2020–21 Scottish Women's Premier League
# 2020–21 Scottish Women's Premier League

The 2020–21 Scottish Women's Premier League was the 20th season of the SWPL, the highest division of women's football in Scotland since 2002. The league season was played in two divisions, SWPL 1 with eight teams and SWPL 2 with 10 teams. Glasgow City were the defending champions, having won the last completed championship in 2019. The league was known as the Scottish Building Society Scottish Women's Premier League for sponsorship reasons.

The previous season, 2020, was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic and was subsequently declared null and void. Following this cancellation, Scottish Women's Football reverted to the winter-season format last used in 2008–09. The new season started on 18 October 2020 and concluded on 4 July 2021. It had been agreed that there would be no relegation from SWPL 1, and that there would be 10 teams in the top division in 2021–22. The 2020–21 season was interrupted for more than three months by the pandemic; SWPL 1 played no games between January and March.

Glasgow City won the championship by three points from Celtic, the runners-up. This was Glasgow City's 14th national league title in succession, the most in Scottish senior football history, and five fewer than the world record in women's football at the time, 19, by SFK.

Aberdeen won the SWPL 2 title, and won promotion alongside the runners-up, Hamilton Academical. Partick Thistle were later added as a third promoted club, after Forfar Farmington withdrew from the SWPL.

## Teams

### SWPL 1

| Team | Location | Head coach | Home ground | Capacity | 2019 position |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Celtic | East Kilbride | Fran Alonso | K-Park Training Academy | 1,000 | 3rd |
| Forfar Farmington | Forfar | Ryan McConville | Station Park | 6,777 | 7th |
| Glasgow City | Cumbernauld | Scott Booth | Broadwood Stadium | 8,086 | 1st |
| Heart of Midlothian | Edinburgh | Andy Kirk | Oriam | 1,000 | 1st in SWPL 2 |
| Hibernian | Edinburgh | Dean Gibson | Ainslie Park | 3,000 | 2nd |
| Motherwell | Airdrie | Eddie Wolecki Black | Excelsior Stadium | 10,101 | 6th |
| Rangers | Milngavie | Malky Thomson | Rangers Training Centre | 500 | 4th |
| Spartans | Edinburgh | Debbi McCulloch | Ainslie Park | 3,000 | 5th |

Source:

### SWPL 2

| Team | Location | Head coach | Home ground | Capacity | 2019 position |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Aberdeen | Aberdeen | Emma Hunter Stuart Bathgate | Cormack Park | | 1st in SWFL 1 North |
| Boroughmuir Thistle | Edinburgh | Suzy Shepherd | Meggetland Sports Complex | 1,000 | 5th in SWFL 1 South |
| Dundee United | Dundee | Gavin Beith | Regional Performance Centre | | 3rd |
| Glasgow Women | Glasgow | Craig Joyce | New Tinto Park | | 6th |
| Hamilton Academical | Hamilton | Gary Doctor | New Douglas Park | 6,018 | 2nd |
| Kilmarnock | Kilmarnock | Andy Gardner | Rugby Park | 17,889 | 4th |
| Partick Thistle | Glasgow | Brian Graham | Lochinch | | 5th |
| Queen's Park | Glasgow | Mark Kirk | Lesser Hampden | 1,000 | 4th in SWFL 1 South |
| St Johnstone | Perth | Jason McCrindle | McDiarmid Park | 10,696 | 7th |
| Stirling University | Stirling | Craig Beveridge | Gannochy Sports Centre | 1,000 | 8th in SWPL 1 |

Source:

## SWPL 1

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Glasgow City (C) | 21 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 77 | 16 | +61 | 56 | Qualification for the Champions League first round |
| 2 | Celtic | 21 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 76 | 12 | +64 | 53 | Qualification for the Champions League first round |
| 3 | Rangers | 21 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 76 | 10 | +66 | 48 | |
| 4 | Hibernian | 21 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 42 | 27 | +15 | 29 | |
| 5 | Spartans | 21 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 29 | 42 | −13 | 29 | |
| 6 | Motherwell | 21 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 18 | 78 | −60 | 12 | |
| 7 | Forfar Farmington | 21 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 17 | 90 | −73 | 11 | Withdrew from SWPL after season |
| 8 | Heart of Midlothian | 21 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 9 | 69 | −60 | 8 | |

