DERBY day is on the horizon once again for Rangers as they prepare for the penultimate league clash this season against their rivals tomorrow.
An Easter Monday encounter awaits the Gers, and none bigger than the latest instalment with their neighbours, a fixture they have prevailed in on each of the previous three occasions this season.
For club academy graduate and lifelong fan Jodi McLeary, these are the games she looks for when the fixture list comes out, and she is relishing the latest matchup as the team looks to head into the international break on high.
Speaking to RangersTV ahead of the Old Firm, she said: “For me personally, it is the one that I look at first to see when we are playing against Celtic.
“It is the same as most of the girls who are here; we have grown up as fans.
“It is a fixture that I love personally. I think it brings that wee bit of edge with it being a derby, but when we have played Celtic in the last couple of seasons, we have really stepped up to the challenge, and we have had successful results.
“Hopefully, come Monday night, we have done enough to do the same again.
Having come out on top in each of the meetings in all competitions this campaign, the Scotland Under-23 international highlighted what has been key in terms of standing up in the big moments to get over the line.
She continued: “From the outside, going into these games, we have probably been the underdogs.
“I think the circumstances in the first game we had lost quite a lot of players in that week leading up, but before these games, we have really good conversations.
“The group we have are really together and really want to do well for the club, and obviously, against your closest rivals, it is important that we want to win.
“The girls who have come in, that is probably one of the first things that I'll tell them is about the Old Firm, to make sure that they are ready. The girls who have come in have really stood up, and the ones who have been here before have also stepped up.
“We lost players and players have come in, but so far in these derbies we have managed to come out on top, and it is really important for me personally and for us as a team that we carry that on.”
McLeary has played a pivotal role and become a real regular in the Gers side for the first time in her career, featuring on 28 occasions throughout, as she spoke on her breakthrough year and the impact Head Coach Leanne Crichton has had on her development.
She added: “I have maybe had a couple of seasons just to try to find my feet and learn and try to cement my place, but I feel this season has really been beneficial for me.
“Obviously, being a young player, coming through the academy to then cement your place in the first-team it is what I have wanted, and hopefully I can just keep continuing to learn.
“Keep playing minutes and developing, learning off the players that we have got here, learning off Leanne and the coaching staff, and hopefully be successful because that is all I want and what I want to do at this club.
“She has been massive for me, not just for me but for the whole squad.
“She’s brought real freshness, calmness and a belief that she trusts young players. For me, it gives you a lot of confidence; you can go to her for anything that you need. She has been a player herself; she knows what it’s like to be in your position.
“I think she has been great for the squad as a whole. Hopefully, we can just keep continuing to improve under her.
“One of my best attributes would be my versatility. I really pride myself on knowing different parts of the game.
“I want to learn, be better and help the team. No matter what position I play when I am on the pitch, I just want to do the best that I can for the team.
“It doesn’t matter if I'm right-back or midfield. They obviously come with different responsibilities, but I just love playing and love playing for the club.
“No matter when I get the chance to play, it doesn't really matter where.”
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