Scottish Women's Football

Image source, Glasgow City FC

"There's no perfect job in football, but looking at this just now, it's as close to perfect as it could be."

It's safe to say Leanne Crichton is buzzing about returning home to Glasgow City.

The former midfielder enjoyed three highly successful spells at Petershill Park and will return as assistant coach to former team-mate, Leanne Ross.

"It's been a bit of a whirlwind, the last couple of days my phone has been busy," Crichton said on the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"Folk that are City daft are buzzing that a former player is coming back.

"That seems to be the vibe and it's just one of these things that caught me off guard. My mind was blown."

After a few years away from the City sphere, Crichton has perhaps forgot the impact she had on those of a City persuasion.

She's learning a few things on her return, though, none more so than the vast improvements the club have made in the three years since she left.

"It feels like a new club," she added. "I totally underestimated how different it was, the facilities and the resources.

"I never realised the staffing structure was as extensive as it is, everything that Glasgow City have got is what most of the top-flight men's sides in Scotland are operating with, it's probably better than some.

"From the outside looking in, people might think it's a gamble or a bit risky, but it's going to be unbelievable."

Everything is falling into place for new mum Crichton who describes the switch as a "sliding doors moment".

"One of the reasons I left Glasgow City was to go and make mistakes," she said.

"Go and coach and learn and develop and sell myself as a coach in a different environment, not somewhere I was protected and where I had a status as a former player having achieved so much.

"It is complete a sliding doors moment, it's such a crossroads with my work-life balance for what that looked like for me and my family. There's no perfect job in football, but looking at this just now, it's as close to perfect as it could be."

You can listen and subscribe to the Behind the Goals podcast with Rachel and Leanne here.

Leanne Crichton and Rachel Corsie discuss Leanne's return to Glasgow City as Leanne Ross' assistant coach on Behind the Goals.

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Lee Gibson (Glasgow City): It might not have been her busiest afternoon, but at 2-0 she saved a Thistle effort which, if it had gone in, could have put a different perspective on the match.

Stacey Papadopoulous (Hibs): Had a lot of joy breaking forward from the back and her deliveries set up two goals. She was a real threat down the flank.

Caitlin Hayes (Celtic): A steady and calming influence at the back for Celtic. Was happy venturing forward against Motherwell too.

Emma Lawton (Celtic): She’s stepped up a level with ease and is fast becoming a key player for Celtic. She’s so versatile, switching into the back three so naturally against Motherwell, and once again was an attacking threat with a goal and an assist.

Emma Brownlie (Hearts): As well dealing with her defensive duties, she’s also full of intent to get forward setting up attacks. Two assists this weekend and it could have been more.

Lisa Evans (Glasgow City): After a brilliant performance for her country midweek, she brought that to club level this weekend. Her experience is vital for City, and that was evident this weekend on and off the ball.

Kirsty Maclean (Rangers): Back in the Rangers team after injury and scored her first goals of the season for her side. Her second strike was a beauty from distance as she looped the ball in off the crossbar.

Lisa Robertson (Hearts): So influential for Hearts, and this weekend she among the goals too. She showed great technique to open the scoring for her side and she kept her cool to score from the penalty spot too.

Charlie Devlin (Rangers): Looks to be finding her feet at Rangers after her September move. Her hat-trick of goals, her first for the club, helped Rangers bounce back from their league slip up last time out. A good afternoon capped off with two assists as well.

Eilidh Adams (Hibs): Scored two quick fire goals, firstly putting Hibs in front then making the lead more commfortable. She’s in terrific form - that’s now 17 goals in 13 games.

Brenna Lovera (Glasgow City): Her return to form from a long-term injury has been impressive. She was back among the goals again this weekend as she helped City maintain their unbeaten streak. Aside from scoring she also tracked back when she had to halt Thistle in their tracks.

We asked you for your views from the weekend's action.

Here's what you had to say:

Richard: Another competent and well-managed game and, of course, result for the Jambos. It was especially pleasing to see the next generation blooded again with starts for Broadrick, Ilijoski, Greenwood and Jardine, making the future look rosy when coupled with the Husband twins.

