Celtic women’s team turns professional for first time

Celtic have announced that their women's team will have professional status in 2020.

7th Jan 2020

Celtic’s women’s team has turned professional after the club made a “significant investment”.

Some members of the first-team squad have signed full-time contracts, with the club promising new signings in the coming weeks.

A new manager will also be named soon to replace Eddie Wolecki Black, who left the club in December.

And a full-time assistant coach will be appointed with the coaching staff supplemented by dedicated sports scientists and medical personnel.

The squad will be heading to Spain later this month for a warm-weather training camp ahead of the season kicking-off in February.

Celtic, who finished third in the SWPL last season, will face perennial champions Glasgow City in the opening day of the league season on Sunday, February 23.

Glasgow rivals Rangers turned professional last month.

Gordon Kaye, head of business development at Celtic, said: “We are delighted to be leading the way in this area in Scotland and we are sure our move to professional status is one which will be hugely beneficial for the Club and our players.

“Our new professional arrangement aims to provide the same opportunities for women wishing to play the game at all levels as we currently do for men – as a club famously open to all, this is hugely important to us.”

“We always want to be the best in all we do and this is absolutely something we aspire to.”