Scottish Women's Football

Image source, PFA Scotland

"Shocked" Grant Scott was "incredibly humbled" to be voted PFA Scotland SWPL manager of the year after the Hibernian head coach was chosen by his peers.

He has already guided Hibs to a League Cup final this term and they sit top of the SWPL with three games left.

Should they remain there come 18 May - the final day of the season - it would be the club's first title win since 2007, which Scott says would be "a huge, huge thing".

"We haven't won it yet, there's a lot of work to do, strange as that is since there's three games to go but we've got very, very difficult opponents to play," Scott said.

"But, we'll continue to push. If, and it's a massive big if because of the seriousness of the competition out there, but if we were to manage to be successful, it would be absolutely huge in the new era of Scottish women's football, where the teams are properly professional.

"It would be a huge, huge thing for Hibernian."

Such is the enormity of their potential success, Scott received the recognition from his fellow managers.

"It's quite humbling that you put your wits against each other week to week, season on season, and for them to recognise that we've done a good job," he added.

"It's not all about me, it's the whole function that goes on behind the team, so I'm delighted to get that recognition from your peers."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Lee Gibson (Glasgow City): At 0-0, the Scotland international made a terrific save to deny an almost-certain Celtic goal. Handled everything that came her way calmly.

Lauren Doran-Barr (Hibernian): So comfortable breaking forward and trying to initiate attacks. Her lofted ball over the top was inch-perfect for as she set up Hibs' second goal in the derby victory over Hearts.

Megan Burns (Dundee United): Scored a couple of goals helping United to only their second win of the season. The defender showed desire despite United's season effectively being over with relegation confirmed.

Samantha van Diemen (Glasgow City): The ever-impressive defender was busy at the back for City. Made some vital challenges and blocks and clearances to help her side to a vital win against Celtic.

Cassie Cowper (Montrose): Played a key role in what could be a significant win for her side. Made a vital goalline clearance at 1-1, set up the winner, then produced a great block to prevent Spartans grabbing an equaliser.

Louise Brown (Montrose): Scored the winning goal for Montrose, and what a big goal it could prove to be as they continue the fight to climb out of the third relegation spot.

Kirsty Maclean (Rangers): Very influential for Jo Potter's side as she controlled the play. Set up Rangers' fifth goal as they returned to winnings ways against Motherwell.

Tegan Bowie (Hibernian): Worked tirelessly out wide, beating players to create and set up attacks for Hibs. Could have been among the goals, while her assist for their openinger was brilliant.

Kathleen McGovern (Hibernian): Her goalscoring form continues. The forward was alert and brave at both her goals, helping Hibs remain at the top of the SWPL.

Katie Wilkinson (Rangers): Another hat-trick as the English striker proved ruthless once again for Rangers. Five goals in all for her at the weekend, and it could have been more.

Nicole Kozlova (Glasgow City): Scored two crucial goals for City. Her first was the most impressive as she raced down the left and somehow scored from a tight angle.

Watch the best of Sunday's action in the top six of the SWPL, including a derby victory for leaders Hibernian and important wins for title-chasing Glasgow City and Rangers.

Watch the best of Sunday's action in the bottom six of the SWPL, including important wins for Aberdeen and Montrose, as well as a rare victory for bottom side Dundee United.

Image source, PFA Scotland

A move to full-time football with Celtic. Champions League debut. Scotland call-up. First Scotland goal. And now a PFA Scotland SWPL player of the year award.

Emma Lawton knows it's going to be tricky to top her last 12 months.

Since signing for the reigning champions in September from part-time Partick Thistle, the 23-year-old has been on a rollercoaster ride.

A shining bright light in an otherwise disappointing campaign for Elena Sadiku's side, the right-back's stellar season was recognised by her peers as she beat off Hibernian forward Eilidh Adams, Rangers striker Katie Wilkinson and Glasgow City defender Samantha van Diemen.

"It's a real honour when it's voted by the people you play against every week, it's special," the Scotland international said.

"It's just been mad but I've absolutely loved every minute of it," she said of her first season in full-time football.

"I think it's going to be really hard to live up to these12 months, but I'll just keep working hard and just see what my footballing career brings."

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Glasgow City head coach Leanne Ross: "Three-game weeks are difficult for the players, but they've went and carried out the game-plan with so much energy.

"All we can do is focus on the next game, which we've tried to do all season. It's really tight at the top, things can still change a lot so we just need to recover and focus.

"We can't look too far ahead, we just have to play Hibs. We're in a good position."

Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku: "It's not a 3-1 game, it never was, but it's kind of the story of our season. We can dominate and create chances and then we're not switched on and they score, even when they haven't been in the game.

"We need to fight for top three. We need to be there, but it's going to be hard.

"We're not going to win the league now, but we need to learn that being a champion brings more pressure."

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Hearts manager Eva Olid: "They deserved the win, they showed more character than us and wanted it more than us.

