The Falkirk FC Thread

[Radford]

It's not a big club mentality, it's all to do with the fact, we have a healthy bank balance with money to spend if needs be and you are desperate for cash, or certainly could do with some.

This all seems to be based on a (modest) cash balance with the bank in a set of accounts several years ago but we've lost nearly £600,000 over the past three seasons, so the notion we could afford to spend £200,000 on one player is deluded I'm afraid. Any Falkirk young player that is worth £200,000 is also, I'd suggest, capable of taking a bigger step up the ladder than a jump to St Johnstone. The guy El Allagui will likely do the same as Sandaza in the summer too and go where he'll make the most money. Safe to say that won't be St Johnstone. I'm sure there are maybe guys at Falkirk that might be within Saints' range but safe to say it won't be the most talented youngsters or a guy who appears too good for the First Division and already has a queue of admirers.

[distresseduke]

I'd stick to your own team, I'm fairly sure I know more about St Johnstones finances than you ever will. But if you don't want to belive it don't. I just hope we sign one of your youngsters so I can see you explode with hatred.

You are a tiresome simpleton...do you really believe that Aberdeen, Hibs, Hearts, Dundee Utd cant afford 200 grand on one player...but st johnstone...with the lowest average gate in the league can? i dont & neither will anyone else with a semblance of a brain cell

[Widge]

This all seems to be based on a (modest) cash balance with the bank in a set of accounts several years ago but we've lost nearly £600,000 over the past three seasons, so the notion we could afford to spend £200,000 on one player is deluded I'm afraid. Any Falkirk young player that is worth £200,000 is also, I'd suggest, capable of taking a bigger step up the ladder than a jump to St Johnstone. The guy El Allagui will likely do the same as Sandaza in the summer too and go where he'll make the most money. Safe to say that won't be St Johnstone. I'm sure there are maybe guys at Falkirk that might be within Saints' range but safe to say it won't be the most talented youngsters or a guy who appears too good for the First Division and already has a queue of admirers.

See everyone is taking it like I said, we would bid 200k for them. I never once said that, we won't, I know this. I in fact agreed with you in saying they wouldn't choose us before other better teams.

All I was saying is, I good season this year and we could possibly afford one largish fee, on the proviso we would sell him on, a bit like Davidson, of course I know we won't. I seem to be getting stick from this distressduck character for saying we could sign a Falkirk player, which he obviously thinks is absurd, because we are clearly a smaller team than the mighty bairns.

[distresseduke]

See everyone is taking it like I said, we would bid 200k for them. I never once said that, we won't, I know this. I in fact agreed with you in saying they wouldn't choose us before other better teams.

All I was saying is, I good season this year and we could possibly afford one largish fee, on the proviso we would sell him on, a bit like Davidson, of course I know we won't. I seem to be getting stick from this distressduck character for saying we could sign a Falkirk player, which he obviously thinks is absurd, because we are clearly a smaller team than the mighty bairns.

at least we agree on something

[Just a bairn]

See everyone is taking it like I said, we would bid 200k for them. I never once said that, we won't, I know this. I in fact agreed with you in saying they wouldn't choose us before other better teams.

All I was saying is, I good season this year and we could possibly afford one largish fee, on the proviso we would sell him on, a bit like Davidson, of course I know we won't. I seem to be getting stick from this distressduck character for saying we could sign a Falkirk player, which he obviously thinks is absurd, because we are clearly a smaller team than the mighty bairns.

To be fair, Falkirk are a bigger club than St Johnstone, but that's for an entirely different argument.

But to address your main point, one good season in the footballing world will not majorly change a club's finances. Pretty much no team in Scotland could afford 200k, except perhaps Celtic.

[Radford]

To be fair, Falkirk are a bigger club than St Johnstone, but that's for an entirely different argument.

When is that ever relevant though? There will be times when St Johnstone are a more attractive proposition and can pay out more money and vice versa and players will always likely choose their destination based on that, rather than who gets a few more fans or have won a Scottish Cup fifty years ago, do you not agree? Teams like Hibs and Aberdeen being a bigger clubs than St Johnstone (and Falkirk for that matter) is relevant because even when Saints or Falkirk are doing better than those clubs in league terms, some players will likely still opt for them over Saints or Falkirk.

I would say though, for all Falkirk have a bigger fan base than St Johnstone, you have spent less time in the top league than us in the last fifty years and neither club has won anything of note, although I appreciate Falkirk won the Scottish Cup in the fifties. Being a bigger club hasn't really done you much good, has it?

[ditots]

If St Johnstone have the money then fine, cough up the cash.

As long as Carl Finigan isn't involved in some complicated swap deal.

Edited January 15, 2012 by ditots

[MrDust]

To be fair, Falkirk are a bigger club than St Johnstone, but that's for an entirely different argument.

But to address your main point, one good season in the footballing world will not majorly change a club's finances. Pretty much no team in Scotland could afford 200k, except perhaps Celtic.

