The Falkirk FC Thread

[Guest Back Post Misses]

When I was told this a couple of days ago I thought it was a bad decision but not so sure now.At the end of the day the first team is what it's all about and if we can secure good quality, hungry youngsters from larger clubs then fair enough. Interesting times ahead.

I am on the fence.

Would be interesting to know what the actual saving is.

Over the last 8 years you would have no club left without it, however the money raised by it has been wasted.

Back of the fag packet we must be up £2m in terms of cost v return.

This will be about how we go about things now. Talk is easy as are plans on a bit of paper. All about results.

Feel sorry for those who give their time spotting talent, and coaching. A lot of work done there which goes unseen and unappreciated.

Rumour about this at the weekend and it is disappointing that it comes out in the press for those who work in and around the academy.

Not sure we could ever bring this back now even if we wanted too. Much broader implications than merely saving 100k/year it is rumoured to cost.

[Guest Back Post Misses]

Sensible for Falkirk to start cutting costs before things get really bleak. Very prudent.

We won't take financial lectures from you with your clubs disgraceful record of zero p in the £

[Guest Back Post Misses]

Felt this was inevitable after it became the Forth Valley academy, a lot of time and money invested in something for it to be opened up to lower division clubs and players and have no real impact on the first team squad for a number of years. I am sure I heard it used to cost about £400K per year? Not sure if that is accurate but it would account for the clubs losses if it is.

 

Nothing like 400k. 100-150k mark.

 

If you talk to guys involved pre forth valley and post they will tell you that switch cost us a lot of quality players at the time. The ones we lost then would have been the ones pushing for the first team now.

 

Just have to wait and see how we go from here.

[Guest Back Post Misses]

The first team is all we have concentrated on for the last few year, only difference we wont have the bill for the development.
We haven't gave the development players a proper go since Houston came in and it has gone to waste as our first team player pool got more experienced and greater in numbers.
We have in effect been pissing into the wind keeping it on so long, it obviously needs top league money to sustain it, tho needs similar attention in promoting players as it did previously.
I hope one day if we sustain ourselves in the top league that we do re-think this decision, for now its for the best

Not sure you can ever be trusted to restart this if we are ever in a place to do so.

Parents will simply look at it and say so if you get relegated you will shut it down again then - no thanks. It is not as if we are a Motherwell or Kilmarnock and permanent top league clubs.

[knee jerk reaction]

22 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

 

Not sure you can ever be trusted to restart this if we are ever in a place to do so.

Parents will simply look at it and say so if you get relegated you will shut it down again then - no thanks. It is not as if we are a Motherwell or Kilmarnock and permanent top league clubs.
 

 

Not taking anything away from killie or motherwell both have been excellent staying up for years but a league where hearts, hibs and united can go down is a league where killie and motherwell are not permanent!  Either or both could go down any year

[Marshmallo]

We should look at it again if we get back to the top flight but for now this is the right decision. 150k a year is six first team wages at this level. Full focus should be on that before we consider anything else.

[smpar]

Sensible for Falkirk to start cutting costs before things get really bleak. Very prudent.

Fucking shock that BPM is like a fly over shite with this post. Good effort.

[smpar]

Although to be fair to BPM, it is inportant for Scottish football that your financial misdemeanours and treatment of creditors continues to be held up as a lesson... Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it as they say.

Or in other words... Pipe doon.

I doubt many people in the division, least of all Pars fans, are likely to forget the admin period.

[Stellaboz]

The what now?

[Believe The Hype]

10 hours ago, Ellie2011 said:

Because he hurt himself carering rather than walking around the pitch not caring.but if thats what you want then stick with what you have and enjoy the1st devision next year

Hiya Tommy, hiya pal!

[Andreas Kelevra]

Scottish Football has done naff all for us, so why should we help them. Even when we do bring through talent that play in the Premier league they don't get picked for the national teams anyway.

