Scottish Women's Football League Cup

The Scottish Women's Football League Cup, previously known as the Scottish Women's League Cup and Scottish Women's Football League First Division Cup, is a Scottish women's football competition founded in 1972.[1] It is open only to teams in the Scottish Women's Football League (SWFL). It was the top-level league cup until 2002.

The SWFL Cup is played at present as the league cup of level 4 clubs in the SWFL, now a standalone amateur league tier. Teams at levels 1–3 now play for the SWPL Cup and SWF Championship Cup, following a reorganisation of the system in 2019.[2][3]

Background

The trophy started out as the Scottish Women's League Cup. The competition began in the 1972–73 season along with the foundation of the Scottish Women's League.[4] Westthorn United won the first edition of the competition,[4] as part of a treble along with the Scottish Women's League and Scottish Women's Cup.[4]

High street store Sports Connection became the first official sponsor of the Scottish Women's League and Scottish Women's League Cup in 1997.[5] Premier Division clubs broke away to form a new top division, the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL), before the 2002–03 season.[6] The Scottish Women's Premier League Cup, a competition only open to SWPL teams was also introduced. With the top division in Scotland now having its own exclusive League Cup competition, the existing competition became the equivalent to the men's Scottish Challenge Cup, only open to lower league clubs.

In 2012, Scottish Women's Football launched separate cup competitions for its First and Second Division teams,[7] and the top trophy became exclusively for teams in the First Division, the national second league tier (which became the third tier in 2016, below SWPL 2). From 2009, women's football in Scotland adopted a summer season running from March to November each year.[8]

Following the 2019 reorganisation, the SWFL First and Second Divisions ceased to exist as they had. A new equivalent knockout tournament for the new Championship, the SWF Championship Cup, was introduced. The older trophy became the Scottish Women's Football League Cup, open to clubs playing at that 'Recreational' level.[9] The 2021 competition was played as a straight knockout cup, won by Bishopton, but the 2022 cup had a group phase. From this, the top teams qualified for the knockout stage, while eliminated clubs competed for the SWFL Plate.

SWFL Second Division Cup

The Scottish Women's Football League Second Division Cup was played from 2012 to 2019, and was only open to teams in the four groups of the Scottish Women's Football League Second Division (Central, East, North and West). Representing level 3 (2012–2015) and then level 4 (2016–2019), it was the league cup for the lowest tier at that time in the women's football league system.

The tournament consisted of six rounds, including the final. All matches were played over only one leg. With between 40 and 50 teams entering, only some teams took part in the first round. The winners met the remainder in the second round, a standard last-32 knockout.[10]

The league reconstruction in 2020 introduced a new SWF Championship division (and cup), along similar lines to the SWFL First Division, while the teams below formed a standalone 'Recreational' setup, continuing the SWFL name and the format of regional groups.[2][11] The First Division Cup again became the SWFL League Cup, but with no second tier below the new SWFL groups, the Second Division Cup was discontinued.

List of winners

The Scottish Women's League Cup competition began in season 1972–73.[1][4]

1972 to 2002

From 1972 to 2002, the cup was a competition open to all league clubs.

Note: Details incomplete
Season Winner Runner Up Result Ref
1972Westthorn UnitedDundee Strikers16–0[1][4]
1976-77Edinburgh DynamosWestthorn United
1977-78Edinburgh DynamosVale of Clyde5–2[1]
1981–82Whitehill
1982–83WhitehillWishaw4–3
1982–83WhitehillWishaw4–3
1983–84
1984–85Wishaw
1990–91Inveralmond LadiesDundee United4-2[12]
1991–92Inveralmond LadiesAberdeen3–1[12]
1992–93Hutchison ValeClyde3–2
1993–94ClydeCumbernauld Ladies6–1[13]
1994–95Cumbernauld LadiesHutchison Vale
1995–96Cove RangersGiuliano's4-0
1996–97Cumbernauld UnitedClyde6–0[13][14]
1997–98Cumbernauld UnitedClyde6–1[14]
1998–99Cumbernauld UnitedClyde5–0[15][16]
1999–00Cumbernauld United or Aberdeen[1][17]
2000–01Cumbernauld UnitedAberdeen3–1[18]
2001–02KilmarnockAyr United2–0[19]

2002 to 2011

From 2002 to 2011, the cup was open to all league clubs below the Premier League,[1] i.e. in the SWFL First Division, Second Division and (initially) Third Division.

