Jim aims to restore Killie to the glories he tasted before
Kilmarnock Women’s head coach, Jim Chapman, believes his career has turned full circle since returning to the Ayrshire club.
Chapman – who also managed Albion Rovers, Dumbarton, Annan Athletic and Clyde in the men’s game – joined Killie in the summer, following a four-year stint in the United States.
But whereas Kilmarnock were a powerhouse of the women’s game in his first spell between 2001-04, they are now in SWPL 2.
They are the only side from that league left in the Sky Sports Cup, and today host Hibs in a quarterfinal tie at Rugby Park.
Killie won the League Cup twice in Chapman’s first stint, as well as two Scottish Cups and two league titles.
The captain was Shelley Kerr, who went on to become Scotland manager, and they had a host of Scottish internationalists.
Just before Chapman came in, Kilmarnock had taken over Stewarton Thistle, who had developed legend Rose Reilly, and the tiny club reached the final of the first-ever FA Women’s Cup in 1971 when Scottish teams were allowed to compete.
“History is great, but that is in the past,” Chapman, whose Annan side beat Rangers 2-1 at Ibrox in 2013, said.
“I’ve told the players they have the opportunity now to create some for themselves. It’s different times now, and the whole dynamics of the game have changed.”
With the top SWPL clubs having turned professional, Chapman agrees that the gulf between the First and Second Divisions has grown even wider.
Hibs, who replaced Kilmarnock as the dominant Scottish club before themselves being overhauled by Glasgow City, have recovered from a poor start to the season.
“Unfortunately for us, they’re maybe starting to come good at the wrong time,” said Chapman.
“The gulf right now is very big, but our challenge is to close that gap.
“I will be looking at the game as a gauge of exactly where we are and, more importantly, it will give us an idea of the standards we have to reach if we want to be competitive.”
The women’s team was brought within the main club at Rugby Park in 2020, and three months ago gave part-time professional terms to six first-team players for the first time.
They included former Rangers striker, Lisa Swanson, but she has been struggling with injury and won’t be in the line-up today.
“There is nobody more determined to get Lisa back than me,” Chapman
said. “We’re certainly missing her, but hopefully now she’s getting towards the end of her rehab programme.”
In today’s other quarterfinals, holders Celtic are at home to Spartans, Rangers host Motherwell, and Glasgow Women entertain Glasgow City.