GIRLS are set to become Bhoys after Celtic announced yesterday they are launching a women's football team.

The Parkhead club are now looking for female footballers to join the club's new woman's side. Celtic Ladies will play their home games at the club's new £12million training ground in Lennoxtown, and they will wear Celtic's famous green-and-white hoops just like their male counterparts.

Actress and writer Elaine C Smith, a lifelong Celtic supporter, has been drafted in as patron of the new all-girl side which will be headed by Robert Docherty from the Celtic foundation.

Last night the club's Chief Executive, Peter Lawwell, said the club wanted to attract more women to play football.

He added: "We are delighted to launch the Celtic Women's Academy and enter a Celtic women's team in the Scottish Women's Premier League.

"This is a natural expansion to our present Community Coaching and Youth Academy programmes."

Celtic's new female academy will be structured in the same way as the senior set-up. Celtic Girls will be aimed at 5-12 year olds, and Celtic Girls Youth Academy will be aimed at 13-19 year olds.

The women's senior squad will represent Celtic in the Scottish Women's Premier League.

Elaine C Smith said: "I am absolutely delighted to be asked to be Patron of the Celtic Women's Football Academy. It is a much needed boost to the women's game.

"With the number of women watching football matches at Celtic Park increasing, it's fantastic that they too now have the opportunity to participate and play for their team."

The actress added: "It's a bit of a dream come true for me - I didn't think it would ever happen.

"Over the last few years, as a big football fan, I became involved with the SFA and lobbied Parliament to ask for more support for the women's game.

"After that I realised that Hearts and Hibs had women's teams, but Celtic didn't. So, I e-mailed the chairman, Brian Quinn, and he got back to me saying that it was something the club were looking into.

"That was about 18 months ago, so to get to this point so quickly is wonderful.

"There are so many Celtic fans with daughters who love football. They come and watch the games and it's great that they can now watch a women's team play in the Hoops and maybe one day do so themselves."

Docherty added: "The club should be applauded for introducing the Girls/Women's Academy.

"The Academy will provide an exciting and challenging coaching and games programme that I'm sure will attract, retain and motivate those females involved."

Women's football has slowly taken off in the UK in recent years. Several English football teams already have well-established women's sides, and Scotland's most successful player, the international striker Julie Fleeting, recently helped Arsenal to win the UEFA Cup, completing the quadruple after winning every league game.

Latest figures released by football's governing body FIFA indicate that 26 million women worldwide play football regularly, and the number of registered players has risen by 54 per cent to 4.1 million in the last six years.

Celtic Ladies will be recruiting at all levels. The telephone number for the Celtic Girls/Women's Academy is 0871 226 1888 (option 5), or e-mail hwilson@celticfc.co.uk

http://sport.scotsman.com/football.cfm?id=894472007

I'm happy to hear Celtic are developing a girls team, their a big club and have the ability to do so

Being a Hoops fan I already have the 4 leaf clover on my breast
And the green and white upon my chest

They do need new teams to try and break the domination of Hibs. Well done to Celtic for noticing the women's game is on the increase and developing a team.

Yay @ Celtic Ladies!
I've always had a soft spot for the Celtic men,
let's hope their ladies will be as good or better

i play for the celtic ladies team woohoo

dream come true

What position do you play?

favourite n best position is sweeper, thats wot am plannin 2 do
played everywer last season, was keeper for 3 quarters of the league
gotta problem with my knee the now so gonna probs take it easy and play as keeper the now til im fit

not really sure wot the future has planned 4 us yet
i dont care tho, even if im a benchwarmer ill be happy

Welcome aboard, doc4eva, which Celtic player are you then?

which player am i?! haha tough question

names michelle docherty

hopefully ul see me as the premier league sweeper or keeper in the not so distant future

OK, Michelle good luck with your new team then
and don't forget to post here the Celtic Ladies news
- I'll definitelly try to be at your game whenever I'm in Scotland next

thanks 4 the suppoer bud, will keep ye all updated

as soon as i know guys ul all know

good good

As a Celtic fan I'm interested in seeing how the Ladies do

Hope it all goes well at Celtic doc4eva

thanks guys

Even the Swedish Football site took notice

With a Swede running the Scottish WNT it was a given they would.

thats quality so its internationally noticed now

ooh even better

getting dead excited about it now

its our presentation night this friday night and thats when were gonna be told exactly whats happening with the future and preseason etc as far as i know anyway

woohoo

Should we expect news from the Chinese league on that site, as well then?

Don't forget to tell us everything!

will keep you informed

when i know you know

just got a phone call from our 'current' manager though asking how my knees and everything are and wanting to make sure i have been keeping fit, told him was just back from a run and was now doing my sit up, which is a lie as im sitting in work with a bar of chocolate in my hand haha

but going a run then a cycle later so not a total lie

dont tell him though

Hahaha too funny!

Any major news yes

Haha i know how u feel - chocolate is too irresistible
I should be keeping fit but i've got BAD hayfever!!!!!!!!

me 2 doctors 2moz 4 tests 2 see if they can do anyfin 2 stop mines from bein so bad coz it does affect my footy whish is BBAAAAAAADDDDD

thats us now, only 1 more til the presentation night

cant wait

wonder if any of the players will be there, how COOL would that be?!?!?!

think im going to have a little heart attack if any are haha

so if im not on in a while you shall know why

so long guys , was nice knowin you, just in case