CELTIC'S first-ever Scottish Women's Cup success in May could be one of the last under the auspices of Scottish Women's Football. I understand senior figures at the Scottish FA are keen to bring the national knock out competition into their portfolio.
The move comes at a sensitive time for SWF, who are still coming to terms with losing the top two leagues and the League Cup to the SPFL. Understandably, perhaps, neither they nor the SFA are willing to comment on the potential Scottish Cup development, which is also believed to have club support.
The competition is now more than 50 years old, with the first final in 1970-71 resulting in a 4-2 win for Stewarton Thistle against the splendidly named Aberdeen Prima Donnas. The second final also featured a team with an exotic moniker, Cambuslang Hooverettes losing 5-3 to Edinburgh Dynamo.
Under SWF's auspices crowds at finals were on the rise, and the day itself well organised. So why change, and why do the SFA want to get involved?
The obvious catalyst is the game at the top end having become professional. The motivation for the top clubs to leave SWF and join the SPFL's subsidiary company was the prospect of increased commercial revenue – and that would also be their hope for a Scottish Cup promoted by the SFA.
Last season SWF found a sponsor after the competition had got underway, with Biffa being awarded the title rights. How much, or how little, the waste management company paid for the sponsorship is unknown, with SWF unwilling to provide even a ballpark figure.
However, what is just as important as money is the status of the competition. The FA, whose attitude to women's football was every bit as regressive as the SFA's when both national knock-out competitions kicked off at the start of the 1970s, took over the running of the Women's FA Cup in 1993-94.
SWF are entitled to feel disheartened at the prospect of losing the Scottish Cup, but if the SFA are serious about putting the women's and men's national knock-out competitions on an equal footing it seems a logical, and even desirable, development.
THERE will be an unusually high profile pre-season game at the Excelsior Stadium this afternoon when Celtic and Rangers contest the first-ever women's Glasgow Cup tie. A trophy will be presented to the winning team.
As of next season it will become an all-in competition for Glasgow FA member clubs. Partick Thistle and Queen's Park will take part, while invitations have also been extended to non-members Glasgow City and Glasgow Women.
“The Glasgow Cup is long established in the men's game,” organiser and Queen's Park president David Hunter said. “Given the emergence and development of the women's game it seemed a natural progression.
“It's an inaugural match and to mark the occasion there will be a trophy presentation at the end of it.”
Amy McDonald, who played for Queen's Park, Celtic and Glasgow City prior to her current role as women's and girls' football manager at Rangers, says the Cup will become a regular pre-season tournament.
“Most of the clubs are going to play each other (in friendlies) anyway, so if we can make it a bit more engaging, get more fans along and be able to play for something it seems a really good opportunity,” she pointed out.
Today's game will be played on a new surface at the Excelsior and former Hibernian midfielders Lisa Robertson and Amy Gallacher are both expected to play for Celtic. Robertson returns after a loan season at Birmingham City, while it should be a competitive debut of sorts for Gallacher at a club where her great-grandfather, Patsy Gallacher, became a legend.
Rangers are short of options in central defence, with former captain Brianna Westrup and Chantelle Swaby both having left over the summer. I understand Janni Arnth's future at the club is also uncertain, but former player Kathryn Hill signed from Durham in the close season.
Rangers will also be without Jane Ross. The striker, who has 62 Scotland goals to her name, injured her knee in the friendly against Spartans and is due to have a scan this week.
HOSTS England look set to reach the final of the Euros at Wembley next Sunday. They were fortunate to beat a superior Spanish side in Monday's quarter final, but now look to have both momentum and an easier task in their semi-final against Sweden.
The Olympic finalists didn't impress in a laboured and last-minute quarter final win over Belgium. The second semi, between Germany and France on Wednesday, has the potential to provide the tournament winner.
