The Falkirk FC Thread

[Dunning1874]

There's no point reading anything into the odds, at this level bookies don't have a clue and are only reacting to the market. Naysmith probably only dropped so short because one person stuck £20 on him for a laugh, it's irrelevant.

[Poet of the Macabre]

10 minutes ago, Dunning1874 said:

There's no point reading anything into the odds, at this level bookies don't have a clue and are only reacting to the market. Naysmith probably only dropped so short because one person stuck £20 on him for a laugh, it's irrelevant.

Always amazing to see people take McBookie odds seriously.

[Just a bairn]

1 hour ago, ilostmyself said:

Got to be Hartley now with Coyle going to County

I'd take Hartley or McIntyre at this point. Both fit the bill. 

[Shadwell Dog]

58 minutes ago, tirso said:

http://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/football/falkirk-fc/opinion-time-for-change-not-deckchair-shuffling-at-falkirk-1-4567177

Dont agree with this at all.  In 98 we were nearly going under.  I think the Board have done a great job over the piece.  Been to two cup finals, multiple semis, promotion, europe.  Mostly under Yogi in the earlier days right enough.

The average attendances are really encouraging.  We must be one of the few clubs whose fan base has grown since the late nineties.

The only downside has been losing brockville to the corporate world and a marginal lack of investment in the playing squad.  We used to always have a star player you would go to watch - crunchie, latapy, samuel, .  We don't really have that now.

Houston didn't get his team playing.  It's as simple as that.  Don't think the board can be blamed.  They got rid of him.

All these positives I'm afraid were outweighed by the decision to allow Hughes to splash a fortune on aged has beens and then the ludicrous idea that Eddie may should be our manager. Giving the hopeless pressley the gig twice then put the tin lid on it. We're still paying for those decisions.

[FTOF]

2 hours ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Just watched the goals from the Development game last night. How bad is the St Mirren reserve keeper. 

Could have been worse.

It could have been our first XI 'keeper dropping a cross ball allowing an opposing forward an easy tap in  on the way to a comfortable 3-1 victory.

[Shadwell Dog]

5 minutes ago, FTOF said:

Could have been worse.

It could have been our first XI 'keeper dropping a cross ball allowing an opposing forward an easy tap in  on the way to a comfortable 3-1 victory.

Your first choice didn't exactly cover himself in glory for our goal that day either. Mind you neither of those come close to the horror show of our equaliser last night. Has that boy played much football?

Edited September 27, 2017 by Shadwell Dog

[Jimmy85]

Mind up until very recently literally no Falkirk fan was aware Shadwell had been trolling them all relentlessly? 

Anyway, reckon McIntyre could do a cracking job for Falkirk. Most of his success has come on working with a board who are very reluctant to hand over funds and has won this division at a canter in the past. 

[Shadwell Dog]

2 minutes ago, Jimmy85 said:

Mind up until very recently literally no Falkirk fan was aware Shadwell had been trolling them all relentlessly? 

Anyway, reckon McIntyre could do a cracking job for Falkirk. Most of his success has come on working with a board who are very reluctant to hand over funds and has won this division at a canter in the past. 

Which boards are those like? At dunfermline the bod loved giving him cash . Pity it was cash they didn't actually have . And he's had a fortune off old Roy to pish on players at county.

[Poet of the Macabre]

5 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

At dunfermline the bod loved giving him cash . Pity it was cash they didn't actually have . 

Genuinely no idea what you're referring to here?

[sergie's no1 fan]

Just listened to the bbc sportsound podcast with Houston on it.

He managed to blame pretty much everyone else bar himself. Pretty much threw the players and board under the bus last night. When asked about Kerr and Tawio he said well they served me well the previous few years. 

It did sound like he genuinely loves the club though but ffs take a bit of responsibility.

[Reggie Perrin]

http://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/football/falkirk-fc/opinion-time-for-change-not-deckchair-shuffling-at-falkirk-1-4567177
Dont agree with this at all.  In 98 we were nearly going under.  I think the Board have done a great job over the piece.  Been to two cup finals, multiple semis, promotion, europe.  Mostly under Yogi in the earlier days right enough.
The average attendances are really encouraging.  We must be one of the few clubs whose fan base has grown since the late nineties.
The only downside has been losing brockville to the corporate world and a marginal lack of investment in the playing squad.  We used to always have a star player you would go to watch - crunchie, latapy, samuel, .  We don't really have that now.
Houston didn't get his team playing.  It's as simple as that.  Don't think the board can be blamed.  They got rid of him.

Are you called Lex by any chance?

[AL-FFC]

10 minutes ago, sergie's no1 fan said:

Just listened to the bbc sportsound podcast with Houston on it.

He managed to blame pretty much everyone else bar himself. Pretty much threw the players and board under the bus last night. When asked about Kerr and Tawio he said well they served me well the previous few years. 

It did sound like he genuinely loves the club though but ffs take a bit of responsibility.

In all fairness to Houston he's a pretty much club legend from his playing years and did say the next time he would be back at Falkirk would be to manage us,  I do think there is an element of something going on with the playing squad as in someone stirring it which led to his demise.  

[MrDust]

3 hours ago, knee jerk reaction said:

Alloa, Dumbarton, Brechin etc...  in a country the size of Scotland getting a part time club into the championship is not the greatest achievement. it means finishing above 0 to 2 full time teams, the equivalent in the championship would be taking a club with a budget like Falkirk and finishing above much bigger clubs like hibs or Dundee united, but where could we ever hope to get a manager of that sort of ability?? 