"The message was to keep the ball because they were creating chances from our mistakes. We tried, but we have to be better."

Hibernian head coach Grant Scott: "That's an important three points for us. We've been discussing in-house about being professional, turning up and putting in a performance so I'm delighted to come here to a tough place and do that.

"We know we're at the really important stage of the season now and winning is everything."

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Rangers manager Jo Potter: "I asked the players to step up and out and give a better performance than we have done. We needed that one today and we've got to use that to kick on.

"We've got to try and win every single game we go into and we've got to keep the pressure on and keep pushing until the last second."

Motherwell head coach Paul Brownlie: "I don't think it was a 6-0 game so I'm disappointed with the result. It's been a really intense week for the players - a Scottish Cup semi-final then a midweek game at Hibs - it was difficult, but we asked them to give us everything and they did that."

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Aberdeen manager Scott Booth: "It was extremely messy. We want to play good football but at this stage of the season, the points are more important and I'm glad we could see it out after a tough couple of weeks.

"The wind didn't help the game for either side."

Partick Thistle assistant coach Ross Stormonth: "We struggled today, we didn't have a shot on goal or create much - it was a poor game our end.

"It was probably a poor game for the spectator. We want to finish the season strong, hopefully today was just a blip."

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Montrose manager Craig Feroz: "It was a battle, as we'd expect, Spartans are a good side, but I thought overall we deserved the win.

"It's been seven cup finals, we've got three to go. It's not in our hands, we just need to keep winning to try and stay in this league."

Spartans head coach Jack Beesley: "It was a tight game, but we can't have any complaints with the outcome.

"You can't concede those goals at any level. It was really disappointing and a poor day at the office."

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Queen's Park head coach Iain Robinson: "I thought we were pretty poor, the goals we conceded, we knew they'd be a threat from set pieces.

"The quality in our action wasn't there today. They carried out their plan better than us and wanted it more."

Dundee United head coach Suzy Shepherd: "Overall, I thought it was a really good performance, we dominated from start to finish and could have been seven or eight for us.

"We played some really nice football and I'm really pleased for the girls because they deserved that today."

Image source, SNS

Celtic right-back Emma Lawton is the SWPL player of the year, with Hibernian's Grant Scott collecting the manager's prize at the PFA Scotland awards ceremony.

Hibs are the surprise league leaders after 29 games, having lost just three times.

Lawton, 23, has impressed in her first full season at Celtic and has broken into the Scotland team in 2025, playing in all four Nations League group games.

Rangers forward Laura Berry won the young player of the year, with the 17-year-old shining on her return to the club after spending the first half of the season on loan at Motherwell.

Image source, SNS

Decisive derby

It's the final Edinburgh derby of the season on Sunday and the last chance for either Hearts or Hibs to take the final bragging rights of the season.

Not only is it a massive match for title chasing Hibs, who risk slipping off the top of the SWPL if they don't win, but also for Hearts if they want any chance of challenging for a Champions League spot for next season.

Hearts were winners last time out at Meadowbank and Eva Olid's side have actually won three out of the last four meetings between the sides in all competitions - including knocking their rivals out of the Scottish Cup in December.

Expect all the drama at Oriam on Sunday.

Big one at the bottom

There's another huge contest at the other end of the table as relegation-threatened Montrose host fellow strugglers Spartans.

There's three points between the sides but goal difference favours Spartans so while a win for Craig Feroz's side won't move them out of the relegation zone, it'll put them in a much more favourable position going into the final three games of the season.

Spartans have come out on top in all three meetings between the sides this season and have scored nine goals but the last time these two met, back in March, Jack Beesley's side had to come from two goals down to overcome Montrose.

Lots at stake at Links Park on Sunday.

How to follow on BBC

Glasgow City's game against Celtic is live on the BBC Sport Scotland website and app when it kicks off at 13:00 BST.

Later on, the Edinburgh derby between Hearts and Hibs will be shown on BBC Alba, as well as the Sport Scotland website, app and on iPlayer. That one kicks off at 16:10.

There's also live text commentary of all of Sunday's games on the BBC Sport website and app.

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"I needed time to live in it, sit in it and just not speak about it. Now, I feel in a place where I'm quite comfortable with the decision I've made."

Fiona Brown did not take the decision to retire at 30 lightly, but the Scotland international knew it was one that "needed to happen" after recovering from a fourth ACL injury.

The Glasgow City winger endured a flare-up while making her return from the agonising injury she picked up last April and she knew then she couldn't put her body at any greater risk.

"The reason I need to stop playing is because the risk is too high for me," Brown said on the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"There's so much life to be lived after football, I'm an active person, I need that life to be active and I can't run the risk with that.

"It wasn't the decision I wanted to make, obviously, so it was quite hard, but then I needed time to live in it, sit in it and just not speak about it.

"Now that it's out, I feel in a place where I'm quite comfortable with the decision I've made - I know that it's the right one and even if it's not exactly what I wanted, it's what needs to happen.

