Scottish Women's Football

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Jenna Ferguson says it was an "easy decision" to leave Rangers for a permanent deal with Partick Thistle.

The Scotland Under-19 defender has joined Brian Graham's side after impressing on loan last season, playing 24 games and helping Thistle to a top-six league finish and SWPL Cup final appearance.

Ferguson, 18, said: "I really enjoyed my time at Thistle last season so it was an easy decision to make to come back permanently.

"I got a lot of experience of first-team football and I feel it really helped me grow and improve as a player.

"After such a good season for the team last year, I’m excited to get back and look to improve on that."

Manager Graham said Ferguson is impressively "calm and composed on the ball" for a teenager and can "still improve so much".

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Former Hibernian captain Joelle Murray is hoping professional status across the women's game will make the league more competitive.

Murray, who retired this year, recently participated in a women's football summit in Bilbao.

The former Scotland defender played a big part in the progress of women's football in the country and wants to see that continue.

"It’s important to hear what other countries are doing in certain areas within the women's game," Murray told Fifpro, external.

"Hopefully, between players and union representatives, we can take that back to our respective countries and implement them for the betterment of the game.

"As a footballer playing in Scotland, we want to strive towards that fully professional status across the game, which in turn would – and should – hopefully make the competition a lot closer when it comes to competitive games."

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Dutch midfielder Tessel Middag has extended her Rangers stay to a fourth season after signing a one-year contract extension.

The 31-year-old, who joined the club in 2021, was an ever-present last season, making 41 appearances as Jo Potter's side won the Scottish Cup and SWPL Cup.

"I’m delighted to stay at Rangers for another year," said Middag.

"It has been great - I came in the first place because I want to play at the highest level and for trophies.

"We qualified ourselves for Champions League qualification rounds, which is another massive thing to look forward to in the new season.

"I am absolutely delighted to stay. We have a very good set of facilities and I am really looking forward to the new season already."

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Portugal defender Bruna Lourenco has become Celtic boss Elena Sadiku's fifth summer signing after making the switch from Sporting Lisbon.

Lourenco, 25, has signed a two-year deal with the SWPL champions.

During eight years with Sporting, Lourenco won two league titles and three domestics cups as well as captaining the side on several occasions.

"I am delighted that Bruna’s mentality and drive to win exactly align with our objectives as a team going into next season," Sadiku said.

"Bruna caught my eye with her impressive offensive skills as a centre-back.

"Her ability to break lines and remain calm under pressure, combined with her determination to win the ball back in defence, are exactly what I look for."

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Laura Rafferty was "certain" she wanted to join Rangers after one phone call with head coach Jo Potter.

The Northern Ireland defender, 28, has agreed a two-year deal to move to Ibrox following the expiration of her Southampton contract.

Rafferty, who becomes Potter's third signing this summer, said: "It’s so important to want to play for a manager.

"Jo lives and breathes football and I want to be out on the pitch just as much as anyone else now that I’m 28 and in my prime.

"When you have a manager that wants to make marginal differences and aim for top targets, that’s a dream for me as a player. It was definitely the thing that crossed the line for me.

"One of my ambitions is to win things and be part of a winning mentality, and I know that we have that here with Rangers."

Rafferty made her Northern Ireland debut in 2013 and has more than 30 caps. Starting her senior career at Chelsea, she also turned out for Brighton and Bristol City before joining Southampton in 2021.

Rangers boss Potter is "super excited" to secure Rafferty, adding: "I think you can see her CV and the calibre of player that she is and what she can bring to the squad.

"From the very first conversation that we had I was impressed with her and how she handles herself."

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Linzi Taylor's experience will be "invaluable" to Hibs, says head coach Grant Scott, after signing the midfielder from fellow SWPL side Partick Thistle.

Taylor, who can also play across the backline, has agreed a two-year deal with the Edinburgh outfit after two seasons with Thistle.

The 29-year-old scored 13 goals across 84 appearances for Brian Graham's team and previously played for Celtic as well as clubs in Cyprus and Israel.

