The Falkirk FC Thread

[Big Wur]

1 hour ago, Hank von Hell said:

I played at a supporters club sixes tournament at Brockville many years back in the Elliots 3 team. Each team was assigned a Falkirk player and a policeman - it was a joint venture between the club and the Police promoting community stuff.

Well we were given Simon Stainrod, which still remains one of the highlights of my life. He wasn't arrogant or aloof , he was sound and hung about with us all day between matches. We put the copper in goals and played a 4 man defence with Simon up front. Every one of our misplaced or overhit passes he got to and controlled in a flash, it was a complete education.

I also remember we were going to play a team with Stephen Cody in the next game and Simon advised us not to hold on to the ball as Cody is an absolute maniac and will break your legs even in this. 

    

I was the Policeman that played in goals that day, at the time I was the community Policeman for Camelon. Sure it was Brian McGinlay that refereed us that day and I remember he kept penalising me for bouncing the ball. Did you guys not all have dyed hair that day. A few months later Simon turned up at the Police Burns Supper in full Highland dress. It was held in Grangemouth town hall. Managed a chat with God that night and he signed my program with “To Big Al, the best player I have ever played with”. As you say a great guy and one of my highlights too.

[Grangemouth Bairn]

32 minutes ago, The Laddie Gastineau said:

The chant was "Steven Cody gie's a body, Steven Cody gie's a body. And he normally did. Miniature rottweiler. 

I’m sure he got sued later in his career for breaking a boys leg with a tackle that was apparently more like an assault!!

[Guest]

Very much an aside, so apologies for that. Mention of the polis playing in games. I remember when I was maybe from 12 to 16 years old going over to Ochilview for the annual Police v The Clergy game. Unreal……and it was fair old blood and snotters affair. A very different era, that’s for sure.

[Hank von Hell]

3 hours ago, Big Wur said:

I was the Policeman that played in goals that day, at the time I was the community Policeman for Camelon. Sure it was Brian McGinlay that refereed us that day and I remember he kept penalising me for bouncing the ball. Did you guys not all have dyed hair that day. A few months later Simon turned up at the Police Burns Supper in full Highland dress. It was held in Grangemouth town hall. Managed a chat with God that night and he signed my program with “To Big Al, the best player I have ever played with”. As you say a great guy and one of my highlights too.

Awrite Al, yes we spray painted our hair orange as we were all in the Houstie Hardcore, we left the can in the dressing room and these 2 kids got a hold of it and copied us. Turned out they were the Jeffries & Brown's kids ! 

We set up a mock interview with Simon where I was Hazel Irvine and I asked him "Simon, you've played for Sheffield Utd, Aston Villa ,QPR, Strasbourg, Rouen , Falkirk and now the Houstie Hardcore, whose the best in your experience". Simon replied "That's a lot of good clubs you mentioned there Hazel, but for me player for player it has to be the Houstie Hardcore!"   

I think @MrDust still has it on video somewhere. 

 

[scottsdad]

I played in a sons of police officers vs sons of prison officers game at Recreation Park in Alloa. 

I was a centre half in the sons of police officers game. We called ourselves "the piglets".

[Guest]

For playing with/against ex players I played at Ochilview in a 5 aside tournament the Summer of 2002 and we faced a team consisting of John McVeigh, Andy Smith, Alan Lawrence and Owen Coyle(didn’t know the last player). Think the games were about 10 minutes and Coyle buried  5/6 past us. He was absolutely deadly and you couldn’t get anywhere near the ball when he had it. Also played against Andy Walker a few years ago. His touch and vision was amazing. Just knew what he was going to do before he even received the ball. 

As an aside did anyone watch Sportscene last night? They kept saying about how McGinn should have went down to win a penalty but it’s not in his locker as he’s so honest. Now I love McGinn for Scotland but I distinctly remember him throwing himself to the ground against us and winning a penalty in 2016. Not in his locker….aye right!

[Rugster]

For a short while the club were offering fans a chance to pay to play against ex players and staff. I played in one match as staff alongside Sammy McGivern, Crawford Baptie, Derek McWilliams and Martin Mooney (I think that was all). They were unbelievable. Not just the touches and skill, but the talking through the game I noticed. 

[Anthony Fitzgerald]

As an aside did anyone watch Sportscene last night? They kept saying about how McGinn should have went down to win a penalty but it’s not in his locker as he’s so honest. Now I love McGinn for Scotland but I distinctly remember him throwing himself to the ground against us and winning a penalty in 2016. Not in his locker….aye right!

That had totally slipped my mind until you brought it up. One of the worst decisions I have ever seen.

Must admit reading the last couple of pages has been a nice pleasant surprise. Memories that last a lifetime.

