The Falkirk FC Thread

[FFC 1876]

2 minutes ago, kiddy said:

So if Dowds comes back, then signs a PCA with another FT team, what do they do? Play somebody who DGAF, let him stay with Arbroath till his contract runs out or just free him to get him off the wage bill?

No we're getting a massive fee for him Kiddy haven't you heard Abroath are absolutely rolling in the dollar. Must've been a good year for smokies.

[Bairnardo]

So if Dowds comes back, then signs a PCA with another FT team, what do they do? Play somebody who DGAF, let him stay with Arbroath till his contract runs out or just free him to get him off the wage bill?

Its fairnto assume the regardless of what else is happening, Rennie is talking to Dowds.

Wer not going to bring thisbplayer back then suddently all be surprised that he doesnt actually want to be here.

We certainly shouldnt be accomodating Arbroath at our own expense though.

[Tattie36]

I would like to see us (Arbroath) buy Dowds from you for a suitable fee and offer him an 18 month contract. I think that would be fair on Falkirk and a good outcome for all concerned. If he returns to Falkirk then he is out of contract in 4 months. Will he be given the opportunity, or are Falkirk even in a place right now, where he is likely to get enough game time and goals to justify a new full-time contract within that period?

If not then that leaves him club-less and out of contract in May with a lower profile and possibly not good enough form to persuade another full-time club to offer him a deal. He would then likely end up part-time anyway at probably League 1 level. If Arbroath sign him then he’s guaranteed Championship football (at least) for 18 months, where he’s playing at a higher level with a better chance of moving up or back to full-time (if he wanted to), perhaps even by default if we were promoted.

FWIW I think he’s a good player but this is probably as high as he’ll get and I think our style suits him. His partnership with Nouble was really starting to come together but with Nouble out and Jack Hamilton in, his role will slightly change to more of a creator.

Totally understand if you tell me to feck off as I was on here a few months ago telling you how great Sheerin would be for you

ETA having said all that, his good form will be in part due to his full-time training at Falkirk. He would obviously be sacrificing that if he came to us permanently. Would he then be the same player we’re seeing at the moment?

Edited January 5, 2022 by Tattie36

[Zbairn]

Dowd's gave up his job to turn full time with us.

Given the fact that he obviously was not in Sheerin or Holt's plans (plus Holts stupid personal comments about him) I am not surprised that he may have decided his future lay elsewhere.

However times and circumstances have changed.  Remaining full time, with perhaps a team that is changing in direction (hopefully) and with a new management structure he might just decide to give it another go with us. I think that depends on Rennie's thoughts about him.

I have a feeling that he is a better player than many give him credit for and perhaps R&M will be the guys to push him on.

No disrespect to Arbroath intended, but it may be best for him to remain with a full time team......assuming he gets game time.

[Guest Back Post Misses]

Board update just landed in my inbox

[some_guy]

4 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

Board update just landed in my inbox

You just gonna be a cock-tease here?! 

[superandy_07]

BOARD UPDATE

Let us first take the opportunity to wish all bairns a very Happy New Year, along with good health and prosperity in 2022.

It’s now 4 weeks since we began as an almost entirely new board, and it’s fair to say it has been a whirlwind. Before even formally starting we made the decision to part company with Paul Sheerin and Danny Grainger, plus resolved to recruit a new Head Coach very quickly so he could take the lead in player recruitment for the January window. Within a week we appointed Martin Rennie and are very pleased Martin was willing to cross the Atlantic to help us out. He comes with an excellent track record and Scotland legend Kenny Miller now completes a strong management duo. Both are in no doubt that our objective is still to gain promotion this season. We’re sure every fan recognises that, with our current league position and recent form, this is a difficult challenge but certainly not one which is unachievable. This week we also parted company with Gary Holt and it’s never easy telling staff, particularly around the festive period, that their services are no longer required. Paul, Danny and Gary are all thoroughly decent guys who worked hard for the club and leave with our best wishes.

