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The Falkirk FC Thread


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9 minutes ago, ShaggerG said:

So you'd quite happily play in a 'one-off league' and return to L1 the following season even if we won it? I think the cost would outstrip the income and could put us in significant financial difficulties at the end of it especially as we have no idea if the virus is going to make a comeback (although most experts are confident that it will). We would, most probably, have to shelve that season as well anyway.

How many people do you estimate would but a season ticket to watch a series of friendlies? I don't think the take-up would be very high although, conversely, I do think fans would donate to keep us afloat for a season.

If it's a choice between that and no football for a season then yeah I would take the football. There would still be a league and prize money at stake.  People will be desperate to watch  falkirk playing competitive football. I cant see us raising anywhere near enough cash to keep us going for a season with no games and I'm sure the bod agree or they woulfdnt be pushing so hard for playing. Same for partick.

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49 minutes ago, ShaggerG said:

So you'd quite happily play in a 'one-off league' and return to L1 the following season even if we won it? I think the cost would outstrip the income and could put us in significant financial difficulties at the end of it especially as we have no idea if the virus is going to make a comeback (although most experts are confident that it will). We would, most probably, have to shelve that season as well anyway.

How many people do you estimate would but a season ticket to watch a series of friendlies? I don't think the take-up would be very high although, conversely, I do think fans would donate to keep us afloat for a season.

Companies all over the country and in various businesses are talking to their customers to get an idea what % of the historical trade they can expect. That will be going through every aspect of the supply chain.  End user-Manufacturer-Component supplier-Raw material source and on and on.

FFC are flying blind into whatever season and league structure that is sprung upon us. The first they will know about it is when the blazers tell them.

It is beyond belief that the BOD of the club are not doing this crucial task in finding out what the situation is with their source of income. Fans - Sponsors and Advertisers.

If Deans goes and signs up to whatever is cobbled together. Then that is a playing squad. Wage structure. Contract negotiations.  Lets say a squad of 16 players all on 20k a year. Two managers on 30k a year. Stadium running costs ? Health and Safety for players and staff ? Administration costs ? You are talking 500-600k minimum.            

The funds for that will come from the ever decreasing cash reserves and whatever % of previous income sources can afford to back the club.

This is a recipe for financial ruin and puts the future of FFC at stake.

I think you over estimate the fan base that would keep the club afloat. As a good % of the support will be struggling to keep themselves afloat and a roof over the families head and food on the table. Many will be without a job and those that have will be on reduced income and debt run up over the last few months. Reluctantly many to their regret just won't be able to afford it.

No business plan and researched anticipated income. Then its No ! its gambling with the future of the club.

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1 hour ago, Shadwell Dog said:

If it's a choice between that and no football for a season then yeah I would take the football. There would still be a league and prize money at stake.  People will be desperate to watch  falkirk playing competitive football. I cant see us raising anywhere near enough cash to keep us going for a season with no games and I'm sure the bod agree or they woulfdnt be pushing so hard for playing. Same for partick.

Would there? 

I'm desperate to watch us play competitive football again too, but it wouldn't be competitive would it? 

Costs would obviously be reduced considerably as well with no players to pay and a skeleton staff to run things. I don't think Mr Alexander would be looking for his stadium rent either (surely tae f**k).

Call me cynical (many folk do) but I reckon that the BOD are saying that we're ready to play in the hope that Budge's proposal is accepted and we're pushed up to the Championship officially. That would then give us a competitive league to play in and the board would be able to set a price for season tickets to be bought.

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33 minutes ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

Companies all over the country and in various businesses are talking to their customers to get an idea what % of the historical trade they can expect. That will be going through every aspect of the supply chain.  End user-Manufacturer-Component supplier-Raw material source and on and on.

FFC are flying blind into whatever season and league structure that is sprung upon us. The first they will know about it is when the blazers tell them.

It is beyond belief that the BOD of the club are not doing this crucial task in finding out what the situation is with their source of income. Fans - Sponsors and Advertisers.

If Deans goes and signs up to whatever is cobbled together. Then that is a playing squad. Wage structure. Contract negotiations.  Lets say a squad of 16 players all on 20k a year. Two managers on 30k a year. Stadium running costs ? Health and Safety for players and staff ? Administration costs ? You are talking 500-600k minimum.            

The funds for that will come from the ever decreasing cash reserves and whatever % of previous income sources can afford to back the club.

This is a recipe for financial ruin and puts the future of FFC at stake.