Season Winner Runner Up Result Ref
2002–03[20]
2003–04ClydeAberdeen4–0[21]
2004–05Forfar FarmingtonInverness Caledonian Thistle2–1 a.e.t.
2005–06Lochee UnitedArthurlie4–2
2006–07InvernessVale of Clyde3–0
2007–08Dundee UnitedDalkeith6–0[22]
2008–09CelticSpartans4–0
2010Celtic ReservesHibernian 20002–0
2011AberdeenToryglen2–1

2012 to 2019

Scottish Women's Football League First Division Cup:[1]

Season Winner Runner Up Result Ref
2012Queen's ParkPaisley Saints0–0 (3–2 pen)
2013Inverness CityDunfermilne Athletic6–0
2014HeartsDunfermline Athletic3–1
2015 Jeanfield Swifts Hibernian Development 3–0 [23][24][25]
2016 Hibernian Development East Fife 2–1 [26][27]
2017 Cumbernauld Colts Celtic Academy 1–0 [28][29][30]
2018 Celtic Academy Hibernian Under 23's 1–0 [31]
2019 Celtic Academy Renfrew 6–0 [32]

Scottish Women's Football League Second Division Cup:[1]

Season Winner Runner Up Result Venue Ref
1992-93 Stewarton Thistle Meadow Athletic 4-2
2012 Hearts Aberdeen Reserves 6–1 Recreation Park, Alloa [33]
2013 Hibernian Development Viewfield Rovers 5–0 [34]
2014 Renfrew Hamilton Caledonian 9–3 Ainslie Park, Edinburgh [35]
2015 Motherwell Rangers Reserves 6–2 Ainslie Park, Edinburgh [36]
2016 Dundee United Dunfermline Development 9–0 Ainslie Park, Edinburgh [37]
2017 Blackburn United Bayside 3–2 a.e.t.[lower-alpha 1] Ainslie Park, Edinburgh [38]
2018 Kelty Hearts Spartans Development 2–0 Ainslie Park, Edinburgh [39]
2019 Morton Girls Dryburgh Athletic 3–2 a.e.t. Ainslie Park, Edinburgh [40][41]
  1. After extra time; 1–1 after 90 mins

2020–present

Since 2020, the cup has been a competition for all SWFL clubs. The previous two tiers were merged into one (below the SWF Championship). The 2020 competition was not completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SWFL Plate was introduced in 2021 for clubs knocked out in the SWFL Cup group phase.

Scottish Women's Football League Cup:

Season Winner Runner Up Result Ref
2021BishoptonBayside4–0[42][43]
2022Harmony RowLinlithgow Rose3–2[44][45]

Scottish Women's Football League Plate:

Season Winner Runner Up Result Ref
2021MuriestonAyr United Development1–0[43]
2022Motherwell DevelopmentEast Fife Development0–0 a.e.t.
(3–1 pen)		[44][46]