The star of the show, however, was the fantastic, seemingly ever-youthful Lisa Robertson, who darted with gusto for the entire 90, covering every inch of the park and, was unlucky not to get a hat-trick.

Jim: Great win Celtic, so exciting to see a five team title fight, unlike the two teams in the men's (Aberdeen and Celtic).

Image source, SNS

Spartans head coach Jack Beesley: "On the balance of chances, if you were to watch just the highlights, you'd probably sau, 'aw, we should have won that,' but I don't think performance wise we deserved that.

"In the end we got a point from a game we played poorly in and probably got ourselves off the hook."

Queen's Park head coach Craig Joyce: "We had a game plan and we stuck to it very well today. We were very robust, hard to break down and I thought the players were outstanding to a player today.

"Disappointed we've not took three points, but, you can respect the threat Spartans bring. You take the point, move on and progress from there."

Image source, SNS

Hearts head coach Eva Olid: "I think we needed 30 minutes to read the spaces because the backline was so high. At the beginning, we couldn't read that and we were playing short passes when the space was behind.

"One time we identify the space and the game changes."

Dundee United head coach Suzy Shepherd: "The first half the organisation, the communication, the work rate was positive.

"Then from the first half performance to the second half performance was disappointing and frustrating."

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Motherwell head coach Paul Brownlie: "It's important for me and my players to focus on the many positives which came from the game. We created lots of opportunities and on another day, we could have took them.

"We knew possession wise we would be quite limited, but defensively I thought we had a good structure and we tried to implement the game plan.

"Midweek is huge, it's massive for us. Game's like today don't define our season but Wednesday is one we're looking forward to as a group."

Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku: "I thought first half we were brilliant, second half we created chances again but overall, very proud of the girls' performance tonight.

"This is a great game for us to play. Motherwell have got great results against top teams, so us coming here doing what we did shows the quality we have.

"We have the same aim of winning the league, and we want to show that.

"Right now I feel like wherever I play Emma [Lawton] she does great so I am so happy with her performance."

Image source, SNS

Rangers head coach Jo Potter: "Scoring 10 goals is always nice. The variety of goalscorers and the different ways we scored goals really pleased me.

"The goals we conceded today are the kind of goals we have to try and take out of our performances, because it just puts a little bit of a dampener on it.

"They're not really creating many chances or opportunities so to get two goals from a game today, it shouldn't be happening. We need to eradicate it from our game."

Montrose manager Craig Feroz: "You've got to learn from every game but I thought first half Rangers were excellent, though in the second half we were much better.

"It's never a surprise to lose to these teams, the gulf is huge and Rangers were on their game today and when they are, there is no much you can do."

Image source, SNS

Glasgow City head coach Leanne Ross: "I thought it was a dominant performance, and coming in off the back of the international break with little preparation, to put in a performance like that is really pleasing.

"We don't look too far ahead, we win our individual games and try to take advantage of slip ups from anywhere else. That's what we'll continue to do and as long as we focus on our own performances and get that type of performance, then I don't think we'll be too far away come the end of the season.

"[Brenna Lovera] is huge for this team, she brings a different kind of dimension to our play and is important to our play."

Partick Thistle manager Brian Graham: "We are under no illusions City are a good team, they are top of the league for a reason. I just felt the quality in the City team today was too good for us, I'm going to be honest.

"We kept giving the ball away so cheaply and that really annoyed me."

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen head coach Scott Booth: "I thought in the first half we competed really well with a really good side and made it difficult for them. We nullified their real threat in wide areas.

"Energy was high and so getting the first goal was great for us but I felt like in the second half, we sort of hit a wall fitness wise and then Hibs exploited that really well.

"We need to make sure we keep the ball better, we'll be working on that. We need to keep the ball for longer, we gave it away quite easily at times which made it simple for Hibs."

Hibernian head coach Grant Scott: "We got our rewards in the end. I thought we were really untidy in the first half and disappointed with the goal we lost for sure but we rectified a few things thereafter and got ourselves back in it and the strength of the group saw it over the line in the end.

