Could women’s football in Scotland start seeing its own purpose-built stadiums sprout up? Brian P. Dunleavy reports on new proposals for exactly that.
The Full Scottish
Served by Brian P. Dunleavy
. On their way to their ninth consecutive Scottish Premiership title, Celtic were away to Livingston just before the league shutdown in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Word made it to the Hoops’ bench that Rangers were losing, at home, to Hamilton Academical. Cameras captured an incredulous Celtic manager Neil Lennon, saying, “Hamilton?!”
The clip went viral.
Fast forward five-plus years, and the clip becomes relevant again, for an entirely different reason. Celtic’s women’s team now call Accies’ New Douglas Park in Hamilton home, a move that, when announced late last year, wasn’t exactly met with enthusiasm by the Ghirls players and staff. They were likely dreaming and hoping for home matches in Celtic Park. Although it did make things easier for supporters traveling to matches by rail.
New Douglas Park also meets UEFA Women’s Champions’ League group stage requirements, unlike the Hoops’ previous home, Albert Bartlett Stadium in Airdrie.
Women’s Football Makes News In Scotland
“We’ve come a long way,” Celtic manager Elena Sadiku said at the time. Though still not all the way to the bright lights of Glasgow. That move may finally be in the offing, however.
Scottish FA President Mike Mulraney announced earlier this week that he has begun discussions with city and club officials regarding a proposed shared stadium for Celtic, Rangers (currently playing “home” matches at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld) and Glasgow City’s women’s teams as part of efforts to grow the game, with Scotland co-hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2035.
Although negotiations are still preliminary, the three clubs have reportedly been receptive to sharing a pitch in the city. It would likely seat 3,000 to 5,000 supporters. The proposed stadium could also serve as a home for Scotland’s women’s national team.
Successful development of the project could see similar “hub venues” for the women’s game sprout up in other parts of the country (think: Edinburgh, for Hearts and Hibs).
Biggest Challenge
“In women’s football facilities are probably one of our single biggest challenges to growth,” SWPL Managing Director Fiona McIntyre told the press. “We are trying to grow crowds and some of our biggest clubs play games that are not in, say, Glasgow or Edinburgh or Aberdeen because they have had to go to grounds outside the city to meet the criteria to be broadcast or spectator environments. Imagine having a stadium in Glasgow that was a women’s football stadium?”
Indeed, such a move would give the women’s game the spotlight it richly deserves. Which, dare we say it, it can never receive in places like… Hamilton?!