"I’m delighted to be here," Taylor told club media, external.

"I know Hibs is a massive club in Scottish football and I’m over the moon to be signing here.

"I’ve spoken with Grant and I know the goals and ambitions they have for next year and I can’t wait to get started."

Manager Scott added: "Myself and the coaching staff have been watching Linzi closely over the past season and we’re pleased she’s decided to make Hibernian her next move.

"Her skill-set and dedication are exactly what we need as we continue to strengthen our squad."

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Celtic have signed Danish twin sisters Signe and Mathilde Carstens on two-year deals.

The 22-year-old pair make the switch to Glasgow from head coach Elena Sadiku's former Danish club, Fortuna Hjorring.

Both played under Sadiku during her time as Fortuna assistant and have played in the Women's Champions League as well as recently being called up by Denmark Under-23s.

Sadiku said: "I’m so happy that Mathilde and Signe chose to join Celtic.

"It truly shows that players abroad believe in our vision and what we want to achieve in the upcoming seasons.

"Signe is a great player with exceptional in-game understanding and technical ability on the ball, while Mathilde, with her outstanding dribbling ability, will enhance our game with both assists and goals."

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Chinese pair Shen Menglu and Shen Mengyu have left Celtic after helping the club to their first SWPL title last month.

Midfielder Mengyu joined the club in 2021 and netted 10 goals in 67 appearances.

The 22-year-old departs having also won the Scottish Cup twice and SWPL Cup once.

Menglu, 22, made 41 appearances during her two-year spell in Glasgow, scoring seven goals. She also helped Celtic to Scottish Cup success last year.

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Brogan Hay wants to keep winning trophies after signing a contract extension with Rangers.

The midfielder last month committed to Jo Potter's side for the next three seasons after lifting the Scottish Cup and SWPL Cup in the 2023-24 season.

"Winning trophies, you never get sick and tired of that feeling," she told RangersTV, external.

"Especially doing it alongside some of your best friends. Hopefully we can add more trophies to the cabinet.

"I think a lot of our success comes from the real competitive environment that we create. It pushes everyone to be the best version of themselves. It helps everybody on the pitch.

"We want to get success and we'll look back on what we've already done to see what we need to do to become even more successful."

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Rangers have confirmed that Welsh international Rachel Rowe will leave the club this summer to return home.

The 31-year-old joined the club last summer and played an integral part in Jo Potter's double-winning side and was also named the PFA's SWPL1 player of the year.

"Firstly, I just want to thank everyone at Rangers for welcoming me to this great club," the midfielder told club media, external.

“Jo put a lot of faith in me bringing me up here and I am grateful for the opportunity to play in front of such fantastic fans during my time in Scotland.

“I hold my loved ones very close to my heart and it is what brings me ultimate happiness. This past season was amazing, but there was something missing and it was them. Moving closer to home will give me more balance and that’s what I value the most.

“I would like to thank my teammates for helping me be part of a side that lifted a cup double, and I will be supporting the club and the girls from afar and wish them all the very best for the future.”

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Celtic have confirmed the signing of full-back Amy Richardson from WSL side Everton.

The 18-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-year deal with Elena Sadiku's side.

Richardson has previously worked under Sadiku during the manager's time with Everton's women's youth academy.

Commenting on the full-back's arrival, Sadiku told club media, external: "Amy is a really good young player who has the potential to become great with her skills and the mentality of being the best she can be every day.

"I have already coached her during my time at Everton so it’s going to be great to have her in the team and see her develop in our environment."

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Irish international Claire Walsh has put pen to paper on a contract extension at Glasgow City.

The defender played a huge part in City's title-winning 2022-23 season, but missed most of last season through injury.

"I am delighted to extend my stay with Glasgow City," Walsh told club media, external.

"I feel at home at the club and I can’t wait to get going for next season."

