User:Daftcelt/Clyde L.F.C.

Clyde Ladies Football Club are a Scottish women's football team affiliated with Clyde Football Club. The club were previously known as Stewarton before being taken over by Clyde.

1990's
In the 1990's, Clyde were one of the top teams in women's football in the country, often challenging for silverware with the likes of Cumbernauld United and Ayr United, largely the former. Ironically, Cumbernauld is where the men's team relocated to in 1994 and have played their home games since, making the Clyde-United rivalry a local derby too.

They lifted their first major trophy, the 1993-94 Scottish League Cup, with a 6-1 Final drubbing of Cumbernauld United. Between seasons 1995-96 and 1998-99, Clyde lost four successive League Cup Finals to local rivals Cumbernauld United. In the 1996-97 Final, Cumbernauld United won 6-0 at Almondvale. Strangely, United were sporting an old Clyde strip. In the 1997-98 Final, Clyde were beaten 6-1 at Forthbank. Pauline Millard grabbed a late consolation for Clyde. In the 1998-99 Final, an injury ravaged Clyde lost 5-0 at the Excelsior infront of a crowd of 500.

At that point in time, it was the top league cup competiton in Scotland before the introduction of the Scottish Premier League Cup in 2002.

Clyde mounted a title challenge for the majority of season 1997-98. In February, Clyde went top of the table by defeating league leaders Cumbernauld United, exacting revenge for their League Cup Final defeat in December. They returned to the top of the table in April. After a topsy-turvy title challenge with Ayr United and Cumbernauld United, the league title was secured in May by eventual treble winners Cumbernauld United.

2000's
The Scottish Cup Final was reached for the first time in 2000. The road to the Final had seen Clyde secure good wins over Stirling, Paisley Northend, and Dundee United. In the Final, held at Forthbank Stadium, Stenhousemuir overwhelmed Clyde on the day as they ran out 9-0 winners. Ironically, Clyde goalkeeper Susan “Magoo” Flannigan was voted "Woman-of-the-Match". That same season saw Clyde's relegation from the Premier Division confirmed after defeat to Ayr United.

Clyde narrowly missed out on promotion at the end of season 2002-03 by a point, with a third place finish behind runners up East Kilbride. However, they won promotion from the First Division to the Premier League the following season. After leading the First Division for most of the season, they finished runners up to eventual champions Aberdeen.

The club also won silverware that season, the Scottish League Cup. They defeated Aberdeen 4-0 in the final at Bayview Stadium. Goals from Elaine Faulkner and Linda O'Donnell (3), captured the cup for Clyde, with the latter also being voted "Woman-of-the-Match” by the East Fife chairman. Following the introduction of the Premier League Cup, the League Cup had become the female equivalent to the Scottish Challenge Cup, a competiton open to all teams below the Premier League in the Football League.

Clyde were relegated after just one season in the Scottish Premier League, finishing second bottom above East Kilbride. However, the club won promotion back to the top flight the following season, but ended vacating their place in the Premier League the following season. Hutchison Vale were promoted in their place.

In 2007, it was announced that there would be an amalgamation between Clyde and Bishopbriggs to form Clyde F.C. Ladies, as of next season and they would continue to play in the First Division. Following financial problems at Clyde, Bishoppbriggs were later released, later relocating and becoming Airdie United

They spent the 2008-09 campaign in the Scottish Second Division South and West.

Youth Teams
In 2006, it was announced that Clyde and Cumbernauld Cosmos would join forces to form youth teams for age groups of U11's, U13's, U15's and U17's. They would be known as Clyde Cosmos. It was part of a new venture by Clyde to set up their own School of Football programme with a number of age groups for boys and girls. The U13's team of Clyde Cosmos broke away a year later and became Glasgow Girls.

Despite not even existing the previous year, the U13's team were invited to take part in the SCI Brean Sands Mitre Ultimatch Easter Cup in Somerset, England, competing against other girls teams from England and Wales in 2006. They were the sole respresentatives from Scotland.

Internationalists
Midfielder Lyndsay Hart was called up to the Scotland squad that faced the Auld Enemy in a friendly on 23 August 1997. Debbie McWhinnie and Linda Brown have both represented Scotland and been involved in numerous national squads whilst playing for Clyde. In August 1998, McWhinnie and Brown were called up to the Scotland Squad for the 1999 World Cup qualification play-off first leg against Spain. On 13 September 1998, McWhinnie played in the first leg 3-0 home defeat to Spain at the Forthbank Stadium. On 10 May 1999, Linda Brown played for Scotland in a 4-3 friendly defeat to France at the Excelsior Stadium, it was new manager Vera Pauw's first game incharge as the national manager.

League

 * Scottish First Division
 * Runners up (1): 2003-04

Cup

 * Scottish Cup
 * Runners up (1): 1999-00


 * Scottish League Cup
 * Winners (2): 1993-94, 2003-04
 * Runners up (4): 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99

Honours

 * Shrewsburry International Tournament (Under-17)
 * Winners (1): 2007
 * SWFA Girls League (Under-15)
 * Runners up (1): 2008
 * Kildrum United Football Festival (Under-13)
 * Winners (1): 2007

Awards

 * Shrewsbury International Tournament Fair Play Award (Under-17)
 * Winners (1): 2007