Latest news with #LinziTaylor
STV News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Potter wants ‘change in mindset' from Rangers ahead of Scottish Cup final
Jo Potter believes this week would have been 'horrendous' for Rangers had they not had the Scottish Gas Women's Scottish Cup final against Glasgow City at Hampden Park on Sunday. Dreams of a treble for the Sky Sports Cup holders were ended on the final day of the SWPL season as Linzi Taylor's goal secured a first title for Hibernian in 18 years and dropped Rangers into third spot and out of the Champions League places. Gers boss Potter told her stunned squad that they cannot 'sulk' on the back of the bitter disappointment as they look to finish the campaign with a cup double. Speaking at the national stadium, she said: 'You've got to change your mindset, coming off the back of a massive loss at the weekend. 'You come crashing down and we've got to change mindset very quickly. 'We've got to make sure that we we're changing our focus onto another game because we've got a cup final. 'If I'm talking about changing mindset this week and bouncing back, we can't sulk and we can't dwell too much on that loss. 'If we didn't have a cup final this week, this week would have been horrendous for us. 'But we've managed to get ourselves in a cup final and switching our mindset from the agony of defeat and losing a league title to try and go on and win another cup final is night and day. 'So we've got to make sure we're changing our mindset very, very quickly. 'I've had to do that for myself, personally as well. 'I needed to make sure I did that first and foremost. I looked back at everything that we could have done, that we didn't do potentially or we could have done differently. 'And then we've got to move on very quickly for the players. I come secondary to the players, what they need is first and foremost. So I've got to be in the right mindset for them. 'If I'm not in the right mindset, I can't expect the players to be. So I've got to give off the right energy and send the right messages and that's exactly what I believe in. 'So we've got to change, we've got to make sure we're better and we've got to show a little bit of fight this Sunday.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Edinburgh Reporter
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Grant Scott praises players and staff after Hibs claim SWPL title
Hibs head coach Grant Scott praised his players and staff after the team beat out Rangers to the ScottishPower Women's Premier League title on the final day of the 2024/25 campaign. Hibs needed to avoid defeat to lift the league trophy for the first time in 18 years. A win for Rangers would have sealed the title for the Glasgow club, but Linzi Taylor's fantastic goal late in the second half ensured the title was heading back to Leith. 'It just shows you money doesn't buy you everything, doesn't it?' Scott told HibsTV after the match. 'I think we're perfectly entitled to say that. 'There's a lot of teams spending a lot of money and we have to be sensible with what we do. Myself, Stewart and Joelle in the summer last, we've done some good work. 'I'm thrilled with the group. There's a real special quality in them. I can't quite put my finger on it. People say the togetherness and there's a desire, the hunger to do things well, to keep working. 'There were a lot of broken bodies out there but they've kept fighting right to the death. It's a special team.' Scott returned to the Club at the start of last season, overseeing a fifth-place finish in the league while planning a rebuild of his squad with his staff. Losing key assets in Hibs legend Joelle Murray, starting centre-back Leah Eddie and top scorer Jorian Baucom, the Head Coach moved quickly to improve his squad. Kathleen McGovern was signed to partner Eilidh Adams and Tegan Bowie up top; Ciara Grant, Kirsten Reilly, Linzi Taylor and Stacey Papadopoulos were brought in to bring experience; while Noa Schumacher and loanee Erin Clachers were swiftly introduced in goal. 'I think we felt last year we just missed that little bit of know-how, that little bit of guile in the critical moments. 'I think you've got winners in there. Kirsten's won the Scottish league and the Championship in England, which I know from experience is so hard to compete in. Ciara's won the league here. Linzi has been professional elsewhere before and played in other countries. 'To get these players of that calibre in the building, it's just helped ground the group a bit. Helped them provide a bit of know-how. Watch how they work. Those three in particular are very professional and thorough in everything they do. 'It's unfair probably to name player-by-player, but collectively as a group we've worked really hard, really well. We've competed with the best and the rewards are there. They deserve a huge amount of credit.' The unforgettable campaign also secured European football for the Club for the first time since the 2019/20 season – when the team, under Scott's stewardship during his first spell reached the Round of 32 stage. Entering at the Second Qualifying Round, in the Champions path, of the UEFA Women's Champions League, Scott is excited to return to trips abroad and tricky match-ups against the best teams in the continent. 'It'll be interesting, won't it? I've obviously had a taste of it before. 'I know how tough it can be. I've had a couple of real tough results and tough performances in Europe with this club. 'But we're in a better place now. You always want a favourable draw. If we can get a decent draw, there's no reason why not this group can't go and compete at any stage.' Hibs finished the league campaign on a Club record-high 77 points and Scott did not shy away from giving credit to everyone involved, both on and off the pitch. 'You know how I am. It's not about me. There's a lot of staff involved behind the scenes. 'We work so tirelessly. The energy and hours that we put into managing the group, preparing them, trying to mend them when we have to. There's so much that goes into it. 'I'm immensely proud to lead the group, lead the players. They listen to me every day. Some are ramblings and I'm sure some of them roll their eyes at times. 'But we've done it together. I'm immensely proud. I think it's a brilliant position for this club to have come from and now be in. 'We're all competitors. We want more. I hope they rest up and go again in the summer.' Like this: Like Related
