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Chloe Craig says Celtic need to "get the fans back on board" as they look to "right the wrongs" of last season in the new SWPL campaign.

The 2024-2025 season was a bitterly disappointing one for the then defending champions as they finished fourth - 15 points behind table-topping Hibs - and failed to win a domestic cup.

Craig missed the majority of the campaign after suffering an ACL rupture last September, but the centre-back believes if Celtic "block out the noise" they can return to the heights of previous years despite some notable summer departures.

"It's been good to get the girls back in and try and make the wrongs right," Craig said.

"I think it's just about taking the pressure off ourselves. We've not got any pressure on us this season.

"Of course, Champions League was a big thing for us in terms of the amount of games we played. That's something we don't really have this season and can use to our advantage domestically. But for us, in previous seasons, we've won trophies, we've won the league.

"It's just about getting that fire back in the belly to go and redo it.

"I think there's been a lot of noise around the club with either fans or people not liking where it's going or what's happening, stuff like that.

"So for us, it's proving that we are Celtic, we are good, we're still the club that have won trophies previously."

The 31-year-old felt some of last season's woes could be attributed to a lack of experience of being the hunted rather than the hunter. And with women's football developing at a sharp rate, reminding themselves no game is easy is paramount to being successful.

Craig added: "When you compare the team now to the team we won the league with it's completely different.

"But people that come into the team know that they're not just playing for any club, they're playing for Celtic so they know that comes with pressure and high standards.

"With how the seasons have been going previously, you can't take any game lightly. Every team is good and they'll hit you with surprises in their own ways.

"It's just us getting our heads down and trying to get the fans back on board."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Hibs striker Eilidh Adams wants her side to "show what we can do" on the European stage this season.

As the reigning SWPL champions, Hibs have the chance to play Champions League football.

They face Danish side Fortuna Hjorring on 27 August, and striker Eilidh Adams says everyone at the club is "really excited" about the challenge.

"For me and quite a lot of the other girls, it's a new experience," she said.

"I've never played European football before so there's teams you're not familiar with, not really sure what to expect but it's an opportunity to go out there and show what we can do."

Adams is aiming high this season in terms of personal targets.

"Obviously, as a striker, it's the goal tally, I scored 27 last season," she added.

"So this season I'll be looking to hit the 30 mark if I can."

And she's hoping that kind of form will continue to attract the attention of the Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta.

After making her Scotland senior debut against Austria in the Nations League in February of this year, she won her first start four days later against the Netherlands and wants to experience the "privilege" of representing her country again.

"I think it'll be hard to beat last season," Adams said.

"It wasn't until the end of the season that I kind of reflected on it and thought, wow, that was incredible for me, what I achieved."

"It's just about trying to continue with my form, keep improving season upon season.

"So I'll be trying to put myself in the best possible position to hopefully get called up again."

Image source, SNS

Rangers captain Nicola Docherty says Leanne Crichton's "winning mentality" will make her a success as the club's new head coach.

Jo Potter made the move to Crystal Palace this summer, having won back-to-back domestic doubles with the Glasgow club and was replaced by former Glasgow City and Motherwell assistant Crichton.

Docherty, a teammate of Crichton's at Glasgow City, feels the new boss' high standards will improve the teams' mentality, and it will be a "smooth" transition from being her teammate to her boss.

"I've actually found the new dynamic with her being my manager quite smooth because I remember when I look back on my career with Leanne I respected her so much as a player," the defender said.

"So I think that's what makes it easier when she comes in to be my manager. I just remember that respect that I had for her, the winning mentality that she has, the standards that she drove day in, day out, and that's not going to be any different now that she's my manager."

Although they won two of the three competitions they were involved in last term, Potter's side missed out on the league title on the final day, losing to champions Hibernian.

"I think when you look at the cup success, it was amazing what we did," Docherty added.

"We were probably the underdogs going into the Glasgow City game in the final and we came out on top.

"But when you look back at the final day at Ibrox it was obviously a difficult one to take and I told the players to go away and feel that emotion and that hurt because that's what will make us stronger for the upcoming season.

"I think the the key message well be taking into the season is consistency.

"And I think that's where we've let ourselves down in previous years, that winning mentality. It's consistency that wins you league titles".

Image source, SNS

Scotland defender Emma Mukandi has confirmed her retirement from all forms of football.

The 32-year-old has 75 senior caps for her country, following her debut against France back in 2011. Only 20 female players have made more appearances.

She started her career at Glasgow City in 2008 and played for SGS Essen in the Frauen-Bundesliga, Arsenal and Reading before signing for Championship side London City Lionesses in 2023.

"It's so hard to sum up how I feel about playing for Scotland, representing my country is without a doubt the pinnacle of my career," said Mukandi, reflecting on her international career.

"First of all, I'm so proud to be Scottish and to pull that top on 75 times was such a privilege.

"The memories I have from all of the youth squads and into the senior side will stay with me forever."

Mukandi, nee Mitchell, took a break from football in 2021 to give birth to her first child, but made a remarkable return to the national team.

"It made it even more special to have Innes with me on my international journey. I never thought I'd be able to have those moments after having a baby so to come back into the squad as a Mum is one of my greatest achievements," she said.

"The football is just one part of it, but the girls that I met along the way and the times we had together is something that I'll always treasure."