"I'm starting to get to a place where I'm actually really grateful for what I've been able to do, instead of what I'm not going to be able to do."

And Brown might not be done just yet for a City side who not only sit second in the SWPL, but who have booked their place in the Scottish Cup final later this month against Rangers.

Does one final run-out at Hampden await?

"I'm delighted from a selfish point of view," Brown added.

"It's a potential opportunity to get back to Hampden, but either way we want to win silverware again."

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Grant Scott's nomination for SWPL manager of the year is "a good sign of how well the club are doing", according to the Hibs head coach.

Hibs extended their lead at the summit to three points on Wednesday night by beating Motherwell while Rangers lost to Glasgow City.

With four games left, Scott said "it's the best place to be" but he's far from popping the champagne.

"It's incredible that we're there," he told BBC Scotland. "I think the group's been amazing all season but we know it's going to be a tough job. There's some really, really good football teams chasing us down, but it's the best place to be at this point.

"The whole club's bouncing along nicely on all fronts, ourselves included. The girls are in good spirits, and we've said it for a few months now, there's a good feel around the place when we're working during the week.

"But the squad have stuck together well, we've had some tough moments that we've been through, with tough moments to come but I think that's the strength of the group right now."

The strength of their season so far has earned a PFA Scotland manager of the year nomination for Scott alongside Leanne Ross, Jo Potter and opposite number on Wednesday night, Paul Brownlie.

"It's nice to get the nomination for sure, but I'm just the guy that gets to do the glamour stuff like this and give interviews and whatnot - there's a massive team operation behind me," Scott added.

"So if we won the award, it'd be for them as much as anything else. I think it's a good sign of where the club is and how well we're doing."

On the back of a first top-six finish and a second Scottish Cup semi-final appearance in three years, Brownlie was also shortlisted, but the Motherwell head coach admitted he was "embarrassed" by the recognition.

"I'm a bit embarrassed if I'm being honest, that's just the type of person that I am," he said. "I'm quite humble and I'm somebody that's there to help develop players and that's been a big part of my job the last four years.

"This year has obviously been really successful, the top-six finish, but I'm there because of the players. I've got a fantastic staff group, I've got a lot of support from them so I'm delighted to be nominated."

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Head coach Leanne Ross insists Glasgow City are "not going away" after they leapfrogged Rangers into second place in the SWPL with a narrow win at Ibrox.

The 16-time league winners are now just three points off leaders Hibs, who they travel to face a week on Sunday.

Ross, who won 14 titles with City as a player, is not looking beyond Sunday's meeting with reigning champions Celtic, though, in a race she expects to go down to the wire.

"I told the players in the circle there at the end, it means absolutely nothing unless we go and put in a similar performance and get a decent result on Sunday again," the head coach told BBC Scotland at Ibrox.

"Celtic, we know, will come to Petershill and it'll be an extremely difficult game, but we need to be ready for that and we need to keep fighting because this title race is not over.

"It's very competitive and I think that it shows that we're not going to go away.

"People have been writing us off when we maybe have a poor result, but this is going to go right down the wire again."

It's a result that leaves Jo Potter's treble-chasing Rangers five points adrift of Hibs, though, and with back-to-back defeats in the division.

"We've got to make sure that when we're stepping on to the pitch that we're doing our all to represent this club and fight for titles and fight for Champions League spots and fight for cup finals," Potter said.

"We can't just show it in glimpses, we've got to show it consistently and we've just got to look to do that a little bit better because we've been well short of that the last week."

Rangers host Motherwell on Sunday - a week after defeating them at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final - and the manager is demanding a reaction.

"That's two league games back to back that we've lost and we did that just before Christmas," the former England international added.

"We did have a very good reaction to that post the Christmas break, but we managed to have a Christmas break. We don't have the luxury of that now.

"We need a response, we need a reaction and we need one pretty quick."

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Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku: "It's a great feeling, many times in the game we were just waiting for the goal to come because I think we were really good.

"We've been talking about being clinical and everything around it and for us to get the win this is something we need to build on and keep doing.

"The backline did a really good job, the goal that we conceded that's a handball, but overall we defended our box really, really well."

Hearts head coach Eva Olid: "I'm so frustrated that we conceded in the last minute, it's not fair that we lost this game, it probably was a 1-1 game because both teams had our chances and were so competitive.

"It's done, we didn't take our chances. There were a lot of moments in the game where we didn't control the ball, and we are a team that need to control the ball. It was so transitional and difficult."

Image source, Reuters

Scotland captain Rachel Corsie made her long-awaited return to action on Wednesday, featuring as a late substitute for Aston Villa in their big win over Arsenal.

The 35-year-old central defender came off the bench for the last few minutes of the 5-2 victory at Villa Park.

It was a first appearance of the season for Corsie, who underwent knee surgery in October.

The last of her 154 international caps came in July 2024.