Now we’ve had time to catch our breath, this update will be the first of many to keep fans informed of developments at the club. Having spent the last four weeks dealing with numerous inherited issues, we’re now keen to get to work on future plans. Thankfully the investment received late last year from the Patrons Group has at least made it possible for a new coaching team plus some new players to be recruited. Falkirk Supporters’ Society subscriptions are also growing steadily and we’ve no doubt that the club will continue to receive tremendous backing from supporters, both on and off the pitch.

Nevertheless, the financial position of the club remains challenging. The bottom line is that no club could sustain full-time football in the long-term while playing in League One, such is the huge disparity in financial distribution between the four SPFL leagues. Other factors have also had an impact over the last two seasons, particularly the restrictions placed on match attendances due to COVID, and the relatively low number of away fans even when our gates have been fully open. Promotion this season, or at the very least next season, is essential to our long-term sustainability as a full-time professional football club. We therefore thank all fans for their outstanding loyalty and commitment throughout recent dark times, and ask them to continue to support the club in every way possible going forward. We will only be able to rebuild our club, and achieve our vision of playing Premiership football in or before our 150th anniversary season 2026/27, if every single stakeholder puts their shoulder to the wheel and helps to make it happen.

Twenty-two Patrons have already stepped up and this number will increase over the next few months. Over 270 supporters have also signed up for membership of FSS, although this remains well short of the 1000+ fans who pledged to support the original Back the Bairns plan. We’ve no doubt that, come the time, Falkirk fans will once again buy season tickets in huge numbers. However, although much needed and appreciated, the support the club needs isn’t just financial. We will also need talented fans with time and energy to spare, to help the club as volunteers in a whole number of areas. In return, we’ll commit to treating volunteers significantly better than many have been treated in the past. In January we’ll be kicking off business reviews in four key areas, specifically Football, Finance & Commercial, Fan & Community Engagement and Infrastructure & Operations. All four workstreams will be led by board members but will also involve additional volunteers with skills in these areas. The objective of all four workstreams is to review current and recommend future strategies, systems and structures, to ensure they are fit for purpose and appropriately resourced going forward. All four will also consider ways to grow income and/or reduce costs, to ensure that underlying losses can be far more easily managed and mitigated than at present. These outputs will feed into a new business plan for the club to take us through to season 2026/27.

A big focus will also be on building a completely new culture within the club, with a positive impact expected both on and off the pitch. This needs to be a radical departure from the way the club has operated in the recent past; a new culture based on high standards of professionalism and performance, and characterised by openness, inclusiveness, teamwork, integrity and respect. We are a community club, which must do a better job of engaging with all of our stakeholders throughout Falkirk district, whether supporters, sponsors, schools, boys and girls clubs or other associations and organisations. In doing so we aim to regain our status as a real community asset and a source of genuine pride for everyone in our community. For example, fully rebuilding our Youth Development infrastructure and working in partnership with the Falkirk Foundation will both be essentials elements going forward. At the heart of this change must be an increase in fan ownership and engagement, plus the on-going development of governance structures which will enable any supporter with the skills and time to be able to serve the club in a variety of ways.

None of this will happen overnight, and we fully expect it will take the entire duration of our three-year directorships to come to fruition. Our short-term priority is, of course, to support Martin and Kenny and give them the resources they need to put a winning team on the pitch. To do that, we’ll always make decisions we believe to be in the best interests of the club, whether those decisions are popular with all fans or unpopular with some. Longer-term our goal is to rebuild the whole club on and off the pitch and to restore, in full, its former status as one of Scotland’s best run football clubs. We thank you all for your warm welcome and support so far, and commit to always working hard in the best interests of Falkirk Football Club. Our club belongs to all of us, and we all have a part to play in getting us back to the Premiership. We look forward to working with you over the coming months and years.

[Baggio]

Board update just landed in my inbox

This part is a tad concerning given the current rumour mill:

 Our short-term priority is, of course, to support Martin and Kenny and give them the resources they need to put a winning team on the pitch. To do that, we’ll always make decisions we believe to be in the best interests of the club, whether those decisions are popular with all fans or unpopular with some

[Rugster]

How do you go about signing up for these email updates or are they only for shareholders?