She was most recently called up to the full squad under Pedro Martinez Losa in December 2024, coming on in the 2-0 loss to Finland as Scotland failed to qualify for the Euros.

"You almost can't describe what it means to play for Scotland because it's not just the game, but everything that comes with it.

"The pride, the heartbreak, the successes and the laughs, all done with some of the best people that I've ever met."

Image source, Getty Images

Aberdeen have signed goalkeeper Katie Cox on a season-long loan deal from WSL champions Chelsea.

The 19-year-old academy graduate signed her first professional contract last year and although she is yet to make her senior debut, Cox spent last season as part of the treble-winning side's travelling party.

The goalkeeper was also part of the matchday squad for their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona the previous season.

"I'm delighted to be here. This will be a great experience for me and I can't wait to get going," the England Under-19 international told RedTV, external.

"Last season I took in so much being around the first-team set-up at Chelsea and now I can't wait to show what I've learned.

"It is a chance for me to really develop and hopefully I can help the team out. I am ready for a challenge and I really want to push myself."

Image source, SNS

Hayley Lauder says it "makes sense" to take on a player-assistant coach role at Glasgow City.

The 35-year-old midfielder fills the position after former assistant Leanne Crichton joined Rangers as their new head coach.

Lauder has made 252 appearances since joining City in December 2014 and has won seven SWPL titles, two Scottish Cups and one League Cup.

"I'm very excited," Lauder said.

"The stage that I'm at playing wise, it is a move that makes sense for me.

"I can continue providing that support as a player to the team, but also as a member of staff to Leanne [Ross].

"We have always had a good relationship and one that is really honest. We can challenge each other, but always have that respect there. I'm looking forward to continuing that."

City head coach Leanne Ross said Lauder's "knowledge of the game is exceptional" and added: "She's been a leader on the pitch for years - now she'll bring that same insight and passion to the coaching side."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

New Rangers head coach Leanne Crichton has been speaking to the media after being officially unveiled at Ibrox.

Here are the key points:

• Crichton insists the immediate focus will be on winning, with the SWPL campaign starting on 17 August, adding that "you need to win and being second best is ultimately unacceptable".

• Rangers have narrowly missed out on the league title in each of the past three seasons and the former Scotland international is keen to find solutions as to why they've not managed to get over that line.

• "That's the detail I need to find," she tells BBC Scotland. "It's about the one per cents, the mentality shift to really focus on that."

• Crichton adds: "I think everybody in Scottish women's football and beyond has enjoyed that level of competition, but for us it would be about ultimately getting over the line and we know with that comes the lure of European football as well."

• The former Motherwell and Glasgow City assistant described her appointment as an "unbelievable opportunity" given "the magnitude of the job and the club" and said her coaching journey to this point comes off the back of progress over a "long, long time".

• She also believes that playing at Ibrox more consistently in the upcoming season will be "huge" and is really "proud to be the head coach that takes that forward".

Image source, SNS

The first Edinburgh derby will be shown live on BBC Alba as Hearts host reigning champions, and city rivals, Hibs.

BBC Alba will also broadcast Aberdeen v Celtic live on Sunday 14 September, and the following weekend will see Elena Sadiku's side host title winners Hibs on Sunday 21 September, followed by Rangers v Glasgow City on Sunday 28 September.

BBC Sport Scotland will be live with all the action from Partick Thistle v Rangers on Sunday 14 September, and Glasgow City v Hearts on Sunday 21 September.

Image source, SNS

After securing back-to-back domestic cup doubles, and narrowly missing out on the league title two years in a row, Jo Potter left Rangers on a high.

And it's fair to say Leanne Crichton will have big boots to fill as she takes over as manager of the Glasgow club.

BBC Scotland have taken a look at what Rangers fans can expect from their new boss.

Scottish knowledge

As far as the Scottish game is concerned, Crichton has been there, seen it, done it and bought the t-shirt.

During her time as a player at Glasgow City, she helped the club snag three domestic trebles in a row and reached the UWCL quarter-finals not once, but twice, in a City shirt.

The midfielder also spent time with Celtic, Hibs and Motherwell during her playing career before switching to the dugout.

The 37-year-old has also been a key player in driving the women's game forward in Scotland off the pitch and has become a regular television and radio pundit across the BBC.

International experience galore

At international level, Crichton earned 72 caps for the national team and scored three goals in those outings.

She was in the first SWNT squad to appear in a major tournament back at Euro 2017 and was selected again for the World Cup in 2019 - albeit Scotland didn't make it out of the group stage.

The midfielder continued to play up until as recently as 2020, having earned her first senior cap in 2009 following several successful years with the Under-19s.

In the dug out

Crichton's not lacking in managerial experience either, and while she's not faced the challenge of managing an SWPL side outright, she has a wealth of assistant manager experience.

She earned her UEFA B Licence in 2017 and was issued her A Licence in 2022.

After leaving Glasgow City in 2021, Crichton joined up with Motherwell as a player-coach before officially hanging up her boots the following campaign.

As part of her role at K-Park, Crichton helped the side to two successive seventh-place finishes in the top division as well as a Scottish Cup semi-final appearance at Hampden.

She returned to Glasgow City last year as assistant first team coach to former teammate Leanne Ross.

She helped guide City to a second-place SWPL finish, narrowly missing out on the trophy, as they also secured a spot in the UWCL qualifiers for the 2025/26 season.