Leanne Crichton has spoken of her excitement and belief as Rangers Women prepare for a showpiece Old Firm clash under the lights at Ibrox tonight in a fixture she describes as the ideal platform for her team to make a statement amid a turbulent, injury-hit first period of the season.
This derby arrives at a pivotal moment for Crichton’s side. Her squad’s injuries have been relentless, and the transition of the summer still lingers.
However, Rangers remain determined to keep pace in a title race that is already threatening to stretch.
But for the manager, occasions like this offer clarity: a big stage, a big crowd, and a chance for her players to show exactly who they are becoming.
“A Friday night game under the lights always feels better,” Crichton said.
“I think it’s more fan-friendly and more people come out and he players love it - they thrive in it.”
Despite scepticism in some quarters about Rangers record at Ibrox, Crichton is unequivocal about the value of playing at the club’s spiritual home.
She said: “People go on about Ibrox not being kind at times, but you can’t complain about playing there in the arena that it is, the quality of the surface, everything it gives you in preparation.
“Hopefully we can maximise that.”
This is a new chapter for Crichton, her first home derby as Rangers head coach, but she is approaching it with an assured calm.
She already tasted victory in her first Old Firm match back in September away against Celtic in Airdrie, a performance that set the tone for what she expects from her group when the stakes rise.
“I really enjoyed the experience earlier in the season and was even more pleased with our performance that day,” she reflected.
“Hopefully we can replicate that.”
The derby arrives at the end of a chaotic, injury-plagued stretch that has repeatedly forced Rangers into patched-up line-ups and last-minute adjustments with a number of young academy prospects thrust into the limelight.
But Crichton insists the adversity has only tightened the bond within the squad.
“It’s been a really tough time with the amount of injuries and setbacks we’ve had,” she admitted.
“We’ve had to lean on a lot of support from one another.
“Hopefully this period is one we can look back on as a chance to grow and develop.”
If Rangers can harness that resilience under the floodlights, they know the momentum shift could be substantial.
With the international break looming, Crichton is clear about the stakes.
She said: “We don’t want to lose too much ground. We want to remain on the coattails of the teams in front.
“We’re here to compete for the three domestic trophies.
“It’s about Rangers, it’s about our standards and our outcomes.”
And while she recognises the hype that always follows an Old Firm derby, Crichton is determined to remain locked in on the essentials.
“I’ll try to enjoy it as much as I can, but I can switch off from the hype,” she said.
“By the time the game comes around, it’ll be 90 minutes where I can fully focus on the team and what we expect from them.”
We will have full coverage of the match available at full time.