Booth hopes for stronger voice at the top table

GLASGOW CITY head coach Scott Booth has called for women’s football to be properly represented at the top levels of Scottish football. His side play their first game of 2021 against Celtic on Sunday.

The SWPL1 match should have been played on January 17, but days earlier the Scottish FA suspended the women’s top league for “three weeks”. The top two tiers of men’s football were meanwhile allowed to continue, including part-time clubs in the second tier.

Rangers, who led City on goal difference when the last game was played in December, have a fully professional squad, while Booth’s side and Celtic also have a majority of pro players. All three squads include internationalists from other countries who were not permitted to train even with PCR testing in place.

Booth’s club, who have reached the quarter finals of the Champions League twice, are governed by Scottish Women’s Football. The organisation has the same status at Hampden as the various other affiliated national associations, including those which represent the schools and the amateurs.

“There shouldn’t even be a question about women’s football having a voice on all the boards that make decisions concerning Scottish football,” Booth said. “Why is it separated with a massive segment for the men and a tiny one for the women?

“How is that still going on? Times like this, when big decisions have to be made because of the pandemic, just underline that 100 per cent we need a voice for women’s football.

“It’s a constant battle for the game in Scotland, but despite that it has succeeded. It’s getting better and better and more professional every year – despite the fact it feels at times as if there’s no-one to fight our cause.

“It has been really difficult to take when our players weren’t even able to train safely while their male counterparts were not only able to do that, but play games.”