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Calum Ferguson with Allan MacLeod on the Spòrs Na Seachdain set on BBC Alba
About the author: Calum Ferguson is the first professional footballer to be sponsored by Prost Amerika.
He is a fluent Scottish Gaelic speaker and a regular contributor to BBC Spòrs Gaelic and serves on the Board of MG Alba. He has played for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Albion Rovers, Elgin City and at international level for the Canada U21s and Cascadia in the ConIFA World Cup, where he was the side’s top scorer.
A World Cup match made in heaven – Scotland’s women and the Gaelic language
by Calum Ferguson
[The Women’s Soccer Yearbook with Foreword by Scotland’s Kim Little]
Tuesday 4th of September 2018, as the sun disappeared behind the Loro Borici Stadium in Albania and the final whistle rang out, history was made. Scotland’s women’s team had qualified for their first ever World Cup Finals. As the last rays of sunlight disappeared so did a curse of absence which has haunted Scotland’s senior national teams since France 1998. For a country often haunted by a romantic past of what if’s and heart break, can a new era dawn…
As deep as my love for Scottish football is I have set a scene for something I believe will have a much greater impact on our nation than just football.
Something much older, rarer and which is part of us all as Scots. I refer to Scotland’s national language Gaelic and the unexpected role it has played alongside our women’s national team in their journey to world cup qualification. Although Scottish football fans have endured 20 long years of pain and shattered qualification dreams, the Gaelic language has suffered much longer. As Jane Ross’s header travelled through the air towards the Albanian Goal, the hearts of a people torn by years of frustration and loss sprang to life.
The net bulged and the Gaidhealtachd (Gaelic speaking areas) erupted into wild celebration. Not only is Scotland going to a World Cup again, but this time she marches proudly hand in hand with her national language.
I am referring to the role of BBC Alba- the national broadcasting channel for the Gaelic language in Scotland -and its coverage of Scottish women’s football. BBC Alba was formed in 2008 in partnership between broadcasting companies MG Alba and BBC Scotland.
Since then it has been a massive success giving Gaelic a stage on the national scene and drawing non-speakers to the language.Despite bing under funded compared to other minority language channels like TG4 or S4C, BBC Alba has continued to exceed expectations. They have set a high standard of coverage of Scottish football featuring SPFL Premiership and Championship games and have recently set down a statement of content for Women’s football in Scotland.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (holding 19 shirt) with Scotland coach Shelley Kerr (holding 20) at Hampden Park announcing government funds to allow the part time players to train full time.
On the dawn of World Cup Qualification, BBC Alba secured a three-year contract with the Scottish FA that covers all competitive Scotland Women home games, six domestic fixtures a season which include cup finals and finally the coverage for Glasgow City’s Champions League campaign.
The Gaelic broadcaster has committed itself and believes in the success of the women’s game in our country. This was a huge decision for a channel which recently suffered the painful loss of the highly sought-after PRO 12 Rugby rights, but they have bounced back in style. Hopping on the World Cup band wagon I hear you say? Far from it.
BBC Alba got the wagon moving.
Initially, Women’s football in Scotland struggled for recognition. In fact, in 1921 it was actually banned by the footballing authorities of the time and this ban wasn’t lifted until 1971 due to a vote from UEFA. The vote was passed with 31 countries in favour to one nation not in favour. Can you guess who? Yes indeed, Scotland.
During these dark ages a similar parallel was occurring with the Gaelic Language.
The first and second world wars sent shockwaves through the Gaelic world. Struggling to cope with the loss of so many young people and with the post war introduction of electricity and television, the old Gaelic way of life “An seann-cultair” began to disappear.
The stories, the music and the poems began to retreat further and further to the west. In a drastically changed world Gaelic was in danger of extinction. Just like women’s football Gaelic was banned and actively discriminated against. But in every struggle, comes a turning point.
The Scottish Women’s Football Association was founded unofficially in 1971 with Aberdeen, Edinburgh Dynamos, Westthorn United, Motherwell AEI, Dundee Strikers and Stewarton Thistle all leading the way for registration.
Scotland striker Kim Little wrote the Foreword to our 2016 Women’s Soccer Yearbook
However, it wasn’t until 1974 that the SFA lifted the ban and officially recognised the SWFA. Since then the women’s game has continued to grow and the SWFA has been renamed the SWF.
