The Falkirk FC Thread

[Dunning1874]

See this "it'll take years to turn around" chat? Dunfermline finished 7th in League One, even further away from the top four than you were, then won the title by 18 points the following season. They were also still saddled with several of the players who'd taken them to their worst season ever; shockingly, many of them actually improved under a better manager. They even had Brad McKay!

While League One is looking a much stronger league next season than it was in 15/16 and anyone strolling to the title as Dunfermline did therefore isn't realistic, the point stands that claiming a manager has no hope of an immediate turnaround with Falkirk's relatively huge budget is ridiculous. If you continue to languish miles outside the playoffs it'll be because you've appointed another complete dud, nothing else.

As for the McGlynn discussion, if anyone objects to having him as manager because of Goodwillie then fair enough, I'd feel the same way. Arguing on the grounds of managerial ability alone that he's not actually done that good a job with Raith and Falkirk should be looking for better is a wild take though. You could have a valid question mark on his performance at Hearts and Livingston of whether he's someone who's just a good fit at one club, but his record with Raith not being impressive?

Twice he's taken them over in the third tier, twice he's won the title then turned them into a top half second tier side. While it took three seasons the first time, the state Raith were in off the park on the back of the Anelka season and owners actively trying to make them homeless makes Falkirk over the last five years look like a model of competence. He had none of the financial advantages Falkirk managers have had, and even when failing to win promotion he at least never failed to make the playoffs.

The one thing Falkirk haven't tried since being in League One is just going and getting a manager who has a track record of getting teams promoted from it. It's the obvious thing to do when you've hit this much of a rut. On football reasons alone McGlynn is therefore an outstanding candidate as he can also point to a track record of establishing teams in the second tier as well. As I said I agree with discounting him on the grounds of Goodwillie, but claiming his record isn't that great for where Falkirk are now is just silly.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Dunning1874

[Guest]

I'm hoping Falkirk get promoted next season. I realise i'm stating the obvious, but a club your size - probably bigger than St. Mirren, and definitely bigger than St. Johnstone, Ross County, ICT and many others - should not be finishing 6th in the third-tier of Scottish football.

It's frightening, because if it can happen to you, it can happen to us. I noticed you're still attracting decent crowds, but is that likely to continue if you fail to progress? What has gone wrong with the club that you're finding yourselves in this position?

Anyway, good luck next season. 

[bairn88]

2 minutes ago, Dunning1874 said:

See this "it'll take years to turn around" chat? Dunfermline finished 7th in League One, even further away from the top four than you were, then won the title by 18 points the following season. They were also still saddled with several of the players who'd taken them to their worst season ever; shockingly, many of them actually improved under a better manager. They even had Brad McKay!

While League One is looking a much stronger league next season than it was in 15/16 and anyone strolling to the title as Dunfermline did therefore isn't realistic, the point stands that claiming a manager has no hope of an immediate turnaround with Falkirk's relatively huge budget is ridiculous. If you continue to languish miles outside the playoffs it'll be because you've appointed another complete dud, nothing else.

As for the McGlynn discussion, if anyone objects to having him as manager because of Goodwillie then fair enough, I'd feel the same way. Arguing on the grounds of managerial ability alone that he's not actually done that good a job with Raith and Falkirk should be looking for better is a wild take though. You could have a valid question mark on his performance at Hearts and Livingston of whether he's someone who's just a good fit at one club, but his record with Raith not being impressive?

Twice he's taken them over in the third tier, twice he's won the title then turned them into a top half second tier side. While it took three seasons the first time, the state Raith were in off the park on the back of the Anelka years and owners actively trying to make them homeless makes Falkirk over the last five years look like a model of competence. He had none of the financial advantages Falkirk managers have had, and even when failing to win promotion he at least never failed to make the playoffs.

The one thing Falkirk haven't tried since being in League One is just going and getting a manager who has a track record of getting teams promoted from it. It's the obvious thing to do when you've hit this much of a rut. On football reasons alone McGlynn is therefore an outstanding candidate as he can also point to a track record of establishing teams in the second tier as well. As I said I agree with discounting him on the grounds of Goodwillie, but claiming his record isn't that great for where Falkirk are now is just silly.

Incredibly sensible post, that won’t catch on here. 

I think our contracted players and probably tightened budget, combined with a tough (ish) league next year, makes aiming for a title challenge fairly optimistic. Appointing an actual football manager, as opposed to passion project diddies, will imo make the world of difference though. 