 Allowing for costs we probably made more money flogging  Vaulks, Taylor, Higginbotham even Murray Wallace than the 100% Academy graduates.

Save the cash, get in a scout or two, comb the rejects of the English academies, have a deal with a bigger club to take a few prospects. 

[Rugster]

I don't disagree with this decision, and of course it can be reviewed if we ever get promoted again, but the way it has been handled is nothing short of shambolic. You've got staff finding out via the papers that they're potentially out of a job. No blame to the press, as it's their job to break these stories, the blame is firmly in the boardroom and it's just another in a long line of faux pas from our current group of prawn sandwich munching acolytes.

 

[Guest Back Post Misses]

I don't disagree with this decision, and of course it can be reviewed if we ever get promoted again, but the way it has been handled is nothing short of shambolic. You've got staff finding out via the papers that they're potentially out of a job. No blame to the press, as it's their job to break these stories, the blame is firmly in the boardroom and it's just another in a long line of faux pas from our current group of prawn sandwich munching acolytes.
 

Spot on regarding communication.

Staff, parents and kids finding out via the Record
Is shameful

[FifeArab]

I agree with Falkirk, unless you’re selling a player for 500K a season onwards In this league from your youth then It’s pointless focusing on the academies. Keep them but have them on the back burner.

Scouting Is also where It’s done.

We got:

GMS from Airdrie for free
Danny Swanson from Berwick for free
Nadir Ciftci from Portsmouth for free
Stuart Armstrong from ICT for free
Andy Robertson from Queen’s park for free

they players were part of some of the best football we’ve seen ever at Tannadice and made us over 5 million In transfers. A better chairman with United in mind would’ve had us safe and challenging for europe for years to come with that money.

[bob_mcshug]

I don't have a problem with this decision but all this talk about money spent on extra players is a bit premature. Have we not been losing about £100k a year most seasons and only player sales has put us in profit? If I'm correct, surely the saving in scrapping the academy just allows us to break even without relying on player sales? If so, scrapping the academy is unlikely to lead to a bigger playing budget, unless we are pushing the boat out and taking financial risks - which would seem bizarre given cost cutting the academy to blow it all on a gamble of promotion. 

 Bit long-winded but basically I don't see this translating to multiple new players or a noticeably increased playing budget over the coming seasons.

[Rjc-1988]

I think in an ideal footballing world the prospect of running an academy for a club like Falkirk makes a lot of sense and there have been some successes.

My own club QOS have a Dev Squad but we have not committed to the concept on the same scale as you have.

Hamilton are probably the exception but what I see is an incredibly high percentage of the youngsters in each crop - deemed to be "not good enough".This is not necessarily a reason to terminate the initiative but when you perhaps have a batch of say 18 players and only 1/2 are worth retaining the underlying cost of finding these 1/2 potential first teamers is very high.

[Homer Thompson]

At least Falkirk are acknowledging the cost of a January revamp

[HoBNob]

I doubt many people in the division, least of all Pars fans, are likely to forget the admin period.

When did that happen?

[sergie's no1 fan]

I don't disagree with this decision, and of course it can be reviewed if we ever get promoted again, but the way it has been handled is nothing short of shambolic. You've got staff finding out via the papers that they're potentially out of a job. No blame to the press, as it's their job to break these stories, the blame is firmly in the boardroom and it's just another in a long line of faux pas from our current group of prawn sandwich munching acolytes.
 

Gordon Waddell is getting pelters on twitter but his point is he didnt make the decision. Well he did take the decision to print it before staff and the kids found out. His exclusive was clearly far more important.

[Rugster]

8 minutes ago, sergie's no1 fan said:

 

Gordon Waddell is getting pelters on twitter but his point is he didnt make the decision. Well he did take the decision to print it before staff and the kids found out. His exclusive was clearly far more important.

 

He's doing his job. His loyalty first and foremost has to be to his job, which pays his bills. Our BOD  is the inherent problem here.