As I said 12 posts ago......

St Johnstone maybe viewing our out of contract players for the summer at the moment or a cheeky 30k+ bid come end of January but no club will bid 200k outside the old firm...ish for a long long time......

2004 was the last time 6 figured sum was spent in Scotland and it will be a long time before anyone outside the old firm will be spending 200k+ in the near future.

Also Radford, our youngsters that are worth money are 19, 18 and 16 and at the moment and sticking out like a sore thumb in majority of our games, I seriously think 200k is cheap but its about as much as we can expect or take with perhaps add ons. We wont sell them in Scotland but down south where we have done some business in the past for some who haven't even made first team.

[MrDust]

When is that ever relevant though? There will be times when St Johnstone are a more attractive proposition and can pay out more money and vice versa and players will always likely choose their destination based on that, rather than who gets a few more fans or have won a Scottish Cup fifty years ago, do you not agree? Teams like Hibs and Aberdeen being a bigger clubs than St Johnstone (and Falkirk for that matter) is relevant because even when Saints or Falkirk are doing better than those clubs in league terms, some players will likely still opt for them over Saints or Falkirk.

I would say though, for all Falkirk have a bigger fan base than St Johnstone, you have spent less time in the top league than us in the last fifty years and neither club has won anything of note, although I appreciate Falkirk won the Scottish Cup in the fifties. Being a bigger club hasn't really done you much good, has it?

Discussing size issue is always an old firm aspect for me......

I always follow current form to how big the club is.....

Current form we are the 15th biggest club as per league tables in Scotland from last season, the past means feck all......just ask Third Lanark, Queens Park etc.....

[Just a bairn]

When is that ever relevant though? There will be times when St Johnstone are a more attractive proposition and can pay out more money and vice versa and players will always likely choose their destination based on that, rather than who gets a few more fans or have won a Scottish Cup fifty years ago, do you not agree? Teams like Hibs and Aberdeen being a bigger clubs than St Johnstone (and Falkirk for that matter) is relevant because even when Saints or Falkirk are doing better than those clubs in league terms, some players will likely still opt for them over Saints or Falkirk.

I would say though, for all Falkirk have a bigger fan base than St Johnstone, you have spent less time in the top league than us in the last fifty years and neither club has won anything of note, although I appreciate Falkirk won the Scottish Cup in the fifties. Being a bigger club hasn't really done you much good, has it?

I never said it was relevant; hence why I said it was for an entirely different argument.

We've won two Scottish Cups AND spent more time in the top flight. But again, that's not relevant. I was just picking up on the sarcasm by Widge.

My original point still stands though.

[Radford]

As long as Carl Finigan isn't involved in some complicated swap deal.

Not been surprised by how poor Finnigan has been and would be surprised if he was retained beyond the summer. In a couple of away games, he's done a job as a willing runner up top - we won 2-1 at Tynecastle with him in the side for example - but certainly at home he's not been good enough and hasn't yet managed to score. Was a panic signing of sorts by McInnes because we needed to get a couple of squad players in quickly after freeing all but one senior striker (and he probably would have gone too if he didn't have a two-year contract and hadn't been injured).

Also Radford, our youngsters that are worth money are 19, 18 and 16 and at the moment and sticking out like a sore thumb in majority of our games, I seriously think 200k is cheap but its about as much as we can expect or take with perhaps add ons. We wont sell them in Scotland but down south where we have done some business in the past for some who haven't even made first team.

Wasn't meaning to put that valuation on them, merely used that figure as it was the one that came up initially. Have no idea how good these young players are or how much you could expect to get for them.

Also agree with you about this size of clubs thing. It's only really relevant to the six or seven big clubs in the country, who can still attract better players in spite of league placings. For the rest of us it is, as you say, largely down to where you are on the ladder at that moment in time.

[Shadwell Dog]

Pressley says their looking at 500k plus add ons as a bare minimum for wallace so i very much doubt that he'll be going anywhere else in scotland unless celtic are looking at him. He's certainly the best young player i've seen at falkirk in the last twenty years. Sibbald is only 16 so it'll prob be a couple of years before anyone comes in for him. Duffie isn't far behind wallace so i reckon we'll be looking for a bit more than 200k for him. Fortunately the cup successes mean we arent desperate for cash or that might've forced our hand.

[Marshmallo]

Falkirk are obviously a bigger club than St Johnstone. To even insinuate otherwise is madness.

[MrDust]

Pressley says their looking at 500k plus add ons as a bare minimum for wallace so i very much doubt that he'll be going anywhere else in scotland unless celtic are looking at him. He's certainly the best young player i've seen at falkirk in the last twenty years. Sibbald is only 16 so it'll prob be a couple of years before anyone comes in for him. Duffie isn't far behind wallace so i reckon we'll be looking for a bit more than 200k for him. Fortunately the cup successes mean we arent desperate for cash or that might've forced our hand.