Head coach Leanne Ross added: "In the time Claire has already spent here, she has shown the fans the quality she adds to the team on the pitch, whilst we see every day the professionalism, experience and leadership she brings to the dressing room.

"After playing such an influential role in our 2022/23 title winning season, it was a huge blow for us to lose Claire to injury for the majority of last season.

"Having her back fit and ready for the start of next season will feel like having a new signing in the building and be a massive boost to everyone at the club."

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The SWPL recently announced plans to change the size of the top flight from 12 teams to 10, meaning three will be automatically relegated at the end of the upcoming campaign.

Here's some of your thoughts on the matter:

Craig: Awful. You'd think they'd find four more teams to make two leagues of 12. Reducing the league can mean less players in a squad so more international or better players might move abroad for more game time. Very disappointing.

Anonymous: Terrible decision. Can’t believe the rest of the teams in league are happy about this. Surely hinders the development of young players if more having to play in SWPL 2 instead of testing themselves v the best players.

Anonymous: There is no way we can tell the future however this decision feels badly timed and rushed. There is still a need for increased investment to allow the leagues to flourish but this feels like it's a fast track to domination by a small number of teams and that is something most fans don't want to see. If we could see the future, it probably would look like the current status of the men's game in Scotland. Is that what fans want?

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Rio Hardy says she has "unfinished business" in the Champions League and is excited to test herself against the best once again.

It's the first time since 2022 that Rangers will feature in the top European competition after finishing second in the SWPL.

Hardy has Champions League experience with previous club Apollon Ladies.

"I am a winner so I really wanted to come and contribute as much as I possibly could to the team so far," the striker said.

“It was a great experience, obviously you want to test yourself against the best and the Champions League is an opportunity to do that.

“I do feel like I do have a bit of unfinished business, we didn't go as far as we wanted to go in that competition, so I think I am really excited to get back into that next season.”

Strike partner Kirsty Howat, who also experienced the top continental competition with former club Glasgow City, is also excited about a return to Europe's elite.

“It is a really good experience playing in the Champions League and I am really excited to do it all over again with different coaching and playing staff," she told club media, external.

“It is massive for the club; it is where we want to be so to be there again next season is exciting.

“I have loved my time here. I have been here nearly four years now so there is really no place I would rather be and I am happy to be here.”

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Celtic boss Elena Sadiku has made her first summer signing with Hibs midfielder Shannon McGregor joining the SWPL champions.

The 24-year-old has agreed a three-year deal with the Glasgow side after leaving Hibs following the expiration of her contract.

McGregor spent seven years with the Edinburgh outfit, playing 125 matches, lifting the League Cup twice and the Scottish Cup once.

"This is a dream come true for me," she told CelticTV, external.

"I'm a huge Celtic fan so I'm over the moon. It's going to be a huge change for me but it's something I'm really looking forward to.

"The whole set-up at the club seems amazing. I've always looked at Celtic as a team where I really like the style of play and I could always see myself fitting into that positive play."

Sadiku also shared her delight at landing McGregor.

"I’m really excited to have Shannon on board for the next couple of years," the Swede said.

"She’s the right player when it comes to her quality and she has the right mindset to contribute and help the team to achieve more success."

Big changes to come in the Scottish women's game.

The SWPL will switch to two leagues of 10 teams from the 2025-2026 season, reducing the number of matches in the top flight.

Once the two leagues of 10 are established, clubs will meet home and away to complete an initial 18 matches, followed by a top six and bottom four split.

What do you make of the decision? An astute improvement or unncessary tinkering?

Give us your thoughts. , external

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The lack of progress on how to prevent ACL injuries in women players is "unacceptable", says former Scotland midfielder Leanne Crichton.

Glasgow City pair Kenzie Weir and Fiona Brown - who has suffered the injury for the fourth time in her career - and Hearts' Georgia Hunter are some of the latest players ruled out with the issue.

"We've seen these high-profile injuries across the league again," Crichton told the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"It's hard to get away from these discussion points now. There has to be so much more done over the next couple of years. We need to try and fast-track the process in how we nullify these injuries.

