Celtic Women were a success against the odds the club stacked against them.

For all the noise, anger and endless debate surrounding Celtic’s men’s team this summer, there is another Celtic team that deserves its moment in the spotlight. A team that has quietly gone about its business, fought against the odds, stared down supposedly stronger opponents and brought silverware back to Paradise.

Our women’s team.

And what an achievement it has been.

While everyone has been consumed by discussions about managers, recruitment, boardroom decisions and transfer budgets, Celtic’s girls have been out there reminding us what this football club is supposed to be about.

Not excuses. Not balance sheets. Not endless talking points. Winning.

They have lifted the cup despite operating with fewer resources than their nearest challengers. They have done it despite competing against teams with bigger investment and greater financial backing. They have done it by showing heart, courage, determination and that stubborn refusal to accept defeat which has always been part of Celtic’s DNA.

Here’s the thing that makes the achievement even sweeter. To win that cup, they had to beat the very teams who finished above them in the league.

Nobody handed them anything. Nobody rolled out a red carpet.

They earned every single step of that journey.

As a Celtic supporter, I find that impossible not to admire. Because sometimes football forgets what sport is supposed to be about. Sometimes we become obsessed with budgets and spending power. Sometimes we convince ourselves that money is everything.

Then along comes a team like Celtic Women and reminds us that belief, organisation, talent and sheer determination still matter.

That is the Celtic way. The underdog spirit. The refusal to know our place.

The willingness to walk into a battle everyone expects us to lose and come out carrying the trophy. I see so much of the club’s history in that.

But … should Celtic Women really be underdogs? Shouldn’t our place be at the top? Let’s get back to those questions in a moment.

Celtic Women are carrying forward a tradition that stretches all the way back through generations of Celtic teams. Teams that wrote their own story in the face of hardships and difficulties, not all of them imposed on us from outside.

That is why this cup victory matters. It is not just another trophy.

It is proof of what can be achieved when people are given the opportunity to compete. Which brings me to something that needs to be said.

If Celtic are serious about becoming a modern football club, then support for the men’s team and support for the women’s team should not be viewed as competing interests.

It should be viewed as one mission. One club. One badge. One family.

The success of Celtic Women does not take away from Celtic’s men. The success of Celtic’s men does not diminish the achievements of Celtic Women. Every trophy won under the Celtic banner adds to the glory of the club.

Every success strengthens the Celtic story. Every cup raised by a Celtic captain belongs to all of us. That is why I hope this victory is not simply celebrated for a few days and then forgotten. I hope it becomes a catalyst.

I hope it encourages greater investment. I hope it brings bigger crowds. I hope it attracts more young girls to the club.

And I hope it convinces those making decisions at Celtic Park that this team is capable of even greater things if given the proper backing.

Because imagine what these players could achieve if they were supported at the level their talent deserves. Heck, imagine what they could achieve if we spent proportionate to our size? Why are we being outspent by the likes of Hibs and others anyway?

Imagine what could happen if the resources matched the ambition. Imagine what could happen if Celtic committed itself fully to becoming a dominant force in both the men’s and women’s game. The potential is enormous.

The cup has already shown us that.

As supporters, we often talk about what it means to represent Celtic.

Well, these women have represented Celtic magnificently. They have shown resilience. They have shown character. They have shown courage. Most importantly, they have shown that winning trophies for Celtic still means everything.

So while the headlines focus elsewhere, I want to take a moment to celebrate them.

Because they deserve it.

Celtic Women have delivered silverware against the odds. They have honoured the badge. They have made the support proud.

With so much attention focused on the men’s team, we cannot afford to overlook what they have achieved over the last few years and what they still might achieve if we start to take seriously the possibility of dominating women’s football here.

For me, supporting Celtic means supporting the entire club, men and women alike. If Celtic are wise enough to support this team properly going forward, then this cup may not be the end of the story. It may only be the beginning.

Choose The CelticBlog as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for quick access to the news you value.