Bluegrass Bairn

Agreed, it’s a greatly encouraging statement of both intent and actions from the club. Planning, strategies, commitments.... wow. Dates already in place, budgets allocated.... It’s like the club is seriously getting its collective shit together. I’d be surprised if Don Hartley keeps more than 5 of the squad, with the rest consigned to the bin along with our embarrassingly appropriate bog-awful strip. I’ve never been so glad to see the back of a season. What a waste.

Not for a minute am I advocating that Miller even be considered, but as a wee nostalgic aside for you remember back to a certain Mo Johnston playing for us in the SPL. He undoubtedly won over a highly skeptical Bairns support, his attitude and workrate were top notch. His highlight with us - I think I remember this right - was a league game against the Taxes Dodgers at Govan, when we got a 2-2 draw. Bairns fans roaring "Mo Mo Super Mo... " half in appreciation, half taunting, really, really wound up them Old Walls Guards.

change of subject folks... Following Ronaldo's amazing effort last night, was trying to think back to when I last saw a Falkirk player score with an overhead kick. Can't think if even Simon did, he seemed the most likely candidate for me. The only one I can think of at the moment was...Harry Kinnear, at Meadowbank Stadium - so that'll give you an idea how long ago that was. Can't even find a pic of big Harry in the Navy Blue, so this one of him scoring one of a hat-trick playing for East Fife against The Fife will do suitably well meantime. Any overhead kicks, anyone?

Someone on here said he had a trial at Blackburn? Don’t remember reading anything about that went, if indeed it happened.

no idea; completely forgot about him, funnily enough... . He’s got a fair bit to prove, but won’t expect it to be this weekend.

Am prepared to be shot down for this, but wondered if shifting McGhee into MF would help, to give us some extra physical presence & solid tackling alongside TT. McGhee is mobile, and comfy on the ball, and can at least put a bit of weight into a tackle. Think the likes of Kidd & Blair are just too slight for this particular battle. The problem of course is hoping Grant could somehow re-discover his inspirational best form and slot back in at CH...

So, McLeish it is... poor Yogi; flashing his tatty old knickers yet again, but even the gormless SFA blazers weren’t interested in his brazen self-promoting baloney. Back to the emulsion for you, painter man. Maybe get a gig at the Shire next season, if they’re really desperate .

Yeah, enjoyed watching that again. GIRU either of them at their own midden is just the biz... wee Paddy Cregg was at his best that season - it may be cliche bingo, but words like dig, mobility, graft, box to box, etc etc were pretty damn accurate for him then. Exactly the type we’ve been missing the past few seasons. And although he was pretty quiet in that particular game, god I really miss watching Latapy. Def one of my top 5 Bairns.

a slight change of tack here; just reading that Yogi has applied to be Scotland boss. The man has some high opinion of himself.

Sadly, I'd suggest you're being generous saying once a month. Half a game once in every 6 would be nearer the mark. He's been incredibly frustrating during his time at TFS - showing only flashes of the skill he undoubtedly possesses - whether its confidence or motivation I wouldn't pretend to know, but more often than not his contribution has been marginal. His more commonly displayed attributes like regularly falling over, getting brushed off the ball far too easily and generally not being very involved aren't particularly useful at any time, and certainly not in our current predicament. The contention that he was often our main threat says more about everyone else in the team than it does about him, judging by the chronic standard of our play pre-Hartley, shocking lack of goal threat, and lamentable standing in the league. Given our need for hard working, busy and effective flair players up front, I'm happy Hartley is on the right lines and Hippo can go be an enigma somewhere else. Great goal v The Fife though, so genuine cheers for that if nothing else.

You mean to say, it does not move him?

Absolutely this. Talk is cheap but Don Hartley has conclusively shown that his radical overhaul meant exactly that, thank feck. That's 8 out so far, 9 if the Gallagher story happens, leaving Peaheart with the jacket on the shoogliest peg. Please Don, get him TF. Today, preferably. McKee/Watson/Loy may survive the cull, possibly just as stand-in cover until the summer. Team bonding among all the newbies has looked encouraging too, and noticeable not only v DU but also at Livingston, when team and manager seemed totally together at the end; so, no signs of 'suspect Hartley man-management issues' there, as some WUM's have put about. Prospects looking a bit more hopeful, but a fair ways to go to get clear of the mire. Goals from the new strikers, and stiffening up the defence would be another big step forward... But Hartley should def get a massive thanks for this current work in progress. All Hartley's laudable effort at building a credible team also throws Houston's lack of imagination and loan contacts for new signings into serious contrast. What was he doing last summer???