"In Scotland it's frustrating and disappointing. Hopefully we start to take it seriously. I still don't think we're doing enough to get it right and make it better.

"We were caught up in the hype of the title race at the end of the season and still found ourselves having these conversations."

Crichton believes the increased international schedule is also a "significant factor".

"It's not helping reduce the statistics around serious injuries. There has to be more done," she added.

"I know there's stuff there in the pipeline but there has to be more. The length of time we're losing players across Europe is unacceptable."

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Martha Thomas' return has brought confidence back to Pedro Martinez Losa's Scotland squad, says Leanne Crichton.

After missing Scotland's opening two Euro 2025 qualifiers - the goalless draw in Serbia and 1-0 home win over Slovakia - through injury the Tottenham striker has returned in style by scoring five in back-to-back wins over Israel.

Four of those goals came in Tuesday's 5-0 thumping in Budapest and the 28-year-old's tally stands at eight goals in her last four Scotland matches.

Speaking on the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast, former Scotland midfielder Crichton said: "That first international hat-trick is quite significant.

"You don't score many international hat-tricks when you're a Scotland player, especially now, and it's only going to get tougher.

"We've seen the groups Scotland have been drawn in in qualifying phases. In international tournaments it's unlikely you're going to get those chances.

"I just think the confidence overall has improved with having Martha back in the squad, she's a player who thrives on goalscoring."

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Leah Eddie has relished the learning experience of being part of the Scotland squad over the past week.

The defender, who recently joined Rangers from Hibs, captained the Under-23s in their narrow defeat to Denmark before taking Sarah Ewens' place in the senior squad where she was on the bench for the double-header with Israel.

"I've got a completely different role here than I do with the Under-23s," Eddie told the Scottish FA.

"It's good to be in the leadership group when I'm away with the Under-23s but then come in and get some valuable time with the older players and see how they do things a wee bit differently from the under-23s.

"Even just training alongside the girls, the likes of Rachel Corsie and stuff who are playing at different clubs and even down south, I can learn a lot from it and take that back to the Under-23s as well."

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Scotland "needed" the outstanding performance they delivered against Israel on Tuesday and are heading into the summer on a high, says captain Rachel Corsie.

Four-goal Martha Thomas inspired the Scots to a 5-0 trouncing of Israel in Budapest four days after Pedro Martinez Losa's side tailed off in the second half of a 4-1 win over the same opposition.

With two Euro 2025 qualifiers remaining, Scotland top the group and their only dropped points came in a goalless draw at second-place Serbia.

On the 5-0 win over Israel, Corsie told the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast: "I think the biggest message was to try and create clear opportunities.

"Not to force it but give players like Martha Thomas, Kirsty Hanson and Claire Emslie good opportunities.

"You don't want the pressure to be that you need to score a worldie, it's just nice if you can give them an opportunity when you know the odds are they're going to put it away.

"We felt we needed a performance like the one on Tuesday night. It was a really good feeling.

"It was good to see that rhythm, the result, score some good goals and see different people contributing.

"It's been a nice way to go into the summer break. There's still two games to come in July but we've put ourselves in as good a position as we can going into that camp."

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Former Scotland defender Joelle Murray says back-to-back wins over Israel have given Pedro Martinez Losa's side a "big lift".

The Scots followed up their 4-1 home win with a 5-0 victory over the Israelis in Budapest, Hungary, to ensure a play-off spot and stay top of the group, above Serbia on goal difference.

"I think it'll give the girls, the squad, a big, big lift," recently-retired former Hibs captain Murray told the BBC's Scottish Football podcast.

"There was lots of non-football chat prior to both games and the girls showed their professionalism.

"They showed that they can fully focus on the task in hand. And they've done that in emphatic performances, both at Hampden and in Hungary.

"I think these last two games really showed that cohesive performance that we've all been waiting for.

"We know individually there's quality in those players but up until the last two games we've not really seen that kind of cohesion and link-up play."