Saints pitch new team name
From left is ladies’head coach Jason McCrindle, vice-captain Rebecca Foote, St Johnstone chairman Steve Brown, captain Jade McDonald and SJWFC general manager Steve Grossi St Johnstone will be represented by a women’s side in the SWPL2 next season.
Jeanfield Swifts Ladies, who since 2015 have played their home games on the McDiarmid Park astroturf, will now be known as St Johnstone Women FC.
Saints chairman Steve Brown is delighted to develop the relationship between the clubs further.
He said:“Like Jeanfield, we are a community-oriented club and this move allows us to emphasise that we want to contribute to and engage with the local community in every way we can.
“It is fantastic to see girls of all ages play football and I’m delighted that girls in this area can now aspire to playing at premier and international level with the help of St Johnstone FC.
“I know that many of the team are active Saints supporters, so it’s exciting to assist the female fans and grow that side of our fan base.”
Steve Grossi, general manager of the ladies’team, is grateful to Saints for the assistance they have provided.
“After we won promotion to the SWPL in 2015, Saints came in to give us somewhere to play that fulfilled the criteria for our league,”he said.
“We are extremely grateful to chairman Steve Brown and his club for the welcome they have given us.
“The development of Jeanfield Girls FC has been remarkable over the last few years and this move will really help the whole club develop to the next level.”
Since 2012, Jeanfield Swifts Ladies has been the pinnacle of a pathway for the girls playing under the banner of Jeanfield Swifts Girls FC.
That pathway will remain in place as the senior side makes the transition to St Johnstone WFC.
Jeanfield Girls FC will continue to provide home grown talent to support the senior ladies’side.
Head coach Jason McCrindle said: “This is an unbelievable boost for ladies football in this area.
“The girls have been superb in their first two seasons in SWPL2. They will be a credit to St Johnstone FC and with the facilities we will have at our disposal and the backing from Saints, I can only see a bright future for St Johnstone Women FC.
“It is an exciting time and I believe the set up we can now offer players will continue their development as individuals and as a team.
“The players are delighted and it’s a great boost for pre-season.”