Ladies and Girls
Mon, Jul 13, 2009
SINCE the formation of the Rangers under-17 girls team at the end of 2007, major strides have been made in women's football at Ibrox.
There is also now a ladies' Light Blues team operating and if results over the first couple of years are anything to go by, there's a bright future in store for players at both levels.
The club's first steps in the female game were bold, with the youngsters winning the B competition at the prestigious Gothia Cup tournament in Sweden in July 2008.
By that point, the senior team had been launched and their first season was one of undoubted success.
Under the guidance of coach Drew Todd, they replaced Paisley City Ladies in the First Division of the Scottish Women's Football League.
They quickly made their mark and emulated the famous Rangers team of 1898/99 by winning each of their 18 league fixtures to take the title in their debut campaign.
Todd's team claimed the championship trophy in some style, scoring 89 goals in the process and conceding just 12 to finish 10 points clear of Inverness.
They weren't finished there though and went on to make more history by becoming the first non-Premier League team to reach the Scottish Cup final.
In a fantastic run which took them past top-flight sides Raith Rovers and Spartans, they made it to the last match of the competition against Glasgow City.
And although they lost to the national champions at Forthbank Stadium in Stirling, getting that far was still a clear sign of progress.
Rangers are competing in the Premier Division in 2009/10 and are targeting a top-four place after a summer of restructuring their squad.
The under-17s are also anticipating more success after they followed in their senior colleagues' footsteps by reaching the 2009 Scottish Cup final too.
They were also on the wrong end of a defeat to Hibernian at Toryglen Regional Football Centre but are moving in the right direction.
As coach Gary Gibson leads them, the teenagers regularly compete at the right end of the table in the Central-West League and have a host of Old Firm wins to their credit.
With several players from both squads becoming involved in Scotland's national teams, it's an exciting time to be involved in women's football at Rangers.
For more information or to find out how you can play your part in one of the sides, contact 0141 580 8847.
Alternatively email Gibson at the club's Football in the Community department at garygibson@rangers.co.uk.
