Gleeson insists Glasgow City are winners again after building her side

Manager confident empty-handed giants can claim their title back

THE upcoming 2022/23 SWPL campaign will have a distinctly novel feel about it in more ways than one. For starters, the league has expanded from eight teams to 12. A split has been introduced. The league body itself has formally affiliated with the SPFL. But perhaps most strikingly of all, for the first time in 14 years, Glasgow City go into the new season without a title to defend.

The perennial champions finished the previous season empty-handed as Celtic sealed both domestic cups and Rangers won their first championship. Second place and a place in this year’s Champions League would have to do for City.

It was a momentous moment for both the club itself and the Scottish game as a whole. After being unseated, the Petershill Park outfit go into the new campaign with a renewed sense of hunger and desire to reclaim their crown as Scotland’s best side.

Eileen Gleeson, the club’s manager, is aware of the demands that come with leading City. She and her players won’t easily forget the pain of missing out on silverware but the Irishwoman believes the time has come to draw a line under it all.

“I said at the end of the season it was a real learning moment for the club because now you have to drive the standards and compete in every single competition and you want to win,” Gleeson said.

“That’s what Glasgow City are – they’re winners. It didn’t sit comfortably not winning anything.

“We’ll regroup and look at what happened and didn’t happen and push forward.

“This is football. You can’t really dwell on it. You just have to see what you have to do to still be competitive.”

Gleeson’s side will have the opportunity to lay down an early marker tomorrow afternoon when they begin their title challenge with an opening-day SPWL match at home to Spartans.

The City manager has the benefit of a full pre-season with her players – last year, she replaced Scott Booth midway through the campaign – and after making a few signings of her own, Gleeson feels that she has stamped her authority on the squad.

“You come in late into the season [last year] and you look at the squad but now you’re in from the start and have the chance to put your own stamp on it and bring in the type of players that you want to bring in,” she said. “So everything is good for me.

“[Having a full pre-season] is a huge difference – we’ll see what happens on Sunday.

“Some [of the new players] have only just come in because of the visa regulations so we’re getting them settled in. They should be good to go very soon – so yes, excited to get them back out on the pitch.

“We went out and recruited where we needed to improve and drive the level upwards.

“I’m looking forward to [the Spartans match]. It’s a good opening game for both clubs. Spartans gave us good games last season and it will be competitive. We’re happy to be at home.”

Gleeson is also optimistic that the rebranding of

Scottish women’s football and the change in format, alongside the positivity surrounding Euro 2022 and the announcement that women’s Scottish Cup semifinals and finals will be played at the national stadium, will lead to more bums on seats at Petershill tomorrow afternoon – and going forward, too.

“I hope so,” she added. “The Euros and the league being a bit more competitive should raise interest as well. More competitive games and then a split.

“Plus the announcement that Hampden will be the ground for the [Scottish Cup] semi-finals

and final.”