Source: https://thecynic.co/writing/celtic-fc-women-2022-23-a-breakthrough-campaign/
Celtic FC Women 2022/23 – A Breakthrough Campaign
by Clare Wilde June 12, 2023 10 min read
Fran Alonso’s Celtic side ended the Spaniard’s third full season in charge putting on an impressive Scottish Cup performance that saw them lift the trophy at Hampden. It was the first time the women’s final had been played at the national stadium and the club’s first and only trophy of the season. Just a week previously, the team had their first real shot at the league title on a final day of an SWPL season that had everything. Celtic completed their side of the bargain on the day with a comfortable 2-0 win over Hearts at Celtic Park in front of a record breaking domestic crowd. However, it was the outcome of the game across the city between Glasgow City and Rangers that was to decide their fate, City’s late goal denying them the title in a harsh finale. There was also drama at the bottom of the SWPL as Dundee United and Hamilton Accies faced off on the last day to try and avoid the dreaded relegation playoff.
It was a fittingly dramatic end to the season for the newly reconfigured and rebranded SWPL that saw Celtic, Glasgow City and Rangers competing fiercely for a place at the top of the table. Elsewhere, Hearts overtook their city rivals Hibs in fourth place and the new addition of Partick Thistle achieved an impressive sixth place under the guidance of Brian Graham and with young Celtic loanee Abbie Ferguson making a significant contribution to their goal tally. This late spectacle, the record crowds, hugely increased coverage and the palpable sense of excitement building around women’s football in Scotland heralded in a major shift in the way the game has grown over the 22/23 season that could not have been envisaged last summer.
Natash Flint scores against Rangers in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden
Photo: Ian Cairns
In June, having won two trophies but failing to achieve Champion’s League football, Fran Alonso’s side was undergoing significant personnel change and regrouping with a training camp in Gran Canaria. The services of Amy Gallacher from Hibs had been secured in May, and another early signing came in the form of Lucy Ashworth Clifford, a highly skilled and pacy winger from the Lewes camp, a set up that Alonso knows well. June and July also saw the return of Lisa Robertson and Maria McAneney from their loan spells at Birmingham City and Hearts respectively. Two talented players at very different stages in their careers but both returning with knowledge and experience that could be of huge benefit. At the end of July it was confirmed that Chinese winger, Shen Menglu who had appeared in pre-season friendlies as a trialist, had also joined up. A day before the first game of the season, American midfielder Taylor Otto was also announced.
Other departures included last minute Scottish Cup final goalscorer Izzy Atkinson, young Irish midfielder Tyler Toland and defenders Jodie Bartle and Annie Timoney. However, it was the anticipated departure of star striker Charlie Wellings which had fans most worried about who would replace her immense goal tally next season. On August 5, just two days before the first game of the SWPL season, it was confirmed that Wellings would move to WSL club Reading for an undisclosed fee. Having scored an incredible 40 goals across all competitions, there would be a big space to fill in front of goal for whoever was to step up and take that responsibility.
Perhaps some of the nerves going into the new campaign were settled with the 9-0 victory over Hibs on August 7 that kicked things off for Celtic at their home ground for the season, the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie. Having always been a threat in the league and, prior to professionalisation Glasgow’s City’s main rivals for the title, this Hibs side was one significantly depleted by injury and transfer administration, the league start maybe coming a little too early for them to have properly regrouped. On the day it was the triple threat of Jacynta, Amy Gallacher and Clarissa Larisey who racked up the goals and demonstrated their ability to put together an attack that could be just as threatening as last season.
Celtic FC Women emerge from the tunnel before their first league game of the season against Hibs
Photo: Celtic FC
A couple of signings and a couple more convincing wins and it seemed that Celtic were hitting an early stride with victories and clean sheets against Partick Thistle and Spartans. Additions to the squad came in the shape of Claire O’Riordan who, over the course of the season, would become a stalwart of the back three alongside Kelly Clark and Caitlin Hayes and Mexican goalkeeper Pamela Tajonar from Villareal. An experienced keeper was a crucial addition to a team that had been so plagued by injury and personnel issues in that position that seven different players had appeared between the sticks the season before, including outfield players Hayes and Clark. Another convincing 8-0 win over Motherwell on August 28 saw Celtic going into the first international break unbeaten and in second place behind Rangers and ahead of Glasgow City, only goal difference separating the top three. Even at this early stage it was clear that it was going to be a very close three horse race for the title.
