Celtic F.C. Women

Celtic Football Club Women is a Scottish professional association football team, the women's section of Celtic Football Club. They play in the Scottish Women's Premier League, the top division of women's football in Scotland. They compete as Celtic FC, and are normally called the 'women's first team' within the club,[1] but are often called Celtic Women, Celtic FC Women or similar names to distinguish them from the men's team. In December 2018 they announced their intentions to become the first professional women's football team in Scotland with the transition completed in January 2020.[2][3][4]

Celtic Women
Full nameCeltic Football Club
Founded2007
GroundK-Park Training Academy, East Kilbride
PatronElaine C. Smith
ManagerFran Alonso
LeagueSWPL 1
2018SWPL 1, 3rd of 8
WebsiteClub website

History

For the first 120 years of its existence, Celtic only fielded male football teams. In the early 1960s Rose Reilly was noticed by a Celtic scout who wanted to sign her, but the scout found out she was female and withdrew the offer. Reilly cried, asking: "Why can a girl not play for Celtic?"[5] A women's section was established in June 2007 when Celtic took over Arsenal North L.F.C.,[6] founding a Girls and Women's Football Academy at the same time.[7]

Celtic reached the Scottish Women's Cup final in their inaugural year, losing 3–1 to Hibernian after extra time in May 2008.[8][9] The team's first silverware arrived two years later as Spartans were beaten 4–1 in the final of the 2010 Scottish Women's Premier League Cup.[10]

In October 2012 Celtic were expelled from the Scottish Women's Cup. They had tried to force the postponement of a quarter final with Glasgow City, but the SWF did not accept Celtic's reasons and instead awarded the tie to Glasgow.[11]

In August 2013 Celtic faced being thrown out of the national Cup for the second successive season, following a complaint from beaten second round opponents Forfar Farmington. Celtic won the match 5–2 but had named former player Emily Thomson as a substitute in a bid to cup-tie her for the season at her new club, rivals Glasgow City.[12]

At the end of 2014 season, Celtic saw a mass exodus of established first team players and promising young prospects, with a number of players' apparent frustration at the lack of ambition on Celtic's part, due to the club looking to cut back their involvement in the women's game. The likes of Gemma Fay, Rhonda Jones, Chloe Arthur and Heather Richards headed for the exit door, while Scotland legends like Julie Fleeting and Suzanne Grant hadn't committed for the following season.[13][14]

Celtic reached their second SWPL Cup final in May 2018, but were beaten 9–0 by Hibernian at Falkirk Stadium. Head coach David Haley said of his beleaguered players: "I'm sure they're as embarrassed as I am".[15] Later that month Haley stood down from first team coaching to concentrate on running the girls' academy.[16] Former Glasgow City coach Eddie Wolecki Black was appointed from Motherwell L.F.C. as his replacement.[17][18][19]

Celtic announced in December 2018 that their women's team players would be employed as full-time professionals, with the transition beginning in the 2019 season. In doing so they became the first ever professional women's football team in Scotland.[2] Among Wolecki Black's first three signings for the team was his wife, Emma Black.[20] Wolecki Black left his position at the end of the 2019 season, with the club stating they would make further investment to bolster the team's status as a professional operation.[3][4]

Stadium and facilities

Celtic have used East Kilbride's K-Park Training Academy as their home ground since 2015.[21]

From its inception in 2007, the team trained at the newly-built Lennoxtown Training Centre outside Glasgow. In 2019, Celtic announced plans to redevelop their older Barrowfield training ground near Celtic Park for use by their youth academy and the women's team, including an indoor pitch and a matchday venue, augmenting the Lennoxtown base which would continue to be used by the men's first team squad.[22][23][24][25]

Players

Current squad
As of 18 February 2020.[26]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Chloe Logan
2 DF Keeva Keenan
3 DF Jodie Bartle
4 DF Cheryl McCulloch
5 MF Natalie Ross
6 DF Chloe Craig
7 FW Anita Marcos (on loan from Atlético Madrid)
8 MF Katherine Smart
9 FW Josephine Giard
10 MF Lisa Robertson
11 FW Sarah Ewens
12 MF Rachel Donaldson
No. Position Player
14 MF Sarah Teegarden
15 MF Kelly Clark (captain)
16 DF Kate Nicolson
17 FW Summer Green
21 MF Brenda Lopez Castellano
22 DF Chloe Warrington
24 FW Tegan Bowie
25 DF Rebecca McAllister
26 DF Paige McAllister
33 DF Cara McBrearty
63 FW Kathleen McGovern