I think you over estimate the fan base that would keep the club afloat. As a good % of the support will be struggling to keep themselves afloat and a roof over the families head and food on the table. Many will be without a job and those that have will be on reduced income and debt run up over the last few months. Reluctantly many to their regret just won't be able to afford it.

No business plan and researched anticipated income. Then its No ! its gambling with the future of the club.

I'm not sure that I am TBH. I think that there are a good few fairly well off punters out there who would be willing to pump thousands in if it saves us going tits up. I think that a crowd funding effort would raise a few hundred thousand too from poorer folk like myself!

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9 minutes ago, ShaggerG said:

I'm not sure that I am TBH. I think that there are a good few fairly well off punters out there who would be willing to pump thousands in if it saves us going tits up. I think that a crowd funding effort would raise a few hundred thousand too from poorer folk like myself!

That's the danger Shagger. Thinking and hoping is not the way to formulate a business plan. 

If it does come to fund raising to stop the club going tits up. That is an admission of failure and it would be traced back to the gung ho attitude of pressing on regardless in this step into the unknown.

The club has to ask the fans now what the take up would be for the various scenarios Deans has talked about. You have to agree that is a sensible and prudent course of action !

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21 minutes ago, Bantabairn said:

Don’t be fooled by the silence at present from within the club. Like every single business, this is uncharted times. Gary Deans has already stated that there are several options to consider with the current and changing situation. I’ve no doubt that they are desperate to get all revenue streams, season tickets, shop merchandise, stadium advertising lastly hospitality going again. However unlike a few clubs I don't think they want a situation where the club are backed in fantastic numbers with STs and we have no way of playing any football until the new year. 
Unfortunately until we get relaxation by our Gov, we’re in suspended animation. Personally and regrettably I think we’re going to go into a prolonged period without football, I sincerely hope I’m wrong.....

I agree. For various reasons I can't see how the lower league clubs will be able to play, that's why I'm saying that we shouldn't be thinking about selling STs but should instead be considering fund raising. I'm sure that you're right in that the BOD will have been looking at various scenarios to get us through but we can't be selling STs just now for some airy-fairy league that may or may not happen.

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4 minutes ago, ShaggerG said:

I agree. For various reasons I can't see how the lower league clubs will be able to play, that's why I'm saying that we shouldn't be thinking about selling STs but should instead be considering fund raising. I'm sure that you're right in that the BOD will have been looking at various scenarios to get us through but we can't be selling STs just now for some airy-fairy league that may or may not happen.

The spfl need to get their finger out and decide one way or the other what's going on. At some stage fund raising will be required for all lower league clubs if there is no football and therefore no way of selling season tickets. The bod are hoping it wont come to that and that they will be able to sell some kind of season package soon but the longer it goes on the worse the situation gets. Something needs to be decided but at the moment it just seems to be one meeting and then its kicked down the road to another meeting. Could really do with an update from Dean's but of course that depends on whether theres anything to bloomin update us with.

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32 minutes ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

That's the danger Shagger. Thinking and hoping is not the way to formulate a business plan. 

If it does come to fund raising to stop the club going tits up. That is an admission of failure and it would be traced back to the gung ho attitude of pressing on regardless in this step into the unknown.

The club has to ask the fans now what the take up would be for the various scenarios Deans has talked about. You have to agree that is a sensible and prudent course of action !

Of course it's not, however I was just reacting to your saying that I was overestimating the fan base's willingness or ability to raise funds.

And, yes, I do agree that they should be canvassing season ticket holders now to see what sort of take up would be likely. It would have to be a two part question though asking how many would renew for playing in L1, or  playing in a one-of league competition (which would result in us being demoted no matter what final position we attained.) I think that most would renew for the former but a lot fewer (myself included) for the latter.

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4 minutes ago, ShaggerG said:

Of course it's not, however I was just reacting to your saying that I was overestimating the fan base's willingness or ability to raise funds.

And, yes, I do agree that they should be canvassing season ticket holders now to see what sort of take up would be likely. It would have to be a two part question though asking how many would renew for playing in L1, or  playing in a one-of league competition (which would result in us being demoted no matter what final position we attained.) I think that most would renew for the former but a lot fewer (myself included) for the latter.

Difficult to ask questions if they dont know the options unfortunately.  None of us know exactly what is on the table for next season and I have little confidence that anyone in the spfl knows either. We're all suggesting this or that but feck knows what's actually happening.

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6 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Could really do with an update from Dean's but of course that depends on whether theres anything to bloomin update us with.

I don't think there is. 

