Hibs’ manager Dean Gibson believes that the emergence of Rangers and Celtic who have both gone full-time this season is good for the women’s game in Scotland.
Hibs lost narrowly to Rangers two weeks ago in a hard fought match at Ainslie Park thanks to a goal from former player Chelsea Cornet with an assist from another ex Hibee Lizzie Arnot, then last week went down 3-2 to Glasgow City.
Tonight Celtic visit the capital for a game which will be broadcast live on BBC ALBA and Gibson is hoping to turn things around with a victory.
He said: “It is good for the women’s game in Scotland and Glasgow City and ourselves welcome it more than most and I would like to think it is a compliment to us both that Celtic and Rangers have had to invest so much to try to catch up.
“City and ourselves have been through it all before and, although Rangers have brought in players who have played in Scotland, Celtic have signed a lot of players from America and down south.
“On paper we would all look at those players and assume it is a strong team but we don’t know that. We don’t know how they will do over a season in Scotland but we do know what players like Joelle Murray can do because she has done it before.
“I wouldn’t pick these three games in a row if I had the choice but it does mean that we don’t have to keep lifting it.
“The fact that it is more competitive means that there are a few teams capable of taking points off each other so while Rangers beat us, Celtic beat Rangers.
“That means that if we can beat Celtic then we are well-placed. Then in the second round of fixtures, that’s when we can turn things around.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
