The Falkirk FC Thread

[TxRover]

Has there been any indication of a change from full time at FFC for the next season? Just wondering if the relatively successful hybrid experiment at Raith has the BoD looking at paring the bottom line a bit more, especially in light of the ongoing uncertainty. I expect Partick will remain full time, in the expectation they can earn an immediate return...but we’ve seen that’s no given.

[Shadwell Dog]

18 minutes ago, Bantabairn said:

With the horrendous Covid19, seemingly on the downward slope, the virus has given clubs a prolonged period to reflect on what strategies have worked, what strategies have been wrong and what strategies are required to carry the team forward. 
Covid is likely to have an enormous if not devastating effect on the chances of any football (with or without spectators)

As the post started with a positive note, my take on the existing squad is simple, keep Mutch  Millar McManus. Sorry but the rest are needing punted. Yes Dixon Gomes maybe, but both could be another yard short by the time we actually play. Durnan & Hall at a push. As you have witnessed, there are several young players that have been outstanding against us, and I would hope that M&M have identified and made sure that these players are aware of our interest. We must start looking at a younger squad that are prepared to take on the challenge. Couldn’t handle another squad of nobody’s and imposters. 

Millar will surely be a yard slower too as hes the of similar age to both of them.

[HopeStreetWalker]

38 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Just as well Stainrod didnt join us the now. At over 30 we'd be kicking him into touch before playing a game.

Shadwell you miss the point of my post. These are unprecedented times and older players have been some of the best to pull on a Falkirk jersey. Managers will have limited budgets and hard decisions to take and balance many factors when this is all over when rebuilding their squads. Age of the player will be a factor ! of course it will.

Sign an older player you accept longer to recover from injury and simply not as fit. This is compounded by sporting inactivity for 5 month. Ligaments and tendons will be a tight as a piano string. If ever something was going to go Ping ! its in pre season. There you go a player signed for a season an not playing a game.

Or get a player in early / mid 20's that are only going to get better. 

Miller and McCrackens jobs are on the line ( that's if they have a job )

 

 

 

 

[Shadwell Dog]

18 minutes ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

Shadwell you miss the point of my post. These are unprecedented times and older players have been some of the best to pull on a Falkirk jersey. Managers will have limited budgets and hard decisions to take and balance many factors when this is all over when rebuilding their squads. Age of the player will be a factor ! of course it will.

Sign an older player you accept longer to recover from injury and simply not as fit. This is compounded by sporting inactivity for 5 month. Ligaments and tendons will be a tight as a piano string. If ever something was going to go Ping ! its in pre season. There you go a player signed for a season an not playing a game.

Or get a player in early / mid 20's that are only going to get better. 

Miller and McCrackens jobs are on the line ( that's if they have a job )

 

 

 

 

Gomis will be here next season anyway whether there is any football or not. If there is no football next season then I doubt gomis dixon or millar will play for the club again. Gomis will if there is football though as m and m have already given him a year. With Todd and telfer also signed up I'm not sure I'd want us to sign millar too as hes similarly one paced and as you say we need far younger players in the middle to play with these guys. . I would be surprised if m and m didn't sign dixon as he is also a decent centre half .  I'd rather have him than buchanan there for a start and yet he'll be there next season too unfortunately having signed a 2 year deal. M and M are going to be limited in what they can do due to the contracts that have already been handed out so difficult decisions will have to be made on who else gets kept on.

[HopeStreetWalker]

21 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Gomis will be here next season anyway whether there is any football or not. If there is no football next season then I doubt gomis dixon or millar will play for the club again. Gomis will if there is football though as m and m have already given him a year. With Todd and telfer also signed up I'm not sure I'd want us to sign millar too as hes similarly one paced and as you say we need far younger players in the middle to play with these guys. . I would be surprised if m and m didn't sign dixon as he is also a decent centre half .  I'd rather have him than buchanan there for a start and yet he'll be there next season too unfortunately having signed a 2 year deal. M and M are going to be limited in what they can do due to the contracts that have already been handed out so difficult decisions will have to be made on who else gets kept on.

All depends when the go ahead for football starts then add on 2-3 months to get the clubs in some sort of order. If there are no dates before players contracts are up then clubs will have no choice but to clear the decks. As for signed players its all up in the air. Keep them on and honour their contracts or cut your losses and pay them off. Youth and Academy players will be dumped.

