Aberdeen Women boss Clint Lancaster encouraged by club’s pledge on future investment and plan to make team full-time

Aberdeen Women manager Clint Lancaster believes the club are moving in the right direction towards progressing their women’s team.

Last week, the club revealed in their annual accounts plans to further invest in the women’s team, with the intention of laying out a five-year plan – which is not currently in action – towards establishing a full-time operation.

Lancaster’s appointment this summer was a landmark one for the club, as he became the first-ever full-time women’s team manager.

And with the club now pledging to continue their investment in the women’s team, Lancaster believes it reflects another step towards more progress.

He said: “The club are heading in the right direction. It’s an ambitious club and I know that their aim is to have a fully professional women’s team.

“There is not necessarily a timescale on that just now, but it is the way the club want to go and it’s brilliant. It’s a real positive.

“My appointment as manager was quite historic as I’m the women’s team’s first full-time manager and that was a proud moment for me. In time, the club will get there and to have played a part in it that and being on this journey with them is brilliant.

“I want to do what I can to help and support the club reach its full potential for when it does go professional and full-time.”

Full-time team would see players’ dreams become reality

Going full-time, Lancaster says, would not just benefit the players signed to the team, but would serve as inspiration to budding young female footballers in the local area.

He added: “It would be amazing for the youngsters – and we’re even talking under-7s or under-8s – to see that they can become a professional footballer on their doorstep.

“We have players signed on (semi) professional deals just now, but it would be great for those coming through and for the ones here are the minute to see Aberdeen become full-time.

“For the club as a whole, it is certainly the way they want to go in time. There’s no timeframe on when that will happen, but the club want to go in that direction and it’s the direction most teams will be looking to go at some point.

“It is one of those things where if you don’t do it, then others will – and you need to make sure you’re not falling behind. I know at this club that is certainly not the case.

“The ambition of the club is to really get behind the women’s team and my appointment demonstrated that. It’s heading in the right direction, for sure.”

Following a 2-1 win over Spartans in the SWPL last weekend, Lancaster’s Dons return to action against Celtic at the Excelsior Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Aberdeen currently sit seventh in the SWPL with 18 points, meanwhile their opponents sit second with 36 points having lost only one of their 13 games so far this term.

Lancaster said: “The game against Spartans was good for us because we actually got the ball down and played some really good football – that’s the way that I want us to play.

“We got the three points playing like that and could have got even more goals, but we did play some excellent stuff.

“The players have been trying their best every game and they will do no different this weekend. It will be a tough game for sure, but what I have found in this league is that there are no easy games.

“There are teams at the top and at the bottom, but everybody gives you a difficult game. It is a cliché, but anything can happen, and hopefully, we can get something from it.”