The troubles of their male counterparts have been hard to ignore but the Rangers Ladies team have undergone a major shake-up of their own, albeit in a quieter, less ruinous manner.

In fact, a 3-1 win over Celtic, their first, served notice that the team is in rude health.

Angie Hind, the former Scotland women's assistant manager, took charge in January and embarked on an overhaul that included the signing of nine players, a handful arriving from their Old Firm rivals.

Two months into the 2013 season and the team are third in the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL); their only defeat coming at the hands of league champions Glasgow City.

Hind grew up in Kilmarnock at a time when women's football was not seen as desirable to watch. She said: "My papa was involved in boys' and junior football so he was an early influence. I had more friends that were boys than girls because all I wanted to do was kick a ball around. I felt as if I was the only girl who played football. My mum was always 'when are you going to grow out of it?'"

After playing in a tournament with a boys' club, Hind was asked to train with Stewarton Ladies (which later became Kilmarnock Ladies). She stayed there from the age of 11 to 31, winning her first Scotland cap at 27.

She said: "You could say I was a late bloomer. I've always felt there were really good players in the women's game but the main difference now is they're more athletic. There are better facilities, coaches are more supported and the organisation is more professional. But more can still be done."

When Hind hung up her boots in 2003 she crossed the Atlantic to coach American ladies' side Dartmouth College, which won a handful of titles during her eight years at the club.

"I always wanted to be a coach," she said. "I got my 'B' licence when I was 21 and spent five years as an SFA development officer in Glasgow. It certainly wasn't the weather that enticed me back to Scotland but when I was offered the assistant manager's job of the Scottish national team, I was ready for a new challenge."

While Hind had been lapping up the sunshine on the American east coast, the women's game in Scotland was changing dramatically. Celtic were the first half of the Old Firm to establish a ladies' team, in 2007. A year later, Rangers did the same. Close links to the men's side allowed the ladies to train at Murray Park and they were kitted out with the latest training gear and match-day strips.

However, they could not match their rivals on the pitch. Rangers Ladies have never finished higher than Celtic – the closest they came was a deficit of 15 points, in 2011. So, would it be fair to say Rangers have underachieved?

"Strangely enough, that was actually one of the reasons that attracted me to the club," Hind said. "Gary Gibson and Raymond Farrelly, who are involved in community projects, encouraged me to come and they've always been very supportive. I always want to help teams and encourage progress, and I felt I would be able to do this at Rangers. The youth team have done well over the years but players were moving on to different teams when it was time to turn senior. I want to create a first team that the club can be proud of and the youth players want to play for."

The club could almost field a second starting XI with the number of players signed in the build-up to the 2013 season. Hind said: "The key thing was we had to bring in quality players. We have kept what we had in terms of youth but added to it in terms of quality and experience. We introduced a strength and conditioning programme, as well as new coaching staff, a goalkeeping coach and a physio. Me and the management team tend to do a bit of everything as we are eager to raise the profile of the club, including setting up a Twitter account and news updates to the official Rangers website."

One of the nine new players for the team is midfielder Megan Sneddon, who has 113 Scotland caps.

"Megan and Karen Penglase were aged 14/15 when I left to go to the States. When I signed them to Rangers I think there was a mutual respect. They know the calibre of training they will get and the environment that will be created around them."

Glasgow City have monopolised the SWPL for five years; winning back-to-back league trophies and featuring in the Champions League. Last season, City won the league by 24 points and had a goal difference of 133, although Hind believes the SWPL more competitive than it appears.

"Over the years certain teams have dominated. Cumbernauld, Ayr United and Kilmarnock - and now Glasgow City. You only need to look at results this season to see the gap is getting closer. There is a definite change."