Colette Cavanagh: It's only a matter of time until Hibs Women turn professional

Colette Cavanagh believes it's only a matter of time before Hibernian Women make the jump to full-time professional football.

Hibs Women's Colette Cavanagh

Old Firm rivals Rangers and Celtic are the only clubs in Scotland currently operating at that level, however that quota is expected to increase over the next year or two.

City rivals Hearts, who Hibs meet under the Tynecastle lights tonight in their final SWPL 1 clash before the festive break, have made no secret of their desire in joining the Glasgow duo as a full-time professional club. The majority of the remaining sides in SWPL 1 already have several of the playing personnel signed to semi-professional contracts.

But dynamic midfielder Cavangh, who also teaches PE at a high school in Dunfermline, says everything at the Leith club is geared towards making that transition to full-time status.

"We are hopefully going to follow soon with the other clubs in the league but we just have to wait for those decisions to be made by the people above us," Cavanagh, 23, told the Evening News. "Ben Kensell has been fantastic for us since he was appointed chief executive at Hibs. He always thinks of us, even off the pitch like giving us tickets for this weekend's cup final. We know we're on his radar and that just helps us even more. Everything that Ben gives us we want to give something back.

"The club has been brilliant in giving us the use of the gym at the training centre where we can go before or after training on a Tuesday and Friday. We are already competing with the top teams but I'm really excited to see what we can achieve when we're training the whole week, having food provided for us, because all of us are working or students and are then having to compete against players who are training every day of the week.

"We are almost there, it's just that wee push that we need. The likes of Rangers and Celtic are faster and fitter but technically we're just as good. I've come so far in my football career that it would be a waste if I turned down the chance to turn professional to stick with teaching. I'm qualified so I can always go back to it if it doesn't work out."

Cavanagh, like the rest of her team-mates, is relishing tonight's trip across the city to face Eva Olid's side. The Capital rivals played at Easter Road in September with Hibs running out 3-0 winners – Alexa Coyle, Rachael Boyle and Eilidh Adams all on target for Dean Gibson's outfit. However, the game is fondly remembered for setting a new record crowd for a domestic women's fixture in Scotland with 5,512 in attendance that evening.

And Hibs will be roared on by more than 1,000 supporters housed in the Roseburn end of the ground this evening.

Cavanagh added: "Easter Road was the biggest crowd I've played in front and when we came out the tunnel, I actually had goosebumps so having a decent Hibs support there tonight will hopefully help us again.

"It will be a really tough game. Hearts have improved massively with their additional training sessions, their support and facilities they have in place. But we want to end the year on a high with a win and there's nothing better than beating your rivals."

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