[CALDERON]

10 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

One player you signed for decent cash never played a game though and that surely was the bods decision not mcglynn. You can argue all day over the rights and wrongs of mcglynn putting him to your board as a possible signing but they okayed it and then refused to let him kick a ball. Whilst most of us agree he should never have been signed in the first place once the bod has agreed to sign him it's not the managers fault hes not allowed to play him yet the cash is out his budget surely.

My point is more that the board were prepare to pay cash for a player - regardless of suitability - and the intention was to get us "over the line".  So you could argue that manager was well backed, so 5th place is pretty disappointing. 

[Shadwell Dog]

23 minutes ago, CALDERON said:

My point is more that the board were prepare to pay cash for a player - regardless of suitability - and the intention was to get us "over the line".  So you could argue that manager was well backed, so 5th place is pretty disappointing. 

Well backed but not allowed to play the player he spent the cash on.  Surely if he'd been allowed to play goodwillie or had been told no you must sign another player with that money then he may well have at least got you in the playoffs. 

[Bigbri Bairn]

Do you really think there are now people on here that think Jean lecsinel is going to be the next Falkirk manager.

He was appointed but then he immediately disappeared. That's why we are waiting for another. Macron told me about it !

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Brockvillenomore said:

I look forward to reminding you about this!

I am the worthy insights bit.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, CALDERON said:

Don't want to derail this thread too much with Rovers talk, but for me its all relative.  We finished 3rd last season, which was better than many of us thought, but at Xmas time this season we were in a title challenge.  When we beat Kilmarnock on 18 Dec we went something like 5 points clear of them.  We spend money on 2 different players this season (unheard of for Rovers) which more than likely came into 6 figures.  We went from being 5 points clear of Kilmarnock in December, to 17 points behind them on Friday.  The absolute least should have been a playoff spot this season.

That's not to say that Rovers have some devine right to be in the Premiership, but it's not a wild ambition to at least be competing for that prize - and the resource has been made available to aim for that this season.  Also, Livi, Hamilton and ICT have all spent time in the top flight or are still there - and our attendances are better than 2 of them and comparable with another.  I'm sure there are some creative accounting going on somewhere, but can't rule that out at Starks Park either

 

 

So a pretty major decline in the latter half of the season…….something we know rather well…….but yours came about under John McGlynn…….a collapse that would have seen him pilloried if he were the FFC manager….and then DG as the icing on the cake.

Yet this is the manager many FFC supporters want as the next Falkirk manager. Anyone else get the irony here?

He has hardly established RR as a Championship side. If that were the case, he wouldn’t have been manager in L1 twice. He has ups and he has downs. 7th to 2nd was creditable, but slide the lens along one year, and 2nd to 7th doesn’t look so great.

Anyhoo, if he is the chosen one, I am sure he will get the time and space to do what needs to be done……..or not.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Duncan Freemason

[Shadwell Dog]

27 minutes ago, Duncan Freemason said:

So a pretty major decline in the latter half of the season…….something we know rather well…….but yours came about under John McGlynn…….a collapse that would have seen him pilloried if he were the FFC manager….and then DG as the icing on the cake.

Yet this is the manager many FFC supporters want as the next Falkirk manager. Anyone else get the irony here?

He has hardly established RR as a Championship side. If that were the case, he wouldn’t have been manager in L1 twice. He has ups and he has downs. 7th to 2nd was creditable, but slide the lens along one year, and 2nd to 7th doesn’t look so great.

Anyhoo, if he is the chosen one, I am sure he will get the time and space to do what needs to be done……..or not.

He's never been relegated with Raith either though.  He gets then in the championship moves on to a bigger club then someone else relegates them he comes back in and gets them back up again . It's not his fault his successors are bloody useless.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Shadwell Dog

[unused sub]

15 hours ago, Shadwell Dog said:

With mcglynn and Murray out of contract in the summer I'm sure either them or their agents will have spoken to any interested parties . They aren't going to wait till the end of the season and have nothing in the pipeline although Murray obviously has the safety of being wanted at Airdrie so will be in no rush.  Very few deals will happen exactly according to the rules. You just don't do it so blatantly badly as we did with McKinnon.

If they are in the last 6 months of their contract can their agents/representatives not speak to other clubs regarding them, or is that just allowed for players? 

[Grangemouth Bairn]

56 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

He's never been relegated with Raith either though.  He gets then in the championship moves on to a bigger club then someone else relegates them he comes back in and gets them back up again . It's not his fault his successors are bloody useless.