The Scottish Women’s Football League was formed in 1999 and in 2002 the Premier division broke away to form the Premier League (SWPL). The winner of the Premier League qualifies for the glamorous UEFA Women’s Champions League against Europe’s Elite.
Glasgow City have heavily featured in this European competition as they have dominated the SWPL since its formation winning 12 of an available 15 Scottish titles.
However, they often struggle in European competition and this could be down to the lack of success with the Women’s National Team, or a simple lack of exposure.
The turn of the tide for Gaelic also came in the 1970’s with a strong revival movement coming forth which eventually lead to the introduction of Gaelic Medium Education across Scotland in 1985.
Since that day Gaelic has also grown from strength to strength and arguably reached its pinnacle in 2008 with the formation of its very own TV Channel. BBC Alba outlined clearly its intention to promote Sport content alongside other areas in order to create a doorway to Gaelic for non-Gaelic speakers.
The unifying beauty of sport is the common ground that is provided.
To Gaelic speakers and non-Gaelic speakers the drama and passion is bilingual. In Scotland, however one sport brings people together like no other – football.
Therefore, it came with no surprise that the channel agreed with the Scottish Football League to broadcast games in the 2008-09 season. The journey began for BBC Alba with the final of the Challenge Cup, which was also sponsored by BBC Alba and from here the story continued to unfold.
BBC Alba now covers the Scottish Premiership, Championship, a select few League 1 and League 2 games, Irn-Bru Cup matches, Scotland Men’s under 21s and of course the Women’s Game. The new deal struck between BBC Alba and Scottish FA to expand its coverage of Women’s football is a massive step forward and a landmark occasion for the sport in Scotland. BBC Alba have fully committed to being the home of women’s football in Scotland and what a match it is. It will not only provide a platform to promote the Women’s game but the increased audiences generated by World Cup fever will also help to promote the Gaelic Language.
BBC Alba will show all of Scotland’s 2019 Women’s World Cup matches live alongside further commitments to the domestic game in Scotland and Women’s Champions League Matches.
This exposure is exactly what the game needs in Scotland to continue to further develop the sport and break down ignorance about the quality of the game. BBC Alba’s coverage will undoubtedly attract more supporters to view the games both on TV and to the stadiums.
Furthermore, a new generation of young girls will be inspired by the live coverage and will rush outside to emulate their World Cup heroines in the increasingly empty local parks across Scotland. From grassroots level to elite level involvement will be boosted across the country.
The recent eruption in exposure and success of the national squad is also impacting on the domestic game with Hibernian rising to challenge the ever-dominant Glasgow City. This, combined with the success of the national team, has led to talk of a potential second Women’s Champions league spot being offered to the topflight of Scotland’s Women’s football.
The channel logo is visible in this still from BBC Alba’s coverage of Scotland women as they celebrate their win in Albania which ensured qualification for the World Cup. The Gaelic channel has retained the rights to Scotland’s games in the finals.
Most importantly this will help show young girls across Scotland that not only can you enjoy the sport on a now highly competitive level, but also that you can make a profession out of the game.
The Scottish Government noticed the exciting opportunity that World Cup Qualification has created and have provided additional funding so that the Scotland Squad can train full-time in the build-up to the World Cup. This is a huge boost to the squad who are used to balancing training 4-5 times a week and a strength and conditioning programme, alongside full-time or part-time employment.
It will provide not only an increased level of training but also the rest and recovery that is required to reach ultimate levels of performance. The additional £80,000 of funding has gifted Shelley Kerr’s squad the priceless opportunity to march into the World Cup next summer fully equipped and prepared to make us all proud. Once again, the nation will get behind their national team and hopefully one day the newly inspired World Cup generation will pull on the navy blue of the Scotland lionesses themselves.
Women’s football in Scotland has been given a platform by BBC Alba to shine and shine it has. Increased exposure has followed as hoped and the infectious excitement continues to grow around the sport. The future is exciting. How appropriate that as BBC Alba celebrates her 10th birthday it has also been gifted a reward like no other. A trip to France and a chance for Gaelic coverage to shine at the greatest show on earth.
Across the World Women’s football has battled to be accepted and this fight continues in its attempt to gain equal status to the men’s juggernaut industry. Likewise, the Gaelic language also continues with her relentless struggle against prejudice and ignorance. Women’s football? Gaelic? A match made in heaven. Time to shake off the sneer.
Time to step up proudly in France and lead the nation as equals.
Moran taing, thanks for reading.
Calum Ferguson.
