Patron Elaine C. Smith Founded 2007 | Manager David Haley Chairman Elaine C. Smith | |
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Full name Celtic Football Club Women Ground K-Park Training Academy,
East Kilbride League Scottish Women's Premier League 2016 Scottish Women's Premier League, 3rd | ||
Celtic Football Club Women is a football team that plays in the Scottish Women's Premier League, the top division of women's football in Scotland. The team is affiliated with Celtic F.C. in Glasgow and use the club's training facilities and wear the club's colours.
Contents
History
Celtic's women's section was established in 2007 when they took over Arsenal North L.F.C., founding a Girls and Women's Football Academy at the same time.
Celtic reached the Scottish Women's Cup final in their inaugural year, losing to Hibernian L.F.C. 3–1 after extra time in May 2008. 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.
At the end of 2014 season, Celtic saw a mass exodus of established first team players and promising young prospects leave the club, with a number of players' apparent frustration at the lack of ambition on Celtic's part, due to Celtic 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.
Stadium
From the 2015 season onwards, Celtic's permanent home ground is the K-Park Training Academy in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, which is shared with the men's senior team East Kilbride F.C.
Current squad
As of 14 February 2017Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Coaching staff
The senior women's team are managed by David Haley, since August 2013.
As of 16 January 2017Achievements
Former managers
The senior women's team was managed between 2008 and 2012 by ex–professional footballer Robert Docherty, who was also Head of the Celtic Foundation. He was succeeded by Peter Caulfield, who was appointed in January 2013, following two years as assistant manager. Caulfield departed in July 2013.
Former Dundee United player John Holt was the team's manager in their inaugural 2007–08 campaign.
Nomenclature
The current administration of Celtic's female section pointedly refuse to describe themselves as "Celtic Ladies" or "Celtic Women". In April 2013 a testy e–mail exchange with the Scotzine blog contained the following: