Rangers Women Enjoy Successful End to Historic Debut Season

Rangers continued their unbeaten streak in a 2-1 victory over Motherwell on the 1st of May to put themselves eight points clear of title rivals Glasgow City with just one game standing between them and a historic first Scottish Women’s Premier League title. The game before this against Aberdeen on the 24th April also carried historical significance as it was the first occasion that a women’s match was hosted at Ibrox Stadium. 

The final game of the season seemed to be more of a formality than a nail biter. Glasgow City held the Gers to a 0-0 draw on the final day but it wasn’t enough to prevent the end to City’s 14 year dynasty in the SWPL, with no other club winning the league since before the 2007/08 season. This draw means that Rangers maintained an eight point lead at the top of the table, with Glasgow City having two final games to play. The weight of this achievement is phenomenal for Rangers as it means that they are crowned as champions of the SWPL in its final season of existence before joining the new SPFL league format next season. They also secured qualification for next season’s women’s Champions League. For Glasgow City, it’s all the more devastating as they miss out on the significant achievement of being champions 15 times in a row, and for the last 15 years of the league’s existence. 

For Rangers, it’s also a tremendous return on investment as they have focused on building a strong womens set up to continue and build on the tradition and history of the club. This investment only remains successful if they continue to triumph in the new league set up, as well as in Europe in the coming years. However, with the calibre of recruitment and makeup of current talent, Rangers have a strong foundation which will help establish success as a routine. 

Perhaps most notably, is the addition of American-born, Scottish International Brianna Westrup – the captain and rock in defence is a crucial part of Rangers’ success and a backbone to the fresh new setup over at Ibrox. Born in Corona Del Mar, Newport Beach, CA, Westrup made a name for herself at the University of Virginia as a physical defender with very obvious leadership characteristics. After a stint at Danish club B93 she came to the UK at first to play for Newcastle Utd in 2020, but ended up north of the border within the same year,  playing for Glasgow Rangers and being appointed as their captain. A move which has delivered great achievement and pride for Brianna in her career. At 25 years old she has a bright future ahead of her as captain of Rangers’ in a highly competitive and newly formed SWPL.