### Positions by round

* Champions and UEFA Champions League first round
* UEFA Champions League first round

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological progress, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for matchday 13, but then postponed and played between days 16 and 17, it will be added to the standings for day 16.

| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Glasgow City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Celtic | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Rangers | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Hibernian | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Spartans | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Motherwell | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Forfar Farmington | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Heart of Midlothian | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |

## SWPL 2

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Aberdeen | 18 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 76 | 18 | +58 | 48 | Promotion to SWPL 1 |
| 2 | Hamilton Academical | 18 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 49 | 17 | +32 | 38 | Promotion to SWPL 1 |
| 3 | Partick Thistle | 18 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 46 | 22 | +24 | 35 | Later promoted to SWPL 1 |
| 4 | Dundee United | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 44 | 30 | +14 | 34 | |
| 5 | St Johnstone | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 33 | 37 | −4 | 25 | |
| 6 | Glasgow Women | 18 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 24 | 37 | −13 | 20 | |
| 7 | Queen's Park | 18 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 18 | 47 | −29 | 14 | |
| 8 | Kilmarnock | 18 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 19 | 34 | −15 | 22 | |
| 9 | Boroughmuir Thistle | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 24 | 44 | −20 | 15 | |
| 10 | Stirling University | 18 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 17 | 64 | −47 | 9 | To SWPL play-offs (cancelled) |

### Positions by round

* Promotion to 2021–22 SWPL 1
* Qualification for the play-offs

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological progress, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for matchday 13, but then postponed and played between days 16 and 17, it will be added to the standings for day 16.

| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Aberdeen | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Hamilton Academical | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | |
| Partick Thistle | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | | |
| Dundee United | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | | |
| St Johnstone | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | | |
| Glasgow Women | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | | |
| Queen's Park | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | | |
| Kilmarnock | 5 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | | |
| Boroughmuir Thistle | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | | |
| Stirling University | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ABE | BOR | DUN | GLW | HAM | KIL | PAR | QPA | STJ | STI |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Aberdeen | | | 4–3 | | | 3–0 | | 5–1 | 8–1 | 7–0 |
| Boroughmuir Thistle | 0–9 | | 1–2 | | | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 3–2 | |
| Dundee United | | 4–1 | | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | | | | 3–1 |
| Glasgow Women | 0–1 | 3–1 | | | 0–2 | | 1–4 | | | 4–0 |
| Hamilton Academical | 0–1 | 3–1 | | 1–2 | | | | 5–0 | | 8–0 |
| Kilmarnock | 0–5 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–0 | 0–3 | | 1–2 | | | 2–1 |
| Partick Thistle | 5–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | | | | 2–3 | |
| Queen's Park | 0–3 | | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–3 | | 0–3 | |
| St Johnstone | | | 0–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 3–0 | | |
| Stirling University | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 2–4 | | 1–4 | | 1–2 | |

* ↑ Scottish Women's Football awarded Hamilton Academical a technical 3–0 victory after Kilmarnock fielded an ineligible player in their match on 25 October 2020. The match had originally finished 1–0 to Hamilton Academical.

## Statistics

### Hat-tricks

**SWPL 1**

| No. | Player | For | Against | Date | Score |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Zoe Ness | Rangers | Heart of Midlothian | 18 October 2020 | 5–1 |
| 2 | Kirsty Howat | Glasgow City | Forfar Farmington | 1 November 2020 | 8–1 |
| 3 | Donna Paterson | Forfar Farmington | Heart of Midlothian | 8 November 2020 | 3–0 |

**SWPL 2**

| No. | Player | For | Against | Date | Score | Ref |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Bayley Hutchison | Aberdeen | Boroughmuir Thistle | 25 October 2020 | 9–0 | |
