ABERDEEN co-manager Emma Hunter was at Stamford Bridge last Sunday to watch Chelsea beat Spurs in front of 24,564 fans. Yet even that attendance was less than the 31,213 who paid to watch the first-ever WSL Manchester derby at the Etihad the previous day.
That game was settled in Manchester City's favour by Caroline Weir's stunning strike – the midfielder scored two more in midweek against Lugano in the Champions League – and the crowds at both grounds emphasised the massively growing gulf between England and Scotland.
Hunter spent three days getting a feel for Chelsea's operations thanks to a Women in Football initiative. She was among a group which shadowed manager Emma Hayes on the Monday.
“Emma is what you would expect – she tells it like it is with no filters,” Hunter reported. “She's not scared to ask for for what she needs, and she's not scared to upset people to get there. She's done it for all the right reasons – it's not for her, it's for the development of women's football.”
Hunter's side host Rangers in an SSE Scottish Women's Cup quarter final tie today. Having beaten Spartans and Kilmarnock in the previous rounds, Aberdeen could claim a third successive win over higher league opposition.
“We've probably achieved what we've set out to do by getting to the quarter finals – anything more is a massive bonus,” Hunter said cannily.
It was a 7am start for Rangers this morning (sun), with their two new French signings, Lisa Martinez and Daina Bourma scheduled to be on the bus north. Both debuted in last Sunday's 4-0 league defeat to Glasgow City.
Former Hibs and Everton full back Emma Brownlie is set to make her first appearance for Rangers after international clearance came through late on Friday.
THE top Scottish Cup tie today is Celtic against Glasgow City at the K Park. With City having undertaken a gruelling 4500-mile round trip to Moscow in just three days during the week, the home side appear to have landed a great opportunity to beat their rivals and reach the semi-finals.
My understanding, however, is that manager Eddie Wolecki Black will not be in charge of the team today. His assistant Michael Tuohy, or head of the women's academy David Haley, are the candidates to step in.
MIXED fortunes for the two Scottish teams in the Champions League, with City beating Chertanovo 1-0 and Hibs losing 4-1 to a physically and technically strong Slavia Praha side under the Easter Road floodlights.
The home side were without midfielder Kirsten Reilly, who has joined Bristol City, and head coach Grant Scott was, understandably, annoyed that the WSL club failed to inform Hibs they intended to sign her. Bristol finally got round to announcing that she was their player on Friday, six days after Reilly, who acted impeccably throughout, told Hibs she was leaving.
While the player, who could really thrive in a full-time environment, leaves Edinburgh with the best wishes of all concerned, Bristol City don't come out of the episode at all well. This, after all, is a club which previously signed Lucy Graham and Abi Harrison from Hibs.
They got all three players without having to pay Hibs a penny in compensation. Prising Reilly away just days before an important Champions League last 32 game, without – according to Scott – as much as a nod in Hibs' direction, displayed a real lack of class.
SCOTT'S side host Hamilton Accies in the Scottish Cup this afternoon, having not lost a domestic cup tie since November, 2015. They will still be without the injured Amy Muir - and Hamilton head coach Gary Doctor hopes his side can take advantage of Hibs playing in midweek.
“Hopefully a lot has been taken out of them,” he pointed out. “It's hard for players who are not professional to play games in quick succession.” Accies were themselves involved in a thrilling 2-2 draw against promotion rivals Hearts last Sunday.
Today's other quarter final features last year's finalists, Motherwell, at home to Queen's Park.
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