Dreaming big: FC Edinburgh manager on why his club can reach SWPL1 as committed players see big picture

After a brilliant start to life in the Scottish Women’s League One, FC Edinburgh manager Andy Enwood is dreaming big. He is convinced he has what it takes to propel the club not just to the next level, but another couple of levels above that.

His team are unbeaten at the top of the table, winning seven out of their eight games. Reaching the Championship next season is the immediate goal, but Enwood’s aspirations for the club do not end there. He is hoping eventually to reach SWPL1 over the next few years.

“My main focus is on FC Edinburgh and getting them to that top league”, he told Edinburgh Evening News. “That’s going to require us to win League One, the Championship and the SWPL2. It might sound like quite a bold target to set, but I think I have enough experience in and around the lower leagues to be able to know how teams need to be set up, to know the opposition, the players that are required, the mentally and fitness of players to get up. So that is the challenge. It’s not going to be simple, but it’s one I will look forward to as I try and move this club forward.”

A former Hearts manager who spent around five years at the Gorgie club, Enwood is a PE teacher who has a UEFA A License He took over FC Edinburgh in the summer after they finished third in the Championship last season. However, the league restructure resulted in demotion to League One due to the club not fulfilling the requirements of having a fully functioning youth pathway. Despite dropping down a division, many of the players chose to stay at the club and Enwood is full of praise for their “commitment” .

Andy Enwood proud of the FC Edinburgh players' "commitment", most of them staying with the club after demotion

“The team were demoted on a criteria basis, not a performance basis”, Enwood explained. “Most teams, if they were competing at the top of the Championship, obviously fell a little short, but they probably thought they’d have a good go of it next season with a new manager.

“They then get demoted, the instant response, many might think of the players, is that they don’t want to play in what is essentially division four. A number of these players have shown a fantastic attitude to stay with us. They have brought into what we are doing.

“We have added players in and at the minute they have bought into it too. They are getting some sort of reward and results for their commitment. If there is one word I could use to describe my players it is committed. They could have easily stepped away and said they didn’t want to play division four football. They have brought into what we want to do so far and stayed.”

Outside of the league, the team have also had recent success in the SWF Championship and League One Cup, reaching the semi-finals last weekend after beating Grampian 3-0. Enwood added: “I’m not surprised we have reached the semi-finals. I expect us to be challenging to win the cup. It will be a difficult task, however the group is capable. I don’t say that with arrogance. I’m not saying it will be easy or that we are favourites. But that’s the target.”