See also

References
  1. "Scotland - Women's Cup Winners". RSSSF.
  2. "New Senior Structure for 2020 and beyond". Scottish Women's Premier League. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  3. Scottish Women’s Football announces new league structure, SheKicks.net, 20 September 2019
  4. SFA women’s chief says hails good times for Scots Edinburgh News. 18-10-2013. Retrieved 03-03-2015.
  5. Sports Connection to sponsor Scottish Women's Football League SFA. 11-12-1997. Retrieved 06-03-2013.
  6. Jonathan Magee, Sheila Scraton, Jayne Caudwell, Katie Liston (30 January 2008). Women, Football and Europe: Histories, Equity and Experience. Meyer & Meyer Verlag. pp. 3–27. ISBN 9781841262253.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. Scottish Women's Football League 2nd Division Cup SFA / SWF. Retrieved 03-03-2015.
  8. Leighton, Tony (19 December 2010). "England coach Hope Powell calls for women's game to switch to summer". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  9. 2021 SWFL fixtures announced & SWFL Cup 1st Round Draw, Scottish Women's Football, 20 May 2021
  10. "Scottish League Cup draws". shekicks.net. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  11. Scottish Women’s Football announces new league structure, SheKicks.net, 20 September 2019
  12. Women's football Herald Scotland. 04-11-1991. Retrieved 03-03-2015.
  13. "These misses are such a hit now". The Herald. 11 November 1996. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022.
  14. Cumber-mauled Daily Record. 15-12-1997. Retrieved 05-032013.
  15. Football: Hamill is hero at the double; Cumbernauld Utd 5 Clyde 0 The Mirror. 30-11-1998. Retrieved 18-11-2012.
  16. Sinclair, Paul (30 November 1998). "Wimmin With The Tide". Daily Record. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  17. "Sports Digest: 13th March 2000". The Herald. Archived from the original on 22 April 2022.
  18. "New town women complete double". BBC Sport. 16 April 2001. Classy Cumbernauld have now won the trophy four times in five seasons.
    Note: Cumbernauld were league champions the previous season, not in 2000–01
  19. Scotland (Women) Cup 2001/02 RSSSF. Retrieved 23-11-2012.
  20. "SWFL Cup 1st round 15-09-02". SWFL. Archived from the original on 15 December 2002.
  21. "Honours For Ladies | 27 Apr 2004 | News". Clyde Football Club. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014.
  22. "What do Referees get involved in?". Fife Referees. Archived from the original on 4 January 2008.
  23. "All the goals from Jeanfield Swifts Ladies cup-winning performance". Jeanfield Swifts FC. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  24. "SWFL Division 1 Cup Final". Pitchero. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018.
  25. "9 June 2015". Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  26. "Hibernian Development victorious over East Fife in #SWFL1 Cup". SWF. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  27. "Hibernian Development Leave It Late To Beat East Fife – SWFL Division One Cup Final". Tartan Kicks. 23 June 2016. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018.
  28. "SWF Division 1 League Cup Final – Celtic Academy v Cumbernauld Colts". SWF. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  29. "Cumbernauld Colts girls defeat Celtic Academy to win first senior trophy". Cumbernauld News (Glasgow World). 22 May 2017. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018.
  30. "Colts boss - 'League Cup win can spur us on to promotion this season'". Daily Record. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  31. "Celtic Academy clinch #SWFL 1 Cup with late penalty". She Kicks. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  32. "SWFL1Cup Final: Celtic Academy hit Renfrew for six". She Kicks. 4 May 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  33. 2012Scottish Women's Football League 2nd Division Cup Final
  34. 2013 Scottish Women's Football League 2nd Division Cup Final
  35. "Welcome to the home of SWF". Archived from the original on 29 July 2014.
  36. "Welcome to the home of SWF". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  37. DUWFC LEAGUE CUP WIN – SWFL2, Dundee United F.C., 24 June 2016
  38. SWFL2 League Cup Highlights, SheKicks.net, 9 June 2017
  39. Kelty Hearts capture SWFL2Cup, SheKicks.net, 1 June 2018
  40. Scottish Football Almanac 2020/21, The Essential Guide to Scottish Football 7th Edition
  41. SWFL2Cup: Morton net dramatic late stoppage-time winner, SheKicks.net, 1 June 2019
  42. "Bishopton Ladies secure historic League Cup win after smashing four past Bayside". Daily Record. 24 November 2021.
  43. "How the SWFL Cup and Plate were won". Anyone's Game. 22 November 2021. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022.
  44. "SWFL Plate and Cup Final". SWF. 26 June 2022.
  45. "Harmony Row strike a second-half chord to lift cup". SWF. 26 June 2022. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022.
  46. "Motherwell lift SWFL Plate after tense penalty shootout". SWF. 26 June 2022. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022.
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