Exclusive:Hibs boss on SWPL title defence ambition and Champions League hopes as Scott promises funding 'conversations'

Rangers, Celtic and Glasgow City all seen off by underdogs in stunning upset

SWPL title winner Grant Scott admits there will be “a lot of conversations” with the club as he seeks funding to compete in the Champions League AND keep Hibs in the fight to defend their league crown next season. But the gaffer won’t be asking the club hierarchy to match the biggest spenders in Scottish women’s football pound for pound – because he’s just proven what can be achieved against the economic odds.

Hibernian Women pulled of one of the most surprising triumphs in the professional era by winning the title for the first time since 2007, despite having the fifth largest budget in Scotland’s elite division. Needing only a point from their final league encounter against Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday, Scott’s players capped a magnificent season with a stunning 1-0 away win.

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Scott, who saw off the challenges of not only Rangers but Glasgow City and a Celtic team who faded early in the run-in, insists this surprise triumph can’t be a one-off. He’ll be looking to recruit players who buy into the winning culture that made this season’s spectacular over-achievement possible.

Investment needed to challenge on two fronts

But the experienced coach, currently in his second stint at Hibs, believes investment will be needed, revealing: “Yeah, I think at this point there's a lot of conversations yet to be had. We've been given a budget for next year for a playing squad.

“I'm across, you know, some of the budget for other costs that it takes to put the team on the pitch as well. So, you know, we've got a bit of control over that, and we've been given those figures.

Scenes: Siobhan Hunter lifts the SWPL trophy after Sunday’s 1-0 win at IbroxScenes: Siobhan Hunter lifts the SWPL trophy after Sunday’s 1-0 win at Ibrox
Scenes: Siobhan Hunter lifts the SWPL trophy after Sunday’s 1-0 win at Ibrox | SNS Group

“I think, you know, without going with the begging bowl, I think I've got to go and ask the questions now if there's additional support available. Because I feel European qualification probably means we have to add in a couple of bits of different dynamic.

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“Whether that's quality, whether it's character, whether it's a bit of both, whether it's just players that we might suit the European ties better or just players that would come in and contest a starting spot on the team. Thankfully, we've retained most of what we have. There'll naturally be some departures.

“But I think those conversations will have to happen and we can only ask the question because that will dictate a lot how we set up next season, what the playing style and squad will be like. And yeah, I think it's fair questions to ask.

“I have to be honest and say I think that the football club to this point has done unbelievable work in supporting us. You know, we've got the run of the training centre when we're in there, the staff there, the staff at Easter Road, the backing we get from the men's team, the players all know, you know, they're all fond of what's happening with the women's team. They're all across our fixtures.

“There's just so much cohesion right now that we have to go back and ask those questions. Because if we want this to be not a one-off, which is certainly my ambition, for me, it's not about having won the title and yeah, everybody enjoy it, and we'll settle for fourth or fifth next year.

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“The reality is that may be the case, but I think we have to be more ambitious than that. We have to try to make this a sustained progression at the club on the women's side.”

Economic realities put Hibs Women fifth of five full-time teams

Speaking exclusively to our Hibs Hub podcast, Grant didn’t hesitate when it was suggesting that his team should be challenging for the SWPL title again next season, declaring: “Yeah, look, I think if you don't have that ambition, I really would question what you're doing it for.

“We know the realities out of the five full-time teams, And I promise to the outside world, I will stop going on about this because I think, you know, once you've proven it wrong, you need to probably pipe down.

“But we probably have out of the five full-time teams in the division, the fifth largest budget. We are probably fifth in terms of squad size. So A rightful place, if all of that was true and effective, we sit in fourth or fifth spot.

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“But we've just proven that that is not everything. There's a bit of budget, there's a bit of resource that can come into it, but we still have to find that in our competitive edge, just the culture that's driven us to where we are.

“And I think that's really my job for the next, certainly over the summer and the coming seasons is to try and instil that in anyone who comes in and joins us, that, you know, this is not just a club that you come, and you pick up a wage and you go and try somewhere else next season.

“I want us to build something that's really meaningful because I feel that there's an opportunity still in the women's game to, you know, maintain that competitive edge with the teams like Celtic or Rangers who might have extra budget. We've just shown it again. So that's what I'm looking for.”

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