"At half-time I felt we hadn't been anywhere near our performances levels in the first half.

"It's good to come away from home, on a long journey, getting a number of goals with different goalscorers."

Were you at any of Sunday's games or following the action from home? Either way we want to know your views on another free scoring weekend in the SWPL.

Have your say here, external.

Image source, Glasgow City

Leanne Crichton will return to Glasgow City as first team assistant coach, taking up the role in December.

Former Scotland midfielder Crichton had three playing spells at City, the domestic treble during her second stint just some of the honours she accumulated. She left for Motherwell in 2021, becoming player-coach.

"The excitement immediately comes from being back at a team competing at the top of the table and looking for silverware at a place where I had spent a huge part of my career and experienced many enjoyable seasons over the years," Crichton said.

"I always felt that I would at some point come back to Glasgow City because of the love that I have for the club but I thought it was important that I went away and proved myself in a new environment. I had a fantastic time working alongside Paul Brownlie at Motherwell and hopefully everyone saw what we were trying to achieve."

Crichton is undergoing a Uefa Pro Licence course and will replace Scott Booth as Leanne Ross' assistant, with Booth having taken over at Aberdeen as head coach.

"It's going to be a real buzz to work with Leanne, we were room-mates with the national team and team-mates at Glasgow City," said Crichton. "We have always challenged each other but there is always that respect between us and a shared work ethic to push for the very best.

"This is the first time that I will have had the opportunity to work at a fully professional side and being involved in that day to day, working with a very talented group of players, is super exciting too."

Ross added: "Leanne is somebody with deep connections at the club and brings a lot of experience in the game both as a player and now as a coach working with Motherwell and the Scotland youth national teams.

"It felt like a good fit and she is the right person with the process to bring her in completed pretty quickly. I don't think there is anybody else better in terms of knowing me and I know we will be able to work together to continue to build that relationship."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

The SWPL returns from the international break with resurgent Glasgow City looking to stay top of the pile on Sunday.

Leanne Ross' side put 13 goals past struggling Dundee United last time out - to go top thanks to Hibs holding Rangers to a 1-1 draw - but a tougher test awaits with the visit of Partick Thistle.

The Jags sit sixth after a tumultuous October. After a 3-0 defeat to high-flying Hearts, they could only draw with against Montrose before returning to winning ways by seeing off Queen's Park 2-0 before the hiatus.

Since 2015 Thistle haven't managed to defeat City. Last season the Jags conceded 15 goals in three meetings and they have already lost 2-0 to Ross' team this term.

Will Brian Graham's side end that wretched run this weekend or will 16-time champions City - currently a point clear of Rangers and Hearts - keep the chasing pack at bay?

How to follow the action on BBC

City v Thistle is the first of two SWPL games you can watch live on the BBC on Sunday.

The game at Petershill Park (12:00 GMT) will be streamed live on the BBC Sport website and app and iPlayer.

Then Motherwell against reigning champions Celtic, which kicks off at 16:10, is live on BBC Alba and the BBC Sport website and app and iPlayer.

There will also be live text of coverage all six Sunday games from 11:50 on the BBC Sport website and app.

And on Monday night, watch all the goals and best of the weekend SWPL action on Sportscene at 19:00 on BBC Scotland.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

New Aberdeen manager Scott Booth says the "project" of trying to take the side from amateur status to fully professional meant returning to his former club was "the decision I had to make".

The 52-year-old, who had two spells at Pittodrie during his playing career, has moved back to the north east from Glasgow City where he was assistant head coach.

Booth believes his six-year spell in charge of Glasgow City during his first spell there (2015-21) has prepared him well for the job at the Dons, who are currently ninth in the SWPL, one place above the relegation zone.

"Obviously it was a massive pull to come back to Aberdeen," said the 52-year-old former Scotland striker.

"The difficulty was I had just gone back to Glasgow City and they are a great club with great people and I felt a large degree of loyalty towards them.

"But when I weighed everything up, it was the decision I felt like I had to make.