 

[Senor Bairn]

2 minutes ago, Baggio said:

This part is a tad concerning given the current rumour mill:

 Our short-term priority is, of course, to support Martin and Kenny and give them the resources they need to put a winning team on the pitch. To do that, we’ll always make decisions we believe to be in the best interests of the club, whether those decisions are popular with all fans or unpopular with some

Just came on here to say the same thing. Was fairly happy with the paragraph above that as well.

To say we're looking to become a community club and then go on to sign a convicted rapist would be very contradictory to say the least. 

[Bairnardo]

Just came on here to say the same thing. Was fairly happy with the paragraph above that as well.
To say we're looking to become a community club and then go on to sign a convicted rapist would be very contradictory to say the least. 

Did you get any acknowledgement of your email?

[MrDust]

15 hours ago, FFC 1876 said:

My gripe is that people keep talking about Anton Dowds as if he's our saviour when in reality those same people were most likely calling him pish or 'too overweight' when he was with us. Yes he's a better option than what we have but that's not exactly hard to beat with Ompreon & Wilson there.

I thought he started aok with Keena at the start but then Keena got injured. I don't think he is a goalscorer but seems decent on the ball. I am not suggesting he is our saviour but having watched all our strikers this season, he ain't worse than what we have, a considerable improvement on many of them for me.

18 minutes ago, Tattie36 said:

 

FWIW I think he’s a good player but this is probably as high as he’ll get and I think our style suits him. His partnership with Nouble was really starting to come together but with Nouble out and Jack Hamilton in, his role will slightly change to more of a creator.

 

Dunfermline game scored one created two, in his time with us Id never have said he was a goalscorer and 5 in 20 this season and previous 13/60 suggests he isn't also.

Sometimes a loan out can help a player, so here is hoping it has but even if it doesn't, I think he will have a few full time suitors willing to give him a year or so with his form at Arbroath.

He may even have signed a PCA with someone as we speak.

 

 

[JB22]

4 minutes ago, Baggio said:

This part is a tad concerning given the current rumour mill:

 Our short-term priority is, of course, to support Martin and Kenny and give them the resources they need to put a winning team on the pitch. To do that, we’ll always make decisions we believe to be in the best interests of the club, whether those decisions are popular with all fans or unpopular with some

I wrote to the board yesterday to express my disgust at the possibility of him signing. I sincerely hope this statement isn't preparing us for what now feels like the inevitable. 

[Senor Bairn]

1 minute ago, Bairnardo said:

1 minute ago, Senor Bairn said:

Just came on here to say the same thing. Was fairly happy with the paragraph above that as well.
To say we're looking to become a community club and then go on to sign a convicted rapist would be very contradictory to say the least. 

Did you get any acknowledgement of your email?

Nothing at all. Did you? 

[Bairnardo]

1 minute ago, Senor Bairn said:

Nothing at all. Did you? 

Nope. Not a peep. 

[Albertobotswana]

3 minutes ago, Senor Bairn said:

Just came on here to say the same thing. Was fairly happy with the paragraph above that as well.

To say we're looking to become a community club and then go on to sign a convicted rapist would be very contradictory to say the least. 

I've read the statement as we are actively chasing Badwillie. 

[Guest TedCrilly]

Does anyone have any other email addresses we could ping these complaints on to? Jamie Sweeney perhaps?

[Baggio]

Nope. Not a peep. 

I've emailed board@falkirkfc.co.uk a couple of times now with no acknowledgement. I've replied to that one directly as well.

Sad times.

[Harry Kinnear]

There are posters on this site who know board members, patrons etc, surely to feck they know how signing Goodwillie is going to go down with a large number of our supporters. They can’t seriously think it’s a good idea or good for the so called “community club” image they are building.

[Senor Bairn]

3 minutes ago, Albertobotswana said:

I've read the statement as we are actively chasing Badwillie. 

I thought it looked like they were subtlety saying they weren't going for it until that last paragraph. Genuinely batshit stuff man. 
 

I don't want to get worked up over a daft s*n article but f**k me, I'd genuinely take relegation to the fourth tier over signing that cretin.