“Glasgow City has always been the front runner”: Hayley Lauder looks to regain SWPL title
Image supplied by the SWPL: Glasgow City’s Hayley Lauder backs her side to regain the title.
By Jack Cranmer
For 14 years Glasgow City were the dominant force in Scottish women’s football, winning every title from 2007/08 to 2020/21 and establishing themselves as a name in the game across Europe.
However, in recent years both Old Firm sides have invested heavily in their women’s teams with both claiming a title either side of City’s 2022/23 championship win to end the Petershill Park side’s dominant streak.
Scotland international Hayley Lauder has been with City since the height of their power, joining in 2014. She feels that the league has a “nostalgic feel about it” with City placed at the top followed by Hibernian, who were consistently behind her side during their glory years.
Lauder, now 34, is one of the more experienced players with her side and she has seen and won it all.
She appreciates the heightened competition now in the league, but feels her side are still the team to beat in the women’s game.
Speaking at this week’s SWPL media event she said: “Glasgow City has always been the front-runner and pushing for standards and driving for more and in turn that's created this league.
“The teams are all competitive and that’s fantastic for the neutral but as a Glasgow City player I want to be at the top and we’re going in the right direction.”
Lauder and her teammates go into the final fixtures leading the pack but that they understand the hard work is not over yet.
She said: “We’ve put ourselves in a really good position going into the split, but we also understand how difficult the split is with the quality of teams that we'll be playing.
Glasgow City and Hibs are once again leading the pack ahead of the Old Firm.
“We’re under no illusions, it's going to be very tough, but we're well equipped and we've got a great squad to give ourselves the best chance.”
City finished last season in 3rd place behind the Old Firm, but they finished a previous campaign as champions after a last minute, last day victory over Rangers at Ibrox.
Lauder said: “Winning the league is the pinnacle of the year, it shows your longevity over the season and to do it in the final seconds of that game at Ibrox was incredibly special but hopefully we'll have some more big moments again this season.”
Glasgow City host 2nd placed Hibs on Sunday to kick off their post-split fixtures and will host Hearts on the final day of the campaign where they hope to regain the title, they’ve become synonymous with.