SCOTTISH WOMEN’SPREMIER LEAGUE 1

SUNDAY 12THSEPTEMBER 2021

KICK-OFF 4.10PMG L A S G O W C I T Y

women

VS

Defender Jodie Bartle says she can’t wait for her first “normal” season in the Hoops, after a COVID suspension-laden debut year in Glasgow.

The Englishwoman signed for the Celts at the start of 2020, and

has since seen a season voided, a long wait to return, a league

suspension, a mad dash to complete the fixtures, and no cup

competitions.

So it’s no surprise that Bartle hopes Celtic’s competitive action so

far is signalling a further return to normality.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it. The main thing for me now is

just getting back to normal. This will be my first proper season, so

I’m quite excited to - fingers crossed - have a full season without

any breaks.

“I’m just excited to get back into league action now - we’ve had

our break and now pre-season has been hard, and I think we’re

setting ourselves up for a good start back,” she explained.

BARTLE CAN’T WAIT TO ENJOY A “NORMAL SEASON”

A NOTE MANAGER

FROM THE “

“

It’s very important for us to now have this routine of consistent football and structure.

Sunday is our first home league game of the new season in our new stadium and the opponent couldn’t really be any bigger than Glasgow City.

Champions again last year, Glasgow City have started the

defence of their title strongly with a clinical performance

and great result against Motherwell at the weekend. They

look to have really hit the ground running and, as usual,

have recruited very well.

We go into the game knowing that we really challenged

Glasgow City to the very end last season and wanting to

make sure we do the exact same thing this year. Classed as

outsiders throughout the season we ended up in a position

from which we could have clinched the title but it wasn’t to

be on the last day. Our last game against Glasgow City was

a close encounter and one which both teams will have felt

they could have won.

As always we will go into the game very well prepped after

a good pre-season and first couple of competitive games.

We will try to make life very difficult for City and will look

to our dangerous attacking players to take our chances.

We eventually look forward to the return of fans at a home

league game and will want to put on a show for those that

can make it.

Thanks,

Kelly

CAPTAIN’S COMMENTS Celtic’s tough start to the new season continues with the visit of Champions Glasgow City as the Celts target an early win over their city rivals. Just three points separated the two on the final day of last season with the Celts narrowly missing out on their first League Championship with Glasgow City running out 2-0 winners over Rangers.

Interim manager Grant Scott has taken the reigns at the club after long-term manager Scott Booth made the move down to the WSL’s Birmingham City, but with a record of success in his time at Hibs, he’ll look to continue City’s culture of dominance.

City head to Airdrie off the back of a disappointing exit from the Champions League, losing out 3-2 on aggregate to Swiss side Servette, but with their strong mentality that has snowballed over the years, Scott’s squad will arrive looking to get back to winning ways quickly.

GLASGOW CITYPROFILED

Good evening, and welcome along to the Penny Cars for our first home league match of the season, and welcome to our opponents Glasgow City.

It’s very important for us to now have this routine of consistent

football and structure. Most of our tactical load is now done

and now we can focus on individual game preparation and be

specific in our planning for Glasgow City. Although, we take

friendlies very seriously you cannot replicate the adrenaline

levels of a competitive game, and now every win we get will get

us three points and take us that little bit closer to our season

goals.

I remember my very first league game and it was an

unbelievable experience. The fans played a huge part in us

winning that game in the last minute and almost two years after

it, I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was amazing for us

and hopefully can repeat the same experience and deliver the

same result at the end, although it will be very hard.

Fran AlonsoManager, Celtic FC Women

MANAGER: GRANT SCOTTHOME GROUND: PETERSHILL PARKLAST MEETING SWPL1: CELTIC 0-0 GLASGOW CITYLAST RESULT CELTIC: ABERDEEN 2-4 CELTIC (SWPL1)

GLASGOW CITY: GLAGOW CITY 1-2 SERVETTE (UWCL R2)

Although, we take friendlies very seriously you cannot replicate the adrenaline levels of a competitive game.

CELTIC BEGIN LIFE AT PENNY CARS

Fran Alonso and the Celts enjoyed an active summer transfer window bringing in a lucky seven new faces to Celtic Park for the new season.