Doh! Brain freeze on my part, LOL.

There's a wee bit press coverage this morning about BSLM potentially making his debut tonight, and it got me trying to think of other players that have played for both Livingston & Falkirk, and I'm not coming up with many... and funnily enough they're all forwards/wingers. Scott Crabbe, Marino Keith, Davie Hagen are the most recent by me, but that's going back a fair bit. The others I can think of are even longer ago - Stevie Logan, John Jobson... who else?

So while we're in reminiscing mood (and quickly drawing a discrete veil over Ranaldo's alternate indoor athletics), thought I'd share this squad photo which I stumbled across earlier today. I'm guessing its pre-season July 86, given Jimmy Gilmour being front & centre, but could easily be wrong. By my reckoning - Back L-R; Houstie, (Charlie Lytwin?), Brian Martin, Roddy Manley, Geordie Watson, Jim Dempsey, Alan Irvine, Bryan Purdie, Rab Stewart; Front L-R; Brian Kemp, (--??), John?McCormack, (--??), Jimmy Gilmour, (--??), Andy Nicol, Silky Hetherston. Who'd I miss?

Unless you're thinking of the same game as me, SD?? - Nov 2011 we beat Livingston 4-3; we were 3-0 up in 40 mins, then pegged back to 3-3 with about 10 mins to go. (Thon wee nyaff Bobby Barr was just unplayable for them in the 2nd half...) Then we won it with 5 mins left.

As ever, the oracle that is "Better Meddle" has the answers, and even better there's video highlights too - Falkirk 4 Partick 3 Jan 1991... It was 1-1 at HT, Gunner McWilliams scored twice in the last 6 mins to take us through. Brockville at its best - a Wednesday night under the lights, and just under 10,500 at the game... Marshall; Cody, McQueen, Smith, Baptie; Hetherston, Taylor, Hughes, McWilliams; McGivern, Stainrod.

Craigen's return on his time at the club was a massive 3 or 4 decent games at the tail end of last season, and his wonder goal at Tannadice. Whichever position he played, overall he was just not up to it. No pace, no presence, couldn't tackle; more often than not completely anonymous on the pitch. That's not really much help when we were chasing promotion FFS, and certainly not good enough in our current predicament. Cheerio!

end of an era... all the best BSLM.

very much agree with this SD; the discussion on toughening up our midfield with a Davie Nicholls type has been running for, what, 3 seasons now?

Also McBride's daddy was one of Yogi's coaches, so he was the archetypal teacher's pet, but did absolutely nothing to justify it, never mind be automatic choice in the team. He was utterly horrific; sloth-slow, with a repertoire comprising entirely of square ball, 2 yard passes... Yogi called it "nice and tidy" when actually all it did was kill time for the opposition to get back into formation, so the only passages of play he broke up, if that was in theory his job, were our own attacks. Complete waster.

Would agree with the appalled bit, but sadly its hard to be shocked. Who in the world would possibly want the lightweight, pea-hearted, sand-dancing waste of space? Def got a place now in my all-time Bairns Worst 11 hall of shame. Even Kevin McBride at least tried now and again.

Just...wow. Extraordinary. And, finally, the indisputable evidence that Derek Lyle is indeed Leyland Palmer, and he was clearly possessed (by either Bob or possibly MD20/20) at time of alleged 'misunderstanding'.

I don’t disagree Shadwell, but without oversimplifying it, hopefully a lot of it will ultimately come down to getting players that “fit” within the team’s playing style (assuming Hartley can resurrect a meaningful one, of course) - like John Baird for us as opposed to Baird at QoS, Reilly at St M as opposed to at DA, Gasparotto at us as against at Morton, etc. As Longridge has now signed on, Hartley obviously thinks he’s got a lot more to offer. Hope he’s right.

out of interest what position did Longridge play then?