I see one of the directors most weeks in relation to the various competition winners and there's rarely anything to report other than ongoing conference calls with the SPFL and other clubs. 

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8 minutes ago, ShaggerG said:

Of course it's not, however I was just reacting to your saying that I was overestimating the fan base's willingness or ability to raise funds.

And, yes, I do agree that they should be canvassing season ticket holders now to see what sort of take up would be likely. It would have to be a two part question though asking how many would renew for playing in L1, or  playing in a one-of league competition (which would result in us being demoted no matter what final position we attained.) I think that most would renew for the former but a lot fewer (myself included) for the latter.

Exactly ! but they are not asking these questions, but announced they are ready to play anyway.

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Considering that Raith have made statements about planning for resumption in October, have confirmed the installation of a Pixellot system, and have suggested that system  would be part of the reopening plan before fans were allowed in, the silence from League One suggests either a lack of concrete planning or a schism within the League.

Shadwell, the problem (as you identified for Falkirk) is one of League schedule and planning. The Championship is likely already hashing out a schedule without Partick or Falkirk, and any change to that would likely need to be very soon. The only way I could see a way for Falkirk and Partick to play would be if League One is official shutdown for next season very soon, and that seems very unlikely.

I also find it unlikely that most Championship teams would allow Falkirk and/or Partick to play if they were eligible for promotion at the end of the season, and having two teams playing for shits and grins seems highly unlikely.

Question: Does Falkirk have a Pixellot system installed? Did Partick get one installed and/or did they keep it?

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42 minutes ago, TxRover said:

Considering that Raith have made statements about planning for resumption in October, have confirmed the installation of a Pixellot system, and have suggested that system  would be part of the reopening plan before fans were allowed in, the silence from League One suggests either a lack of concrete planning or a schism within the League.

Shadwell, the problem (as you identified for Falkirk) is one of League schedule and planning. The Championship is likely already hashing out a schedule without Partick or Falkirk, and any change to that would likely need to be very soon. The only way I could see a way for Falkirk and Partick to play would be if League One is official shutdown for next season very soon, and that seems very unlikely.

I also find it unlikely that most Championship teams would allow Falkirk and/or Partick to play if they were eligible for promotion at the end of the season, and having two teams playing for shits and grins seems highly unlikely.

Question: Does Falkirk have a Pixellot system installed? Did Partick get one installed and/or did they keep it?

Dunno. I always thought she was a pop singer though!

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44 minutes ago, TxRover said:

Considering that Raith have made statements about planning for resumption in October, have confirmed the installation of a Pixellot system, and have suggested that system  would be part of the reopening plan before fans were allowed in, the silence from League One suggests either a lack of concrete planning or a schism within the League.

Shadwell, the problem (as you identified for Falkirk) is one of League schedule and planning. The Championship is likely already hashing out a schedule without Partick or Falkirk, and any change to that would likely need to be very soon. The only way I could see a way for Falkirk and Partick to play would be if League One is official shutdown for next season very soon, and that seems very unlikely.

I also find it unlikely that most Championship teams would allow Falkirk and/or Partick to play if they were eligible for promotion at the end of the season, and having two teams playing for shits and grins seems highly unlikely.

Question: Does Falkirk have a Pixellot system installed? Did Partick get one installed and/or did they keep it?

You'd like to think there would be someone coordinating things between the separate leagues  to know what all the different views are but this is the spfl after all so probably not. No idea about pixellot.

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Lot of posts today regarding variations of leagues and the pros and cons.

One thing that they all highlight is the need for certainty and a definitive way ahead.

If nothing is clear by the end of June then clubs have no choice but to clear the decks of players out of contract and consider the future of those on contract.

What a mess !

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2 hours ago, Bantabairn said:

I also find it unlikely that most Championship teams would allow Falkirk and/or Partick to play if they were eligible for promotion at the end of the season, and having two teams playing for shits and grins seems highly unlikely.

Sorry  totally disagree, if the championship can afford to miss out on two large away supports  Falkirk & Partick would bring, we are as bad as the SPL  ( no crowd w**k attached )

If partick and Falkirk were to go to championship then surely East Fife would too. Got 16 players signed up for next season and surely can't sit doing nothing for ages

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12 hours ago, Shadwell Dog said:

We can though. We can play asap. At no point has he said we can play a whole season behind closed doors.  If there are other clubs out with the top flight able to play then we want to be a part of it that's all he is saying exactly the same as partick are.

There's your answer , we just play Partick every week for a season - whoever doesn't run out of money first wins the league. 

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