Proceedings kicked off with highly-rated midfielder Tyler

Toland from Manchester City, before she was joined by fellow

WSL player, striker Charlie Wellings from Bristol City. Celtic

made further history by signing the first ever Chinese woman

to ever play professionally in the UK with Shen Mengyu of

Shanghai Shengli, before bringing in Icelandic youngster

Maria Olafsdottir Gros.

Next in was Orlando Pride centre half Cheyenne Shorts to

bolster Alonso’s defence before New Zealand’s Olivia Chance

linked up with the Celts fresh from the Olympics.

And the Celts topped things off with an exciting deadline

day addition, signing Canadian striker Clarissa Larisey from

newly-crowned Icelandic champions Valur.

NEW CELTS JOIN IN EXCITING SUMMER WINDOW

ANSWERS: 1. Seven | 2. Caitlin Hayes | 3. Maria McAneny | 4. Hearts | 5. Olivia Chance

1 HOW MANY SIGNINGS DID ALONSO MAKE THIS SUMMER?2 WHO SCORED TWICE FOR CELTIC IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE?3 WHO HAS JOINED HEARTS ON LOAN?4 WHO DID CELTIC PLAY IN THEIR FIRST HOME GAME AT PENNY CARS?5 WHO MADE THEIR CELTIC DEBUT IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE?

QUIZ

While the Hoops have already welcomed Hearts to the Penny Cars in League Cup action last month, this evening’s home league opener signals a new era for the Hoops.

Airdrieonians’ pitch was a happy hunting ground for the Celts last

year, having ran out 5-0 and 8-0 winners over hosts Motherwell,

with Alonso hoping they can translate that into this season’s home

form. The move brings an end to a six-year stay at East Kilbride’s

K-Park where the Ghirls enjoyed many notable results over the

seasons.

For summer arrival Olivia Chance, the Celts’ 4-2 win up at Aberdeen was a solid start to life at Celtic, with the New Zealander happy to get things off on the right foot. “I think it was a good start for us as a team and me personally, and

we just need to continually get better, but it’s a good starting point

and I’m happy with the game.

“It was good, there’s definitely something that we can build on.

It was a good game with a lot of attacking moments for us, and

there were a few for them as well, so that’s something for us to

look back on and build on.

“I’ve been here for a couple of weeks now and we’ve also got other

new players in so it’s nice for us to slowly build as a team, really

enjoy the company and start playing good football.”

CHANCE HAPPY WITH START TO SWPL1

New winger Maria Olafsdottir Gros has been called back up into the international fold, with the Icelandic youngster heading off on under-19s duty. Facing Sweden, France and Serbia in the Euros qualifiers,

the pacy attacker is linking back up with the national side

after an impressive start to life at Celtic.

Making five appearances so far including two Champions

League games in which she set up Caitlin Hayes to give the

Celts late hope against Minsk, Olafsdottir Gros will head off

to join the youth setup straight after Glasgow City.

OLAFSDOTTIR GROS IN ICELANDIC CALL-UP

19/09 – MOTHERWELL VS CELTIC (SCOTTISH WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE 1)AWAY | ALLIANCE PARK | KICK-OFF 2PM

NEXT MATCH

@CELTICFCWOMEN @CELTICFCWOMENCELTICFCWOMEN.CO.UK

CELTICMANAGER:

FRAN ALONSO

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Chloe Logan Jodie Bartle

Cheyenne ShortsNatalie Ross Chloe Craig

Jacynta GalabadaarachchiShen Mengyu

Clarissa Larisey Olivia Chance

Rachel Donaldson Sarah Teegarden

Kelly Clark Tyler Toland

Izzy AtkinsonCaitlin Hayes

Maria Olafsdottir GrosLondon Pollard

Charlie WellingsChloe Warrington

Tegan Bowie Rebecca McAllister Rachael JohnstoneKathleen McGovern

GLASGOW CITYMANAGER: GRANT SCOTT

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Caitlin MichieHayley Lauder Claire WalshJo LoveMairhead FultonVital KatsOde Fulutudilu Clare ShineJenna ClarkLauren DavidsonJanine Van WykAgata FilipaNiamh FarrellyAoife ColvillJulia MolinPriscila ChinchillaTaylor FisherMegan FoleyTyler DoddsErin ClachersNiamh NobleMya BatesLee Alexander