GunnerBairn

Oooooooft! 3-2 Annan at the death

Happy with McGlynn & Smudger extending til 2026. What boost this gives everyone. I think on balance the pair have earned this extension and continuity is the key for the Club. We’ve had enough of chop and change with ridiculous player and management turnover over the seasons. A period of relative stability and potential success beckons at long long last. On another note Annan currently drawing Accies 2-2, with 5 mins to play. Could be a happy Saturday all round. Must surely break 5000+ at TFS next week now.

According to the Herald the building will be positioned next door to the KM7, so not on the east side. On another note, was it 5-1 last night and come on the Annan today!

Very true and of course every avenue should be explored to use the spaces on non-match days. One space is as good as another, and I guess the boxes could be used as office space for hire or meeting rooms during non-match week days. Some clever design could also incorporate facilities to the rear, facing on to the Foundation pitch for their use. The way the land sits opens up many possibilities. Hell you could stick a decent sized FFC restaurant in there, and fill a corner pod with a small FFC Hotel! (See Hearts have built one in Tynecastle now). In fantasyland, a design which can ‘fold up and down’ to double as a concert stage for the summer gigs, would be ideal.

Actual genius design IMO. Would look great down the east side of the pitch for us and would start to pay for itself much sooner than you think with the hospitality boxes. I’ve tried the Arsenal hospitality box before at Emirates and it’s simply decked out, cloak room, table, chairs, nibbles, drinks, and Sky Sports. Walk through the slidey glass doors there’s your seats, one floor up from the pitch. Think they have a ring of boxes on their level one and I’ve no doubt we could make a wedge if we had something similar on the east side. Jamie Swinney are you reading this, make it so!

Not before we spark up debate on the standard of pies and lack of stadium bins.

RB already sorted with Keelan Adams

If we do get up to the Championship, I can see us keeping the majority of the current squad, if only to have a solid base for basic survival in the league. By doing so we could maybe have enough to finish, say, comfortable mid-table(?). As much as everyone would love a double promotion to the Premier in time for the Club’s 150th, I think it could be too big an ask. We would definitely need to strengthen considerably for push at the Premier, but I’ve already resigned to retrench for a year in the Championship, before having a go the next again season. As for which areas we should strengthen, that’s anyone’s guess, but we’d know once we played a few games against the opposition who’s not up to the task. But needless to say, I’m getting way ahead here. One game at a time.

Appreciate he was poor vs Edinburgh and I’m giving him some benefit of doubt here. He’s hardly kicked a ball all season so I’d guess he’s pretty rusty, and think the Edinburgh brain-fart game he was asked to play ‘left wing’ in a 3-5-2, which confused the hell out of him and his team mates for that matter. I’ve not minded him too much when he was playing regular, barring the odd rash challenge.

On McCann, I’d definitely offer a new contract. I’d also like Mackie to stay as he’s had nowhere near enough game time, due to the settled team. On another subject, well done the Club on their statement and hope it weeds out the trouble, sending a strong signal. The proof will be in our biggest home game of the season vs Hamilton, up next. I’d expect the Club will arrange a heavier security presence to deter any repeat occurrence.

The club’s got three options 1) Be ‘surgical’ and carefully identify the perpetrators, where possible, and ban. 2) Be less surgical and enact ‘strike 1 of 3’ and warn the ultras group as a whole. 3) Do nothing

Case and point made by LSB there. It’s for this very reason that the club will rightly act before these scenes deter the wider community, sponsors and stakeholders from backing the club. Much more serious ramifications and damage to the club than meets the eye, than just hurling stuff over a fence and being a bam. Those responsible should really think hard before they act to the club’s detriment.

FWIW, I think the ultras have definitively had a positive affect on the field of play with the players openly commenting on the extra motivation it gives them compared to seasons without them. It’s a very difficult balance to strike and nigh on impossible to weed out every single bam who chose to join in and cause trouble. As a group, they should be able to police themselves. Don’t the Tartan Army do so, but on a much bigger scale, so they’re capable. It would be a shame to lose the benefits of having the ultras at games and I think the club are trying hard not to enforce the ‘3 strikes out’ policy. But the more regular these incidents occur the club cannot continue to turn a blind eye as if they never happened. Moreso, the more regular these incidents surface on social media, the local community, sponsors and stakeholders will also become aware, and this could impact even more negatively on the club. For this reason, I reckon the club is close to (rightly) acting to protect its reputation / brand, and it’s all such an unnecessary distraction in what is turning in to a great season for Falkirk and district.

Airdire

Once they got in front they done a professional job in shutting up shop and were disciplined. Stuffy team and well drilled. Frustrating that they scored from our mistake but it wasn’t to be our night in the end. It’s history now and need to move on, there’s a league to win.

Echo the above few comments, absolutely no knicker wetting from my side. The distractions are now well and truly behind us, no cups, transfer windows closed, we know our squad, we know our remaining fixtures. Let’s get to work and get the job done and out of this league.

Airdire

I stand corrected. Always thought players could be recalled from loan by their parent club if circumstances dictated. Or perhaps that can only happen when transfer windows are open(?) Not that we need him in any case.

I think we’d be covered for injuries to our CBs (heaven forbid of course). You can stick Mackie or Hendo left side and Bisland can be moved in to the right side if needs be, according to McGlynn. In an unlikely emergency McKay could be recalled from Kelty but needless to say nobody wants to see that happen.

I wonder if the two clubs involved in the Final would also have a say. If it was Falkirk v Raith, surely both clubs from a business sense would mutually opt for a stadium like Tynecastle to boost tickets sales, create a good atmosphere, and good PR for the competition.

What odds we can go unbeaten in the League this season? More Club history to be made would be absolutely legendary.

Clever bit of fixture re-arranging by the club. Montrose moved to 20th, after the Hamilton game. Which means if Cove beat Brora in the Scottish Cup, then the 10th becomes a free Saturday for us (Scottish Cup weekend). This gives the players two weeks rest & recovery before the Hamilton game which could all but settle it. Here’s hoping. Edit to add: Hamilton are playing Annan on 10th Feb.

Agreed, would avoid him. Still haven’t forgiven his part in throwing away the SC Final.

A few more pennies to play with due to the loans activity. Any two of GK, CB, CF would be good for loans in, finances permitting. Any chance of Rudden would be insanely good and give everyone a massive boost.

I can see us helping Tait thrive under McGlynn’s management. Hoping it’s a repeat of the Calvin Miller scenario where Morton fans weren’t too fussed about him leaving and he’s been outstanding since he arrived.