Hmmmm, in a short time in regard to Wallace you can clearly see that he is way above 1st div but 500k in Scotland more div 1 is not goona happen, tho with add ons perhaps. It still is a poor show as teams outside the English premiership in England can command millions and then release the players a few year later. We perhaps have to accept we are in the Lithuania / Estonia league of transfer fees.....

Stories I have heard is that we turned down 100k for Duffie, is a good sign....if any of the top 3 go during this window, I would like to see a loan back for the season.....it benefits them and us for the future

top 3 = Duffie, Wallace and Sibbald

[Craig Cruickshanks01]

It was possibly just a personal thing, I went to more games that season than any other and I really felt more of a connection to the team and the club than at any other time. The rollercoaster of emotions that campaign was mental - the low feeling sitting on the bus home from Kilmarnock after we got pumped 3-0 with everyone discussing how we thought we'd do in the First the next season to just a few short weeks later walking out of New Douglas Park in the scorching heat after a night game knowing a win at home to St Mirren would've kept us up with a game to spare. To then go even lower than that when we lost that game with a massive St Mirren support going tits as Mehmet ran riot only to come back and have the best feeling ever as a Falkirk fan for me (up to Millar's goal against the capris this year anyway) as Higdon put the ball in off his arse up in Inverness. I was/am a massive Yogi and to see him take a battering and come back to keep us up was brilliant. I was at far too many defeats early in the campaign but to see the side bounce back was even more gratifying as a result of that.

That's before you even look at the Cup runs. The goal we scored in the League Cup game against QoS with the insane amount of passes was spectacular. The victory over Hearts at Tynecastle was a fantastic battling performance full of controversy, from the overturned penalty to the Jambo in the main stand grabbing a hold of Finnigan's shirt. The victory up in Inverness in the QFs was another great day out, and I can still remember sitting in the car as we pulled up to the ground hearing that St Mirren had beaten Celtic on the radio, thinking "we have a real chance at the final if we win today". To achieve that victory then draw Dunfermline in the semi (we all know what happened there), seeing us qualify for Europe for the first time and to reach the Scottish Cup final. I was so proud of the side that day despite our cruel defeat, and to share that with my family and friends when I was old enough to appreciate it (I was 5 in 1997) is something that will stay with me forever. Plus, we got to see Scobbie knock the ball round one side of that fat c**t Boyd only to collect it on the other, which was fucking great.

You mentioned a lot of the poorer players that year (you missed the worst of the lot in McBride btw ), but there were a lot of good performers that season. Arfield and Scobbie came of age that season, both scored in the semi obviously and Arfield completely dominated McArthur and McCarthy almost single handedly and scored that belter in the game at Hamilton I talked about above. Darren Barr was a rock and there was the great moment when he gave us the lead at Kilmarnock from the corner in the post-split game. We had the class of Riera in the centre of the park, Aafjes at centre back (underrated talent IMO), and then there was this man:

He was probably my favourite Falkirk player ever and the inspiration behind my username. He interacted with the fans, showed passion on the park and was a top goalkeeper. He was no stranger to a tequila in City as well which can never be a bad thing.

There was also the adversity of the infamous Bairnstrust letter and the disgrace of McBride coming out and slagging off the fans before that massive game at Hamilton. These only seemed to strengthen the team and made the support care even more.

I love sport because you get stories told which grip and draw you in like nothing else. That season told a better story than any other I've had as a Falkirk fan. I can understand why people would pick other seasons (the last at Brockville, the year we had Stokes etc) but to me there has never been another season where I've cared so much and looked forward to Saturday afternoons as intensely.

That was my favourite season aswell. It was brilliant.

[gav-ffc]

Sir Alex confirming his new signing

[Gaz]

Anyone else following the 'banter' between Scobbie, Bennet, El Alagui and Bullen on Twitter? Horrifically brilliant. Tam has tweeted a picture of a baby monkey and said that it's a picture of Rhys Bennet as a baby!

[gav-ffc]

Looks like Farid is going photoshop daft tonight.

[Thundermonkey]

Anyone else following the 'banter' between Scobbie, Bennet, El Alagui and Bullen on Twitter? Horrifically brilliant. Tam has tweeted a picture of a baby monkey and said that it's a picture of Rhys Bennet as a baby!

Agreed. A bizarre but compelling read.

[wee_bairn]

I'm ready to be shot down for this bold statement, but am I alone in thinking Craig Sibbald is over-rated? I'm not saying he doesn't have great potential, but i think with his current ability he shouldn't be in the starting 11. His passing is shamoblic at times and he doesn't offer any defensive qualities (I know he is a winger but there should be some degree of protection for the left back). Don't get me wrong, his movement and skill at times is tremendous, but some aspects of his game that he still needs to develop let him down. I feel he would be far better used as an impact sub.