HopeStreetWalker

Beware of new owners with multiple business interests. Falkirk Football Club would just be another line on a balance sheet. There are many motifs why such a company would want to own us. 1. Business plan with 3 , 5 , 10 year objectives. Not unlike what McCann did with Celtic. Transforming the club recovering their investment from profit in the long term then contributing to the holding companies balance sheet. Or alternatively selling up getting an exit bonus having created a profitable company people want driving up the selling price. 2. Dumping ground for debt and running costs from elsewhere. For example loading management costs of the holding company onto Falkirk. The Whyte and Green fiasco at an obscure Glasgow club is a good example. 3. Carpetbagger like Mackin at East Stirlingshire. Extracted every penny they can running the club into the ground. Riding off into the distance with the cash If it is a business consortium with multiple interests that own us it is unlikely it will end well.

Pity ! would have been good if he got a chance when you look at some of the chancers the got that chance. Was a cracking player for us and would have had the goodwill of the support.

Goodwin ex St Mirren player gets experience and returns to manage the club he supports. Can anybody think of an ex Bairn who we would like to see get the gig at Falkirk ? Oh for Jack Ross 4 years ago !

Goodwin worked miracles at Alloa and got the most out of what he had to work with. Came across as a decent guy as well and deserves his chance a higher level.

To be fair to Yogi he got the academy working and producing talent and he played them. Kept us in the premier league and took us to a cup final. Great player and had success as our manager. It was a shame it all went sour in the end for him.

Signing the players can be the easy bit. Moulding them into an effective and winning football team is where coaching, tactics and man management comes in. It's about time we had a team and some players that got you on your feet every time they got the ball. Remember that great anticipation when the likes of McAllister and Stainrod were on the ball. Nothing to touch that intake of breath as you awaited a bit of magic.

Hindsight is a great thing. After the cup final it was obvious Alston , Vaulks and Sibbald would be on other teams radar. They were the best balanced midfield we have had for years. Some players needed to be moved on for various reason, so there was a bit of a rebuild required of the squad. It never happened, was it Houston getting it wrong or did he not get the funds. Had a lot of time for Housty as a player and he gave us some exciting times as a manager. It's a shame it ended the way it did for him. Whatever the reason it was then the seeds of our current predicament were planted.

Winding up and taking the piss is all part of the fun of being a fan. If you can laugh with them at their wind up on us all the better. If you can't take it don't dish it out. Good example is the Dunfermline - Falkirk / Deliverance - Beverly Hillbilly both sets of fans had a laugh at themselves and the opposition and long may it continue. As for my self. Only one club I despise and cheer on anybody playing them - Aberdeen - see 26th October 1986 Falkirk 3 - Aberdeen 3

Good that the traditional colour scheme is back, was always classy and the plainer the better.

Lets see what other signings we make and what they do on the pitch. This time last season we were hyping ourselves up as promotion candidates. Don't underestimate who we are playing next season. They are good community clubs with support that care about their team as much as us. Many grounds are tight little bearpits like Brockville. If we turn up expecting a walk over against postmen as you say then we are there for the taking.

As I remember it the all white was a home and away strip mix and match because of clashes with some opposition strips.

We should be looking at Mutch , Laverty and Dunne to stake a claim to a first team jersey. If they can't then what's the point of having them on the books. Let them go so they can kickstart their career at the appropriate level.

Great time to be a Bairns fan. The Willie Cunningham era is the gold standard I have measured every squad since. Happy memories !

Fair enough ! they were used a lot as well

Falkirk top should be. Blue top with white collar and cuffs. White shorts. Blue socks with White tops. Change strip should be the opposite. That leaves options with both strip for any colour clashes. This all blue strip is just not Falkirk.

Yep. We need to take a sensible approach. If we need twenty in this season, lets make sure its only ten next season. Some only need to be good enough to be a League 1 sqaud player. How anyone expects a two seaaon plan to mean we sign nothing but Championship winning calibre now is beyond me. It was a stupid thing for him to say he was signing players that could play in the premier league, was never going to happen. Let's get re promoted then take stock of what we have. If we start with a core of 3 - 4 players that could get us in the premier we will have done very well. He has gone for experience at centre backs and midfield. Get an experienced pro at centre forward then we have a spine of a side. Mutch will start in goals it about time we produced our own goalkeeper. George Watson was the last one and 30 years is disgrace.

That was never realistic and he was stupid saying it. Put together a team to battle every game to get promoted. If we have 3 or 4 players good enough to battle for promotion the next season ( if we get up ) we will be doing well.

McKinnon at least as grasped that his signings are not going to take us to the premier league. Horses for courses with a squad that can battle out of a difficult league. Those people saying we will walk it are deluded and in for a reality check. Opposition should be respected they are community clubs with a core of loyal support just like us, playing is small bearpits of stadiums that will give us a Brockville welcome. If we get up and can have 3 to 4 players good enough to challenge for a promotion squad for the premier league we will have done well. If we turn up with an attitude of the big boys are in town and are better than you plebs then there will be tears !

We should be looking at Mutch , Laverty and Dunne staking a claim to a first team jersey next season. If they are not playing or on the bench then they should be let go to try and get a start elsewhere else. They have talent and if they have sense they will play to make the position their own. Would like to see them get a start to prove themselves.

What a difference a bit of communication makes. The cross over funding explains the signings, what is being done, why and when keeps the support in the picture. Fairs fair reasonable statement form the board.

At least the signings so far are players that are known to the support. The bigger picture though is who are going to be the owners of the club and what is their business plan. From the signings we can take it that McKinnon is the manager for next season and he has a budget for a squad. To have included that expenditure in the closing balance sheet indicates it has had the approval of who is coming in. If we don't hear anything in the next week then something is far wrong.

Good signing and a player that will make players beside him better, best bit of news for months. Surprised a signing before new owners announced though. Leads me to think it's done and dusted and who owns us is about to be announced. What it does tell the support that McKinnon is the manager for next season, he had better put a team on the park that is good to watch and goes for the opposition home and away and from the first game.

It's going to at least be a lot of contracts being drawn up and reviewed, which will take quite a bit of time, and that's just the start. Been saying this for weeks. Lawyers and accountants from both sides are duty bound to ensure that it is clear what the assets , debts , and financial commitments are shown on the books at time of sale. The new owners will start with a new set of accounts. That is the reason there has not been a word from McKinnon or a whisper on who we are signing. No budget for the playing squad until the new owners are in place. The longer it goes on the less choice on who is available there will be. 12 - 14 signings in a few weeks. Got a bad feeling about this !

It comes down to the club being sold to new owners. Accountants will insist on a clean set of books Assets v Debts = value of the club. accountants have a responsibility for due diligence otherwise they could get sued. Any financial commitment such as squad budget comes off the bottom line. No budget = No new players until the new owners legally have the club with a new set of books. Then and only then will a squad budget be allocated. Everybody involved will have signed a non disclosure order, that is why McKinnon has not uttered a word and no signing rumours. What a mess !

Oh these demonstrations at Brockville after some games in the mid 70's bring back memories. Nothing organised about it. Just a collective 'I have had enough' jam packed from end to end behind the Brockville stand. The directors walk of shame to their cars with police clearing the way. Getting rid of owners is the easy bit. Where it gets tricky is who takes over.