[NavyBlueArmy1876]

It was a horrendous dive from McGinn in that game, bought by an utterly clueless ref. That Hibs team was always at it with Cummings, Keatings etc bad for it as well 

Tbf to McGinn he's taken his game to another level and his physical strength is very impressive. Love watching him for Scotland now, I bet Celtic are still kicking themselves for not signing him

[Death warmed up]

11 hours ago, Big Wur said:

I was the Policeman that played in goals that day, at the time I was the community Policeman for Camelon. Sure it was Brian McGinlay that refereed us that day and I remember he kept penalising me for bouncing the ball. Did you guys not all have dyed hair that day. A few months later Simon turned up at the Police Burns Supper in full Highland dress. It was held in Grangemouth town hall. Managed a chat with God that night and he signed my program with “To Big Al, the best player I have ever played with”. As you say a great guy and one of my highlights too.

Brilliant! From P&B, Mr Dust and I were also in the team. We had our hair died ginger as a tribute to Houstie..

 

[60`s bairn]

1 hour ago, Rugster said:

For a short while the club were offering fans a chance to pay to play against ex players and staff. I played in one match as staff alongside Sammy McGivern, Crawford Baptie, Derek McWilliams and Martin Mooney (I think that was all). They were unbelievable. Not just the touches and skill, but the talking through the game I noticed. 

I`m sure I`ve got the team pic for that game in the archive somewhere.

[Gaz]

On 24/03/2022 at 12:27, Proudtobeabairn said:

Yeah...  but we're still agreeing Ben Hall is utter sh*t though right?  

 

On 24/03/2022 at 12:31, latapythelegend said:

Somehow I don't think Sammy Opreon would stand out in a game of fives.

I think compared to even the best well-meaning amateur both would stand out like they were world class.

[bairn88]

10 minutes ago, Gaz said:

 

I think compared to even the best well-meaning amateur both would stand out like they were world class.

Bang on. Always think of the best player we had in our year at school. Played striker and was just different class. 

He couldn’t get in the reserves for Stenny.
 

We take the piss with “diddies” but it’s all relative. 

[Gaz]

1 minute ago, bairn88 said:

Bang on. Always think of the best player we had in our year at school. Played striker and was just different class. 

He couldn’t get in the reserves for Stenny.
 

We take the piss with “diddies” but it’s all relative. 

I was at primary and secondary school with Brown Ferguson. We all thought he was going on to be an absolute superstar as compared to literally everyone else at school he was phenomenal.

[champions]

Jack Ross never really struck me as someone with outrageous footballing ability whilst at PS or HS, but went on to have a fairly decent career. Application and desire probably played a big part.

[Reggie Perrin]

Back in the early 90’s I was Secretary of the most successful under 16 and then under 18 Juvenile  team in central Scotland, couple of Scottish Cup wins and dominated the local scene.

Team was crammed with great players most of whom were signed with senior clubs and our keeper actually played a first team league match for St Mirren when he was 16.

However none of them really succeeded in senior football, two of them were very unfortunate with injuries just as they had made the first team squad with Jimmy Nichol’s excellent Raith Rovers and another two made the first teams of Alloa and Stenhousemuir.

A fair number of them had very good careers in the Juniors including a few Scottish Junior Cup winners but it seemed like a poor return from such a promising group of lads.

The only contemporary local lads who made the grade were Stevie Boyack, Greig Sheilds, Martin Corrigan and Calum Davidson.

Being a very good player and being a professional footballer are very different things

[Ranaldo Bairn]

26 minutes ago, bairn88 said:

Bang on. Always think of the best player we had in our year at school. Played striker and was just different class. 

He couldn’t get in the reserves for Stenny.
 

We take the piss with “diddies” but it’s all relative. 

Yep. The outstanding player in the Inverness Youth League (U18) in my year (the whole league, mind!) was called Karl MacKay.

Signed by Caledonian in the HL, few games as sub and tata.

[ShaggerG]

This is all great craic boys, keep it up.

I must admit though, even having watched some great players in a Falkirk shirt, I'm still the best player I've ever seen - even now. Well, during the night at least!!

[HopeStreetWalker]

4 hours ago, Rugster said:

For a short while the club were offering fans a chance to pay to play against ex players and staff. I played in one match as staff alongside Sammy McGivern, Crawford Baptie, Derek McWilliams and Martin Mooney (I think that was all). They were unbelievable. Not just the touches and skill, but the talking through the game I noticed. 

The communication was very noticeable and was concise no more than 1 - 2 - 3 words and they never stopped together with awareness and positional sense. Was a multiplier of their undoubted skill and reading of the game.

 

[scottsdad]

1 hour ago, Reggie Perrin said:

Back in the early 90’s I was Secretary of the most successful under 16 and then under 18 Juvenile  team in central Scotland, couple of Scottish Cup wins and dominated the local scene.

Which team was it?

Asking as my brother played at around that time (late 80s/early 90s) and might have been involved there.