September and the start of October continued in much the same vein with league wins and clean sheets against Hamilton Accies, Aberdeen, Glasgow Girls & Women and Dundee Utd as well as a League Cup victory over Partick Thistle. Clarissa Larisey and Jacynta were among the top goalscorers in the league proving themselves more than worthy in the absence of Charlie Wellings. The sheen of success was tarnished however when, on October 23 Celtic’s League Cup defence was ended at the quarter final stage following a 1-1 draw against Spartans that eventually went to penalties following a controversial sending off for Jacynta. The ensuing two match ban also meant the Australian playmaker was unavailable for the first big test of the season, a league fixture away against Glasgow City. The narrow pitch at Petershill Park had previously proved problematic for Alonso’s side, and it was to be no different on this occasion as they dropped the first points of the season in a 2-1 defeat.
The run up to Christmas saw wins over Hearts and Dundee United but dropped points were again on the cards as Celtic travelled to Broadwood to face Rangers for the first time in the league. The 0-0 stalemate really demonstrated the attritional nature that was to characterise the meetings between the two sides across the season and was another disappointing blow for fans who were clamouring for results against their arch rivals with both remaining unbeaten. Another disappointment on the night came in the form of the season’s first significant injury blow as Lucy Ashworth-Clifford suffered an ACL tear, an injury becoming all too common across the women’s game. She would, of course, be out for the rest of the season.
It was this weekend however, that we started to see the emerging shoots of the growing enthusiasm for the women’s game that culminated in the seasons dramatic end. Across all SWPL fixtures, attendances reached a record breaking 12,720 with 3,328 of those attending the game at Broadwood and the bulk attending the Edinburgh derby between Hearts and Hibs. We were also starting to see clubs understand the need for clear segregation of fans and atmospheres becoming more emotionally charged as well as the increasing visibility of supporters clubs specifically dedicated to women’s teams. It was around October that a group of Celtic fans began to coalesce into what would officially become the Celtic Women CSC, bringing new songs and injecting their own brand of noise and atmosphere at games that didn’t go unnoticed by the players on the park.
Members of the Celtic FC Women CSC with manager Fran Alonso
Photo: Celtic FC
With the final SWPL fixture of the season called off due to a frozen pitch and Celtic sitting third in the table just three points behind the leaders Glasgow City, it was several weeks before the team returned in January to beat Falkirk 9-0 in the Scottish Cup. But with good news came bad as it was announced the next day that the seasons prolific goalscorer, Canadian Clarissa Larisey, would be leaving the club in the January transfer window to join Swedish side BK Häcken, leaving the team without an obvious upfront target. The January window did herald the signing of Hana Kerner who quickly made the position on the right wing her own, displaying pace in attack and a doggedness and concentration in defense that would prove hugely valuable in the second half of the season. However in another twist, Celtic dropped points at home against Motherwell the day after her announcement on 18th January a result that would prove a potential turning point for Celtic’s league campaign.
Six more points on the board against Partick Thistle and Hearts saw out the month before the arrival on loan in February of a now well known face amongst the Celtic support, Natasha Flint. A striker from WSL side Leicester City, it was good to see the club adding a potential Larisey replacement to the roster so quickly, especially one with considerable experience from a challenging league. She would make her first appearance in the hoops against Spartans on 8th Feb coming on as a sub and immediately demonstrating her physicality and power up top. She wouldn’t make a full start until the momentous 3-0 win over Rangers at the end of the month, with her debut goals coming against Hamilton the week after. February also saw Academy graduate Clare Goldie make her first competitive league start against Aberdeen, a sign of the continuing trust Fran continues to put in young players to ensure the depth and sustainability of his squads and flagging her as one to potentially watch next season. Tiree Burchill also went out on loan to Motherwell, a move that will hopefully prove beneficial as she returns to the squad this summer.