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Champions Hibs dominate season's final team of the week
Noa Schumacher (Hibs): Made a couple of big saves early on in the title shootout match against Rangers. The one to stop Mia Macaulay as she raced through was especially impressive and it set the tone for resilient Hibs' Smit (Glasgow City): Brilliant header for City's opening goal against Hearts. Comfortable at the back too and was consistently looking to set up Taylor (Hibs): Scored the winning goal to seal her side's first SWPL in 18 years. And what a goal it was. The defender raced forward and her finish was exceptional. A cool Hunter (Hibs): When Rangers were piling on the pressure the defender put her body on the line to keep them at bay. A typical all-or-nothing performance from a key player for Brown (Montrose): Set up the opener against Dundee United to set Montrose on their way to a huge win as they retained their top-flight status. Also scored their fourth to seal a good end to the Lauder (Glasgow City): In her 250th appearance for City, the Scotland international's influence was clear. On-point delivery for the opening goal Reilly (Hibs): Committed all afternoon, whether it was driving forward or breaking up play. Confident to have a go at goal from 30 yards and was unlucky when her effort cracked the Ashworth-Clifford (Celtic): Scored two and provided two assists in the thrashing of Motherwell. Her second strike was all about great pressure and Kazlova (Glasgow City): Great awareness and positioning as she grabbed city's second goal. Could have had more too, was a constant McGovern (Hibs): The striker's commitment was exemplified when she set up the winning goal. She chased the ball, did brilliantly to keep it in play, then floated in a great ball for Taylor. The 22-year-old has had an amazing season and deserved to play a part in such a big Guthrie (Montrose): Scored a goal and set one up as she played her part in a vital win for Montrose.
STV News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Taylor calls winning SWPL with Hibs the 'greatest' moment of her career
Hibernian hero Linzi Taylor says winning the SWPL with the Edinburgh club is the 'greatest feeling' she has experienced in her football career. The midfielder scored the decisive goal in their 1-0 win against Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday which confirmed them as champions. Taylor joined the Hibees from Partick Thistle in the summer after starring for the Jags for two seasons and helping them to a cup final. The 30-year-old has also had success abroad with spells at the likes of FC Ramat HaSharon in Israel and Icelandic side Vikingur. But she insists winning the league in Scotland, with her Hibs supporting family, friends and partner in the crowd, tops the rest of her achievements. Speaking to STV Sport, she said: 'I have won a league and a cup in other countries, but to do it in Scotland is something special and probably the greatest feeling I have ever had in my football career. 'To do it here in front of my friends, my family and my partner, who are always massive Hibs fans and I see what the club means to them week in and week out following the men's team then coming to watch us on a Sunday, it's special and I think you will chase that feeling forever. 'It's the stuff you dream of when you are younger, I'm 30 now so I probably thought this moment would never come.' Taylor is now turning her attention towards realising another dream by taking part in the Champions League, with Hibs set to enter at the qualification stage. She said: 'It was always my dream to play in the Champions League and I felt the chance to do that was slipping further and further away. 'So I have to thank the manager, coaching staff, and the group of players in the changing room for helping me realise one of my dreams, and that is something I will be forever thankful for.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Rangers 0-1 Hibernian: What the league-winning players said
Hibs defender and goal scorer Linzi Taylor tells BBC Scotland: "It doesn't feel real, I don't think it will for a number of days. It's what we've been working for all season. "A lot of people wrote us off but we knew what we had in the changing room and we knew if we stuck together then anything was possible and I think it's safe to say we were daring to dream. "It's unbelievable for the club, for everyone involved, this group of players deserve it. It's a collective, the club has given us the backing and we've shown them what we can do. "Hibs centre-back Siobhan Hunter tells Sky Sports: "Probably at the start nobody thought it, which makes it even sweeter. It was a dream."We had a couple of results where we slipped up but when it counted we stood up for one another. It's so special I can't put it into words."Hibs full-back Lauren Doran-Barr tells HibsTV: "It's surreal. I'm so proud and it's nothing less than we deserve. "I can't believe we're going to playing Champions League football. It's such an amazing opportunity for us to showcase what we can do on that stage."Hibs midfielder Ciara Grant tells HibsTV: "So many people didn't think we'd be able to go the whole way but we proved we can and everyone is buzzing."Everyone put in every ounce of effort, it was absolutely roasting so its just class and it's such a nice feeling to do it the way we did it."
