Sports
3 Sport Teams Glasgow Can Be Proud Of
On Old Firm day in Glasgow, it can feel like the whole city stops. Police line the streets in their hundred as a mass of fans swarm down and create the unique atmosphere which is known around the world. However, despite football firmly being at the heart of the city, there are several other professional sports teams who don’t get the attention they deserve. As young Scots become more aware of the variety of sporting success the city boasts and try their hand at an ever-increasing number of them, here are three professional sports teams who deserve the spotlight.
Glasgow Clan
Glasgow Clan, recently re-branded from Braehead Clan, are still in their infancy as professional sports teams go. Founded in 2010, the Clan have wasted no time in becoming a solid and well-respected team in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). Placing fifth in their debut season, the side finished second in the league in 2014-15, an incredible achievement considering the club’s youth. Playing their matches at Braehead Arena, they’re cheered on by the Purple Army, which at full capacity holds 3,500 people, creating a vibrant atmosphere which gets louder every year, reflecting the growth in the club’s popularity. If you fancy going along and experiencing the action first-hand, there are 30 home games per season from September to April, with tickets ranging from £18 to £22.
Glasgow City F.C
If you want to talk about Glasgow dominating Scottish football, tell Celtic and Rangers to step aside for a minute. Introducing Glasgow City FC, who recently won the Scottish Women’s Premier League for a record TWELFTH time in a row! A feat neither of the men’s clubs have managed in history, the team are at the forefront of promoting women’s football in Europe as well as Scotland and this season reached the last 16 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, being beaten by Barcelona Femeni. The club play at Petershill Park, or ‘The Peasy’, in Springburn and it’s no wonder tickets for the recent Barcelona game sold out. With fantastic value for money at £5 a ticket and £20 for hospitality, it’s well worth getting yourself down to watch the closest thing to a guaranteed victory.
Glasgow Rocks
One of the better-known professional sports teams in the city, the Radisson Red Glasgow Rocks are a basketball team who play at the Emirates Arena. The team are currently going through a rocky spell (pun intended) and sit near the bottom of the British Basketball League. Nevertheless, the Rocks are a great example of a sports club who have a tight-knit relationship with their fans, offering different tiers of match-day packages, which can include signed and framed photos of players, player mascots and jerseys signed by the team. They have also launched the Rocks in the Community initiative aimed at helping particularly vulnerable young people through the sport. Tickets are again great value for money, from £6 for a child to £13 for premier seating.
Peter Rancati
Phenomenal Glasgow City F.C
Break Their Own Record
Glasgow City Football Club are the top women’s football club in the country and have just been crowned Scottish Women’s Premier League champions for the twelfth time in a row. It’s a phenomenal achievement in any regard and they have achieved this while also reaching the UEFA Women’s Champions League Round of 16 for the fourth time in their history. This years campaign saw them start in the preliminary qualifying round and despite suffering defeat to Anderlecht, victories over FC Martve and Gornik Leczna secured a spot in the Last 32. Cypriot champions Somatio Barcelona FA stood in their way and a superb 2-0 win away in Cyprus saw them progress despite a narrow 1-0 defeat in the home leg. The Round of 16 saw them paired with FC Barcelona at the draw in Nyon. The Catalan giants are littered with full internationals, many of whom will be in France next summer for the Women’s World Cup. The first leg at the Mini Estadi was tough on City with the hosts winning 5-0 but City gave a much better outcount of themselves in the second leg at Petershill Park, going down 3-0. This Champions League run was during a tough title fight with Hibernian, victory against the Hibees in the second last game of the season secured the title by three points and secure automatic qualification for the Round of 32 next season. Hibs meanwhile secured the final piece of silverware of the season with a victory over Motherwell in the SSE Scottish Cup final at Firhill. Next season will see City go in search for a thirteenth consecutive league title but with Hibs closing the gap again this season, it won’t be a foregone conclusion. Craig Edwards
Photography: Craig Edwards
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