There are going to be a lot of worried players with no certainty on the horizon. Whoever they are and whatever club they play for. They are human beings many with families and deserve our sympathy.

[ShaggerG]

35 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Gomis will be here next season anyway whether there is any football or not. If there is no football next season then I doubt gomis dixon or millar will play for the club again. Gomis will if there is football though as m and m have already given him a year. With Todd and telfer also signed up I'm not sure I'd want us to sign millar too as hes similarly one paced and as you say we need far younger players in the middle to play with these guys. . I would be surprised if m and m didn't sign dixon as he is also a decent centre half .  I'd rather have him than buchanan there for a start and yet he'll be there next season too unfortunately having signed a 2 year deal. M and M are going to be limited in what they can do due to the contracts that have already been handed out so difficult decisions will have to be made on who else gets kept on.

I read somewhere that the terms of the contracts were dictated by whether we got promoted or not. Don't know if that's right but, if it is, then we may not have any players signed for the next season.

[Guest]

Quite right, officials from smaller clubs shouldn't be allowed to be their divisional reps or stand for election to the SPFL board, we should let Rangers and Celtic run things...with some help from Hearts maybe.

He is a fool end of

[HopeStreetWalker]

2 hours ago, ShaggerG said:

I read somewhere that the terms of the contracts were dictated by whether we got promoted or not. Don't know if that's right but, if it is, then we may not have any players signed for the next season.

If the directors had any business savvy then next seasons contracts should be linked to promotion.

Since they don't have business savvy - I hey me doubts.

 

[Hank von Hell]

5 hours ago, TxRover said:

Has there been any indication of a change from full time at FFC for the next season? Just wondering if the relatively successful hybrid experiment at Raith has the BoD looking at paring the bottom line a bit more, especially in light of the ongoing uncertainty. I expect Partick will remain full time, in the expectation they can earn an immediate return...but we’ve seen that’s no given.

If Falkirk manage things right, defer all costs and unfortunately let go of the players ,management & staff we can return to full time when fans are allowed back in stadiums.

Many other clubs could go amateur or cease to exist.

I'd seriously worry about your own club first before ours , sorry.   

[Hank von Hell]

49 minutes ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

If the directors had any business savvy then next seasons contracts should be linked to promotion.

Since they don't have business savvy - I hey me doubts.

 

My opinion is once the UK furlough scheme stops all contracts will be ripped up. We cannot carry large costs with no income, well not into next year. 

Tough but then these are tough times, force majeure and all that.  

[Guest]

Has there been any indication of a change from full time at FFC for the next season? Just wondering if the relatively successful hybrid experiment at Raith has the BoD looking at paring the bottom line a bit more, especially in light of the ongoing uncertainty. I expect Partick will remain full time, in the expectation they can earn an immediate return...but we’ve seen that’s no given.

No the club is in rude health financially unlike Raith there has been no need for beginning bowls.

I understand that those who got two year deals last summer were actually 1+1 if we got promoted. I see Falkirk being able to ride this out as well as any mid ranging club in Scotland.

[Shadwell Dog]

13 hours ago, TxRover said:

Has there been any indication of a change from full time at FFC for the next season? Just wondering if the relatively successful hybrid experiment at Raith has the BoD looking at paring the bottom line a bit more, especially in light of the ongoing uncertainty. I expect Partick will remain full time, in the expectation they can earn an immediate return...but we’ve seen that’s no given.

If we end up going part time next season them most of the championship will.be doing that too as we're in a lot better financial state than a lot of them.  Players are going to be desperate for clubs when things go back to normal anyway so for a change clubs will be able to hold a lot of the cards.

[Shadwell Dog]

50 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

 

No the club is in rude health financially unlike Raith there has been no need for beginning bowls.

I understand that those who got two year deals last summer were actually 1+1 if we got promoted. I see Falkirk being able to ride this out as well as any mid ranging club in Scotland.
 

 

I hope your right as I felt it was a mistake jumping in to sign the likes of gomis up for next season.  If we're looking at experience in the middle I'd keep Millar and free the rest of them. No point having gomis and millar and telfer has been pish in the main. I'd keep wee Connolly too. Haven't really seen enough of Todd but I'd rather see a bit of pace to be honest.

