Last weekend’s Old Firm ticketing fiasco should be used as a lesson for all in Scottish women’s football.
A day before Rangers were set to host Celtic at Ibrox in the SWPL, the home club cancelled the tickets of all away fans due to a security threat of “risk supporters” attending the game.
It was a decision that was made alongside Police Scotland and, of course, safety is paramount.
However, there were several things in Rangers’ statement which were extremely disappointing to read.
The club mentioned the decision had to be made as they were informed that if such supporters were to attend then Police Scotland would have to deploy a large number of officers – which they would not be able to do with the match initially being a police-free fixture.
The match being a police-free fixture feels incredibly naïve.
As I already said, safety is paramount and police presence is important for many other things than just dealing with trouble.
For such a game between rivals and with the stakes of it being a top-two SWPL clash, the clubs would have anticipated thousands of people to attend.
Even with no away support, more than 4,000 fans were in attendance at Ibrox for the 1-1 draw.
To think further security measures would not be needed is a bit mind boggling. It is prudent to be prepared and the priority should always be keeping everyone safe.
The women’s game in Scotland is growing and it is encountering things it may not have had to consider before. It is important clubs keep up with the ever-changing landscape and the demands the game may now bring.
In the statement, Rangers referred to the unsegregated and family-friendly atmosphere as being a “unique selling point” of the women’s game – which could have been put at risk if tickets were not cancelled.
That kind of reasoning adds no value to our game.
There are aspects of the women’s game which makes it more inclusive than the men’s – and that is great – but this is elite sport and we’re not just a fun family day out.
It is an outdated perception of the women’s game and another lesson that clubs can learn from.
There are good examples of the need for mixed zones, but part of the fun of football is sitting with the supporters of your clubs, singing your songs and cheering on your team.
I hope there are no long lasting effects from the ticketing fiasco like there has been in the same men’s fixture.
We want to grow the game and limiting who can attend is a precedent nobody wants to set.
Last season, we saw how these big fixtures were a catalyst for creating more interest and more revenue for the domestic game in Scotland.
There is a responsibility for all clubs and organisations to keep playing their part in that, too. I hope the issues which arose with the Old Firm last weekend prove to be the exception and not the rule.
Scotland’s Pinatar Cup a chance to get to work
The national team have been in Spain this week for the Pinatar Cup tournament, with our first game being on Saturday against the Philippines.
It is the first time we have had a camp since the end of the Nations League campaign in December last year.
There were tough moments from those games and it is hard for them not to be at the forefront of your mind, but this camp has been about trying to take the good things and learning from our mistakes.
As a group, we want to try and consolidate the areas in which we have improved a lot over the last 18 months or so.
And we have spent time working on elements we want to become much more efficient in. There has been a good bit of time focused on our attack and that has made training enjoyable for a lot of players because of the effect it can have on their game.
It is a key area for us and if we can make some overall improvements then hopefully the results will follow.
Get inside training out in Spain, as the preparations step-up for our Pinatar Cup kick-off 🎥 🏴
Click below to watch ⤵️#SWNT
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) February 22, 2024
It has been a good camp so far. We have been based in Spain all week – rather than travelling nearer the match – and with our game being a Saturday, it has afforded us more time to work together.
We’ve had more time on the pitch and more time to focus on the precise details in our team meetings.
It has been a more expansive week, after being used to a faster turnaround, and it has been really valuable.
To have been so productive has helped us as players engage in what we are all trying to achieve.
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