Player of the Year
Season Name Nationality Position Ref
2015 Kelly Clark ScotlandMidfielder[27]
2016 Mairead Fulton ScotlandMidfielder[28]
2017 Kerry Montgomery Northern IrelandMidfielder[29]
2018 Natalie Ross ScotlandMidfielder[30]
2019 Keeva Keenan IrelandDefender[31]

Technical staff
Position Staff
Manager Fran Alonso
Assistant Manager Michael Tuohy
Goalkeeping Coach Liam Campbell
First Team Coach Adam Switzer
Sports Scientist Janice Buchanan
Sports Therapist Caitlin Brown

Last updated: 11 February 2019
Source: Celtic FC[26]

Achievements

Managers

Former Dundee United player John Holt was the team's manager in their inaugural 2007–08 campaign.[33] Robert Docherty took charge between 2008 and 2012 and was succeeded by Peter Caulfield, who spent six months in position.[34] David Haley was then head coach for five years until stepping down in 2018 to head the club's women's academy.[35] He was replaced by former Glasgow City manager Eddie Wolecki Black, who left 18 months later.[3]

See also

References
  2. Dewar, Heather (24 December 2018). "Celtic Women going full-time hailed a 'potential game-changer' for Scottish game". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  3. Celtic women's team go professional with immediate effect, BBC Sport, 7 January 2020
  4. "Celtic Women turn professional for 2020". Celtic FC. 7 January 2020.
  5. Turnbull, Simon (25 March 2007). "How the original Gregory's Girl lived her dream of dreams". The Independent. Archived from the original on 6 April 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  6. Montgomery, Laura (9 August 2007). "Women's football: SFA in charge as Celts join up". Glasgow Evening Times. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  7. "Celtic women's academy is hailed". BBC Sport. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  8. "Cup returns to Edinburgh". The Herald. Scotland. 18 May 2008. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  9. Wright, Angus (19 May 2008). "Hibernian Ladies 3 - 1 Celtic Ladies: Women's team show male counterparts how it's done". The Scotsman. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  10. "Celtic secure women's League Cup". BBC Sport. 13 May 2010. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  11. "Celtic 'concern' after being thrown out of Scottish Cup". BBC Sport. 17 October 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  12. "Celtic FC Women's Team could be thrown out of the Scottish Cup following player registration farce". Daily Record (Scotland). 3 August 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  13. Mass exodus at Celtic as 'ambitious' players head for pastures new Scotzine. 12-12-2014. Retrieved 27-12-2014.
  14. Scotland captain Gemma Fay leads exodus out of Celtic Herald Scotland. 11-12-2014. Retrieved 27-12-2014.
  15. Southwick, Andrew (20 May 2018). "SWPL: Hibernian thrash Celtic 9-0 to win third Women's Premier League Cup in a row". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  16. "Celtic Women's team latest news". Celtic F.C. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  17. "Eddie Wolecki Black appointed Celtic Women's first-team head coach". Celtic. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  18. "Eddie Wolecki Black: Celtic Women take head coach from rivals Motherwell". BBC Sport. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  19. "Celtic Women: New boss Eddie Wolecki Black wants to defy doubters after doctors". BBC Sport. 28 July 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  20. Frith, Wilf (21 December 2018). "Celtic Women sign trio". She Kicks. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  21. "New home will give Celtic women's team a platform for season ahead". Celtic F.C. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  22. Celtic pitch plans for Barrowfield training ground expansion, Urban Realm, 6 June 2019
  23. Celtic FC lodges plans for training centre redevelopment, Scottish Construction Now, 6 June 2019
  24. Celtic announce major east end re-development plans, Glasgow Live, 5 June 2019
  25. Celtic to redevelop Barrowfield training ground, BBC Sport, 5 June 2019
  26. "Women's first team". Celtic FC. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  27. "Kelly thrilled to lift Women's Player of the Year Award". Celtic F.C. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  28. "Congratulations to Mairead Fulton, @CelticFCWomen's Player of the Year!". Celtic F.C. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  29. "Scott Sinclair's double delight at club's Player of the Year awards". Celtic F.C. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  30. "Captain is a treble winner at Celtic Player of the Year event". Celtic F.C. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  31. https://celticfcwomen.celticfc.net/news/first-team/keen-an-able
  32. Schoggl, Hans (24 September 2010). "Scotland (Women) - List of Cup Winners". RSSSF. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  33. Booth, Samantha (20 February 2008). "Girls Will Be Bhoys At Celtic Ladies FC". Daily Record. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  34. "Celtic Ladies head coach Peter Caulfield departs SWPL club". Scotzine. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  35. "Women's football: David Haley to step down as Celtic head coach". BBC Sport. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2018.

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