[Bainsfordbairn]

29 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

I hope your right as I felt it was a mistake jumping in to sign the likes of gomis up for next season.  If we're looking at experience in the middle I'd keep Millar and free the rest of them. No point having gomis and millar and telfer has been pish in the main. I'd keep wee Connolly too. Haven't really seen enough of Todd but I'd rather see a bit of pace to be honest.

Depending on the exact wording of the "1 yr plus 1 more if we get promoted" clauses mentioned by BPM, we have plenty of leeway for building a new squad.

The only ones signed up for next year would be those given extensions by M&M since January: Gomis, Leitch, Laverty, Miller, Mutch & Todd.

If you assume a squad size of 18 minimum that's a lot of spaces to be filled. 

[HopeStreetWalker]

9 hours ago, Hank von Hell said:

My opinion is once the UK furlough scheme stops all contracts will be ripped up. We cannot carry large costs with no income, well not into next year. 

Tough but then these are tough times, force majeure and all that.  

Clarification from the club required then on these contracts. The Board of Directors must have sat down and worked out at least basic action plans on the various worse case scenarios.

What we do hinges on the Government announcing when football can be played again in front of a crowd* ( FFC require crowds at games as behind closed door is not an option )  With a date  you add the time you require to get the club and structure rebuilt 2-3 months minimum.

There should be a staged plan on file to implement instantly. That includes M&M employment - players out of contract - actioning unknown contract flexibility on those signed for next season.

As posted before on the Forum I cannot see  FFC playing a game before September at the earliest. If that is the case then its a restricted league / cup competitions to get the games played.

 

[Shadwell Dog]

20 minutes ago, Bainsfordbairn said:

Depending on the exact wording of the "1 yr plus 1 more if we get promoted" clauses mentioned by BPM, we have plenty of leeway for building a new squad.

The only ones signed up for next year would be those given extensions by M&M since January: Gomis, Leitch, Laverty, Miller, Mutch & Todd.

If you assume a squad size of 18 minimum that's a lot of spaces to be filled. 

Hopefully those contracts are only if promoted too .

[Guest]

I must admit to a creeping concern that Doncaster et al wouldn’t intervene (beyond pointing and looking worried) if everything below Championship level starts to collapse......hell, most of Championship level could collapse too. There is a real sense of nothing beyond the top 12 to 16 clubs being of any importance to them (beyond the usual platitudes to the media).
Can the only model that works for smaller clubs (two models if you include Livingston where cash in doesn’t affect cash out) be brought back in time to keep clubs treading water? Part time club numbers are likely to increase, and I wouldn’t rule out the emergence of amateur status for some.

[Shadwell Dog]

Furlough extended to october I see.

[Shadwell Dog]

1 minute ago, Bantabairn said:

Yes. This probably throws a lifeline to many clubs, but if my understanding is correct the Government will reduce the current 80% after June. Interesting that there’s an undertone coming from the top division down south and on Sky Sports some players publicly against playing any football until the virus is at least under control. 
I’m more convinced that we won’t be at any football games until next year. Probably reinforcing that with no income whatsoever through gates, and even with extension of the forlough, there’s not going to be 42 clubs in a few months time.

Hearts could push that along further by simply raising a court action against the decision to relegate them. That would put a hold on the prize money for the top flight and then it would be interesting to see who lasted the longest. I wonder if the 6 clubs who voted against reconstruction would suddenly have a change of heart?

[Shadwell Dog]

8 minutes ago, Bantabairn said:

Copied from the SPFL press release;
In the Ladbrokes Premiership, where nine clubs would have been required to vote in favour, a total of four clubs (33%) supported the resolution, with eight clubs (67%) opposing it.

In the Ladbrokes Championship, where eight clubs would have been required to vote in favour, a total of one club (10%) supported the resolution, with nine clubs (90%) opposing it.

In Ladbrokes Leagues One and Two, where 15 clubs would have been required to vote in favour, a total of eight clubs (40%) supported the resolution, with ten clubs (50%) opposing it and two clubs (10%) abstaining.

Surely there should have been 13 votes in the top flight or are DU still not a premier league side even though they've won their league and even though raith voted as a championship and partick as a league one. 

So United can vote as a top flight club to kybosh reconstruction but then as a championship side to kybosh the resolution. You couldnt make it up.

Edited May 12, 2020 by Shadwell Dog