Magic of the Cup
Every single SFA registered club has the chance to write their chapter in the big book of Scottish Cup history at the start of the season. We spoke to 4 people trying to do just that this year.
The Scottish Cup is one of the oldest women’s football competitions in the world, reaching its emerald anniversary this season as it turns 55-years-old. From the unofficial Stewarton Thistle wins over Aberdeen Prima Donnas, through Cove Rangers back-to-back-to-back in the 90s, and most recently the historic finals at Scotland’s national stadium, this competition has seen it all. There’s a je ne sais quois at grounds up and down the country when it comes to the fixtures that get us to the final as everyone plays their part in this great competition.
As we head into the second round ties on November 3rd, where the 12 Championship clubs join the action, we wanted to put in words what this competition is all about.
12 teams progressed through an exciting first round that saw 67 goals scored across 12 games. Both Dunfermline Athletic and Glenrothes Strollers have been writing fairytale stories so far as they have come all the way from the first preliminary round, sitting on three wins each as they head into their respective second round fixtures. As it stands Anne Money (great name) and Demi Gear (also a great name) are leading the golden boot race after one round proper with four goals each in Glenrothes Strollers first round tie against Dyce.
We caught up with Strollers’ head coach Chris Laird, Kilmarnock’s Dionne Brown, last season’s top scorer Eva Ralston, and 2023/24 semi-finalist Hannah Jordan to get their thoughts on one of women’s football’s oldest competitions.
Women’s football is a materially different affair now to the games that were organised by informal groups under the bans of the 20th century when the Scottish Cup was first played. In recent years the pace of change has increased tenfold. Dionne Brown has been a significant player across a number of teams in that time, seeing first hand how the game has changed.
The Scottish Cup to me is massive, I have seen over the decade how much it has grown and how competitive it has become. It’s always an honour to play and be a part of it.
The growth in the game in general has been honestly unbelievable, if you asked me 10 years ago what I thought it would have been like I don’t think I would be even close to how the standards are now. The Scottish Cup is getting so much more recognition with it being televised, and rightly so.
Hannah Jordan may not have Brown’s tenure in the game, but she equally feels the weight of the competition’s history and importance.
Definitely [feel the history of the competition]. Especially the fact that we're playing in semi-finals at Hampden and that now, it just shows like how much they're really starting to show a real interest in the women's game. And obviously, with it being such an old trophy, it's trying to honour those that came before you and go far in the competition.
I think we're definitely trying to carry on that legacy [of Spartans rich history] and make it far in these competitions to continue honouring the club and making the club look good on a national level.
Glenrothes Strollers are writing their own fairytale story this season with the club making it to the second round all the way from the first preliminary round, Chris Laird told us what it meant for the club to participate in the competition
The Scottish Cup is a fantastic competition to still be in and it gives us opportunities to play teams we might not normally get to play and experience to help develop the club further. For me personally, I love the build up and the experience on the day of the game. The anticipation and adrenaline rush you get when the game kicks off [is special].
His thoughts were echoed by Stenhousemuir’s Eva Ralston
I think the opportunity to play against different teams [is exciting]. It's the fun of the Cup isn't it? You see in the men's game and the women's game that anything can happen. I really enjoy it. It's probably better when you draw a team who isn't in your league and you get to play someone a bit more exciting.
The Scottish Cup is the perfect way for us to manifest [the ability outside the top tier] and for players to show their own personal quality, especially when you're playing up against these big sides. It's a great opportunity for players who maybe haven't been recognised yet to get a bit of recognition on social media.
The opportunity for clubs further down the pyramid to test themselves against higher ranker counterparts, or just to get a change of scenery, is part of the attraction of cup competitions. Variety is the spice of life (also paprika). Ralston told us how she particularly enjoys the experience of a new away day.
Absolutely, It's always fun when it's away days and there's excitement in it because sometimes there isn't the expectation, or the same expectation on you ,as what there would be if you are a full-time player, or one of the part-time sides. We all play because we love the game and that's kind of the long and short of it. So definitely, I think, especially away days are brilliant. You'd probably rather not play a team in your own league because you then don't know how they play and it's a bit more exciting. There's a bit more uncertainty to it. It's definitely something that we all enjoy, and I can say that on behalf of all the girls.
She continued on to talk about her experience playing against a team further up the pyramid, and the memories that came with it despite a heavy loss.
We played Rangers a few years ago in the Scottish Cup, in my first season at Stenhousemuir, where they absolutely hammered us. But, I scored against them and that's probably a core memory to this day. As much as we got beat, it was still a good experience. You're getting to play against international players from all over the world. You're getting the opportunity to see how that full-time system works. If you get the chance to play against one of those SWPL 1 sides, even playing against SWPL 2 sides, the quality that you see nowadays in women's games in Scotland, it's a great opportunity to play against anyone really. It's definitely exciting.
Both Chris Laird and Dionne Brown also spoke about how they take special enjoyment out of playing against sides above them in the pyramid.
We always like to test ourselves against teams in higher leagues as it helps to challenge the players to become the best versions of themselves. We played Falkirk in the Scottish cup last year and won 2-0. The players did themselves proud and we learned a lot from the game. It was really special for us as a club, Falkirk were flying high in the league above and we played exceptionally well to get through to the next round!
Especially if you’re an SWPL 2 team playing against say the top 5 of SWPL 1, you’re always going to try to push and test yourself against the best in Scotland. You always aim to be better, and to get better, these cup games are a massive push in that direction for clubs when you play against the best teams in Scotland.
Whoever the competition, the Scottish Cup is an opportunity for career high moments to be written. Last season Jordan reached the semi-final with Spartans, amidst a tough season in the league, earning her a first appearance at Hampden (with this season’s form it may not be the last, cough cough Pedro Martinez Losa cough). She told us about what that day meant to her.
To myself on a personal level, it was amazing to play at Hampden last year, especially with my family in the crowd. It means a lot as an individual. It sounds pure cliché but that's the stuff you dream of when you're a kid. If you'd have told me when I was nine that I'd have played at Hampden at age 19 I'd have said 'no way'. I think that kind of growth in the women's game is so exciting. You're looking at the draws and all that at the start of the season, you are thinking about playing on that national stage and again having family there makes it even more special.
Brown also harbours special memories of playing in the Scottish Cup.
I have had a great amount of experiences with different clubs, but the one that stand out for me has to be in 2022 just after having my second little dude I got the last 30 minutes for [Partick] Thistle, making it to the quarters with them. That team, a bunch of absolute ballers, I will forever be grateful for .
In a week’s time the second round will be underway, 24 teams vying to make their own special memories in the competition. Two sides aiming to win their fourth game in the cup this season, a chance for Championship and League One sides to take out frustrations of earlier results, and the prospect of knocking out the top sides in the next round. Another chapter in this special competition.