The differences over full time and part time are usually massive over a season, the season Ayr did get up was when full time Dunfermline topped the league, full time teams in the third tier usually returns promotion or top end finish, let's not forget the pars 7th place finish tho.

Most teams relegated from here staying full time usually return at first go, Queens, Morton and Livvy to name a few

3 hours ago, The Moonster said:

I find it mind boggling that anyone would rather have McCall over Aitken. You pick up on Aitken not stringing two wins together in a very inconsistent league, which is fair enough but you say you're fine with McCall who got a bigger part time team relegated from the very same league.  He definitely has his faults and I'm not sure he would be a success but if I were a Falkirk fan and given the choice between McCall and Aitken it's a no brainer.

We have seen the football McCall can provide, tactics and he isn't an easy touch. Ive watched a few of Ayrs highlights from this season and his team still apply the flow of attack we had with him before.

I'd seriously cry if Aitken was on our short list. Hartley and Murray/Ross raised the bar with achievements at part time clubs, Aitken is a lifetime away from that.

2 hours ago, Scosha said:

Not happening unless you pay a hefty compensation fee for the pair of them. Duffy contracted with us until 2019. I'd be surprised and it'd be a complete sideways step for them to go to Falkirk. 

I'm sure Duffy would be gutted leaving the 1400 Morton fans for that sideway step......

[knee jerk reaction]

20 minutes ago, MrDust said:

The differences over full time and part time are usually massive over a season, the season Ayr did get up was when full time Dunfermline topped the league, full time teams in the third tier usually returns promotion or top end finish, let's not forget the pars 7th place finish tho.

Most teams relegated from here staying full time usually return at first go, Queens, Morton and Livvy to name a few

I wasn't saying that there isn't a difference between full and part time teams. I was saying that when there's 22 places in the top 2 leagues and roughly 20 odd clubs full time, that getting a part time team up isn't that big an achievement. say raith and ayr go up with brechin and Dumbarton going down this season, then next season a part time team would be sure to go up. that's not to say McCall wouldn't come back and do a good job with us

[Jimmy85]

1 hour ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Which boards are those like? At dunfermline the bod loved giving him cash . Pity it was cash they didn't actually have . And he's had a fortune off old Roy to pish on players at county.

 

Aw mate. 

[Super Tuesday]

Not happening unless you pay a hefty compensation fee for the pair of them. Duffy contracted with us until 2019. I'd be surprised and it'd be a complete sideways step for them to go to Falkirk. 

It's alright, you can keep him!

[Bainsfordbairn]

4 hours ago, Gaz said:

While I don't disagree with most of this, he was only able to make so many astute signings thanks to the demise of the old Airdrieonians. Had that not happened, it's not quite likely he'd have achieved the same level of success.

I'm now fully expecting a thoroughly mediocre appointment with the words "assisted by Alex Smith" affixed to the end of the appointment announcement.

Partly agree with your first paragraph. The circumstances were undoubtedly favourable to McCall, but he still took advantage of them to bring in good players. He then melded those with existing players who'ld underperformed the previous year (ie Andy Laurie, Jamie McQuilken, Mark Kerr, John Henry, Lee Miller) to produce a team who were devastatingly good. He also made a few crucial signings from elsewhere such as Stuart Taylor, Steve Tosh, John Hughes and of course Collin Samuel. And he got rid of a lot of dross from the Totten era, so it wasn't all down to Airdrie. Apart from the fact that had they not gone bust we would have won the Second Division and not the First!

I disagree with your second paragraph though. I don't think there's any chance that Alex Smith will ever return to having an active role in the dugout.

[Uncle Fester]

So are we all agreed then, wait til I get a pen and a bit paper,,,,,,,,so who's got McCall's moby number ?

[Super Tuesday]

Partly agree with your first paragraph. The circumstances were undoubtedly favourable to McCall, but he still took advantage of them to bring in good players. He then melded those with existing players who'ld underperformed the previous year (ie Andy Laurie, Jamie McQuilken, Mark Kerr, John Henry, Lee Miller) to produce a team who were devastatingly good. He also made a few crucial signings from elsewhere such as Stuart Taylor, Steve Tosh, John Hughes and of course Collin Samuel. And he got rid of a lot of dross from the Totten era, so it wasn't all down to Airdrie. Apart from the fact that had they not gone bust we would have won the Second Division and not the First!
I disagree with your second paragraph though. I don't think there's any chance that Alex Smith will ever return to having an active role in the dugout.

I remember speaking to him just after he joined us and he was absolutely stunned what we were paying players.

He said something along the lines wait and see what I can bring in on a fraction of the cost.

And to be fair, it happened.

[bairney]

4 hours ago, tirso said:

http://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/football/falkirk-fc/opinion-time-for-change-not-deckchair-shuffling-at-falkirk-1-4567177

Dont agree with this at all.  In 98 we were nearly going under.  I think the Board have done a great job over the piece.  Been to two cup finals, multiple semis, promotion, europe.  Mostly under Yogi in the earlier days right enough.

The average attendances are really encouraging.  We must be one of the few clubs whose fan base has grown since the late nineties.

The only downside has been losing brockville to the corporate world and a marginal lack of investment in the playing squad.  We used to always have a star player you would go to watch - crunchie, latapy, samuel, .  We don't really have that now.

Houston didn't get his team playing.  It's as simple as that.  Don't think the board can be blamed.  They got rid of him.

Add Simon Stainrod to star players who were worth to pay at the gate and watch. What a coup signing by Jeffries.

It looks like Owen Coyle is bound for Ross County. I don't blame him tbh.