Another win over Spartans and further progression in the Scottish Cup followed before another huge test against Rangers at home on 24th February. It was a test that the team passed with flying colours, winning 3-0 thanks to Caitlin Hayes twice putting the ball in the net from a corner and Amy Gallacher scoring from open play. The ability of this team to score from set pieces was one of their key advantages this season, hugely valuable especially with such fine margins at play. Caitlin Hayes a massive threat inside the box, with Claire O’Riordan following suit in the last few games of the season, scoring headers from corners was something fans started to expect to see whenever an expert delivery from Jacynta or Maria McAneney was delivered towards goal. This victory was not just the first time Celtic had taken three points from one of their two key rivals, but saw them go top of the table for the first time on superior goal difference, points being equal with Glasgow City at this stage.
Kelly Clark, Claire O’Riordan and Caitlin Hayes celebrate after scoring against Rangers
Photo: Celtic FC
It was an advantage that the side failed to capitalise on however, with a loss to City coming in early March before a victory over Hibs in the last game before the league split. The first time a split had been implemented in the women’s league, it was to prove hugely successful in stoking the drama that was to come in an action packed and fixture dense conclusion to the season. Celtic also continued their Scottish Cup defence with a convincing 5-1 quarter final win over Eva Olid’s ever improving Hearts side. Celtic faced Rangers again in the league on 27th March, a fixture which this time saw shared spoils. It was also the same day that the club announced the mid season signing of Kit Loferski, a pacey American forward player who came on as a sub in this game and would famously go on to score at Celtic Park against Glasgow City in front of 15,000 fans. It was also the game that was to cause huge controversy when the Rangers assistant coach, Craig McPherson headbutted Fran Alonso, subsequently receiving a six match ban, a sanction that was considered underwhelming at best by many with a vested interest in maintaining high standards in this developing league setup.
April saw Celtic involved in five fixtures that all ended in victory for the green and white hoops, including two wins over Glasgow City, a feat they had not accomplished all season, including a Scottish Cup semi-final victory at Hampden Park. It was a feat they would repeat the following month beating City convincingly 3-1 at Celtic Park, the Celtic End and thousands of fans in attendance cheering them on to victory in full voice. May had started shakily with a narrow defeat to Rangers and an edgy victory over Partick Thistle at Petershill so the game at Celtic Park held huge weight, not only in terms of needing to secure a win, but the pressure of the hugely increased exposure, both in the club stadium and coverage and interest from outside. It was at this point it arguably became indisputable that something had shifted in terms of the way women’s football is viewed both by Celtic fans and the wider audience, a new energy surrounded the team and it seemed to show in the players performances on the pitch and their demeanour off it.
Banner supporting the team at Celtic Park
Photo: Clare Wilde
The win over City was to prove crucial in setting up the dramatic final day of the SWPL but also saw another serious injury blow, Hana Kerner limping off the pitch to great applause, her season effectively ended at that point. It remains to be seen how soon she will be back up and running for 23/24. Significantly May also saw Caitlin Hayes commit her future to the club until 2026, signing a deal longer than we have been used to seeing in the women’s game in Scotland and one that ensures a level of continuity on and off the park. A leader in the squad and a hero to many of the young fans who attend games, her signature pink pre-wrap is now copied by her admirers and regularly seen on heads scattered across the stands. She is worth a standout mention when reviewing the season, not only being voted Celtic’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year, but also taking home the PFA Player of the Year award, and across the season has unarguably been one of Celtic’s most important players both in defence and as a goal scoring threat. Another long term commitment followed as Maria McAneny put pen to paper on her first professional contract, a hugely exciting prospect for future seasons as we see her game develop.
The team celebrates after scoring against Glasgow City
Photo: Colin Poultney
To see the team lift the Scottish Cup at Hampden demonstrated that, despite it being well known that this team have been awarded significantly less investment than others in the league, they have consistently been able to maintain their spot competing at the highest level and, doing what Celtic teams need to do, bringing home silverware. As Champions League football once again beckons, it will be fascinating to see how the shape of the squad evolves over the summer and whether further resources might come their way as interest in the team and attendances and viewing figures demonstrably grow. As the official transfer window approaches, fans will be watching closely to see if this is the case and hope we can go into 23/24 with more optimism about what can be achieved than ever before.