"I knew the facility here was good, I knew that the whole thing is a project for the women's side - I have been through that with Glasgow City - going from amateur to hybrid to fully professional, so that was something I enjoyed."

Glasgow City are one of a clutch of teams in the SWPL who are effectively running fully professional operations.

For the rest it is a tough gap to bridge until they – like Aberdeen ultimately hope to do – can get to that level.

"You are up against clubs now that are fully professional, and some of them put a lot of financial backing into it," Booth added.

"That is the difficult bit, where we are amateur with ambition to firstly go to almost a hybrid then go professional, but that time to get there you are up against sides that are already there and building on what they have.

"So it is not easy but it is something you have to go through if you want to get there."

Booth, who says he would like to take more of the women's games to Pittodrie, is hoping to benefit from the feelgood factor surrounding the men’s team.

He said: "It is like an all-time high at the moment on the men's side, so I hope we can generate from that success and get the fans to come and support the women’s side."

Image source, SNS

Former Scotland defender Jen Beattie says Pedro Martinez Losa's side are "beyond ready" for a major tournament.

The 5-0 aggregate win over Hungary secured a place in the Euro 2025 play-off final against Finland next month.

Victory in that two-legged tie would book Scotland's spot in Switzerland next summer, ensuring their first appearance at a major tournament since the 2019 World Cup.

Beattie, who retired from Scotland duty last year after 143 cap, told the BBC's Football Daily podcast: "I was really quietly confident about these two games [against Hungary].

"I was going into them thinking there is no way we're not going to get to the play-off finals.

"But to see the goals and the finishing from so many players, that was really awesome.

"It was an unbelievable performance from Scotland. I hope they have come away from it with a lot of confidence going into the final against Finland because we know how much of a tough side they are.

"Five goals and a clean sheet across two games is a brilliant place to be in.

"I know how much making a major tournament means to the players. They seem in a place now where they are beyond ready for it."

We asked for your views on Scotland's 4-0 win against Hungary that completed a 5-0 aggregate victory and set up a play-off against Finland for a place at Euro 2025.

Here's what some of you said:

Martyn: Good win against limited opposition. I'm guessing the Finland match will be tougher. Need to sharpen up if they are going to play the passing game from the back. Too slow and not decisive enough when passing and moving. Created good chances though and scoring four for no loss is a positive outcome.

Katie: Brilliant game, a lot of mixed play, confidence and positive play going forward to tougher opponents. Looking forward to taking all of that into upcoming Finland games!

John: Pedro Martinez, like Steve Clarke, should utilise their squads and try and protect the playing staff. Time and time again they pick the same players over and over and then scratch their heads when players get injured. Rotate the squads, use all the players in each camp over both games, there could be hidden gems sitting warming the benches.

Anon: Individually the players were excellent against weak opposition, Erin Cuthbert was the best player on the park by a mile. Four nil should really have been 8-0. Tactically we were very poor, too many sideways and backwards passes, too slow to get the ball forward. We are not Barcelona so a good side will punish us if we persist with short passes in our box under pressure.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Easter Road

Image source, Getty Images

Lisa Evans says Scotland are "a different team" to the one who suffered play-off heartache two years ago as they edged closer to Euro 2025.

The right winger, who was outstanding in the 4-0 win over Hungary at Easter Road on Tuesday night, is keen to look forward to next month's crunch tie against Finland rather than dwell on the defeats to the Republic of Ireland and the Finns which have proved costly in the past.

"We know the pain that we've suffered, I don't want to talk about it too much because we are a different team," Evans told BBC Scotland.

"It was a really great performance. Great goals, great to have players back and we're just looking forward to the next game now."

Evans played slightly further forward - a familiar place - than her starting position in Budapest on Friday, and it was a masterstroke from Pedro Martinez Losa.

Her runs, crosses and press were pivotal and had Hungary scrambling.

She linked up well with right-back Kirsty Smith time and again, as well as Scotland's superstar midfield.

"We have some of the best players in the world [in our midfield]," she added. "We just try and get them on the ball as much as possible.

"We now have two cup finals, two massive games to get us to the Euros."