Been on holiday for a week and taken a break from all things Falkirk FC which was great. I’ve only read a couple of pages but I’m assuming with the level of chat around McGlynn he’s the new boards preferred candidate ??

[Blame Me]

11 minutes ago, Grangemouth Bairn said:

Been on holiday for a week and taken a break from all things Falkirk FC which was great. I’ve only read a couple of pages but I’m assuming with the level of chat around McGlynn he’s the new boards preferred candidate ??

Possibly.

Although it's been discussed whether anything posted on a forum is truth or bo**ocks!

Edited May 2, 2022 by Blame Me

[Enigma]

1 hour ago, Duncan Freemason said:

He has hardly established RR as a Championship side. If that were the case, he wouldn’t have been manager in L1 twice.

This just isn’t true. We very much were an established, if unremarkable, Championship club when he left. Murray treaded water a bit and McKinnon gave us a good season but left the bones of a very strong squad. The two idiots Locke and Hughes destroyed that in one spectacular season.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Enigma

[TheScarf]

3 hours ago, CALDERON said:

Don't want to derail this thread too much with Rovers talk, but for me its all relative.  We finished 3rd last season, which was better than many of us thought, but at Xmas time this season we were in a title challenge.  When we beat Kilmarnock on 18 Dec we went something like 5 points clear of them.  We spend money on 2 different players this season (unheard of for Rovers) which more than likely came into 6 figures.  We went from being 5 points clear of Kilmarnock in December, to 17 points behind them on Friday.  The absolute least should have been a playoff spot this season.

That's not to say that Rovers have some devine right to be in the Premiership, but it's not a wild ambition to at least be competing for that prize - and the resource has been made available to aim for that this season.  Also, Livi, Hamilton and ICT have all spent time in the top flight or are still there - and our attendances are better than 2 of them and comparable with another.  I'm sure there are some creative accounting going on somewhere, but can't rule that out at Starks Park either

 

 

You'll be surprised how much income clubs can get from sponsorship/use of their ground.  

Fan numbers doesn't equal budget size, despite what a lot on this website think.  The Caley's main sponsorship deal is ridiculous apparently.

[HopeStreetWalker]

4 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

You'll be surprised how much income clubs can get from sponsorship/use of their ground.  

Fan numbers doesn't equal budget size, despite what a lot on this website think.  The Caley's main sponsorship deal is ridiculous apparently.

Unfortunately FFC do not own the ground and if Council employees are involved regarding the clubs activities you can be sure they will be charging top whack. It the well discussed issue we are no more than leaseholders and the facilities we do own sit on council property. Such as owning the pitch but not the land it sits on and some seating but don't own the stands.

[Grangemouth Bairn]

30 minutes ago, Blame Me said:

Possibly.

Although it's been discussed whether anything posted on a forum is truth or bo**ocks!

Cheers - still got people claiming to be itk .

[TheScarf]

20 minutes ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

Unfortunately FFC do not own the ground and if Council employees are involved regarding the clubs activities you can be sure they will be charging top whack. It the well discussed issue we are no more than leaseholders and the facilities we do own sit on council property. Such as owning the pitch but not the land it sits on and some seating but don't own the stands.

Ah see we've been renting out our home carpark to Bairds Maltings for the last year and charging them a very healthy monthly rent for the privilege too,  on top of our good sponsorship deals, whereas it seems Falkirk are having to fork out for using TFS. You have more ST holders than us, but we get good income elsewhere. No idea what Hamilton and Livi do for income, like us it certainly doesn't come from ST sales.

[latapythelegend]

13 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Ah see we've been renting out our home carpark to Bairds Maltings for the last year and charging them a very healthy monthly rent for the privilege too,  on top of our good sponsorship deals, whereas it seems Falkirk are having to fork out for using TFS. You have more ST holders than us, but we get good income elsewhere. No idea what Hamilton and Livi do for income, like us it certainly doesn't come from ST sales.

New Douglas Park and Almondvale always seem to have fresher advertising and utilise there advertising space a lot better than we do. NDP especially.

[Harry Kinnear]

I’m going on holiday on Wednesday for a week and like Grangemouth Bairn I’m going to take a wee break from all things FFC. By the time I get back I expect a new manager and a new squad of superstars signed who will have us romping the league. Anything else will be unacceptable

[Broken Algorithms]

Scott Burns is usually on the money with these things so it may well be going ahead.