Proudtobeabairn

Really surprised Accies didn't strengthen more in January given the much heralded 'war chest' they apparently had from the sale of the young guys in August. Maybe the players they were going for were as or more ridiculous than our 3 and they just failed to get anyone decent over the line. Confident we'll have too much in the tank for them. 3 nil.

I don't think we should understate the importance of having red shoulders on the home shirts. Once again a red shouldered team looks like doing the business. Petition to make them a permanent fixture starts here.

You'd like to hope there's a get out clause

On balance the right thing to extend his contract. Especially if it encourages more (lets be honest, Morrison) to sign too. I do think he's limited and I'm not convinced he'll be our manager in 2026 whether we go up or not but he's doing a good enough job right now to merit it.

You did however make out that those in FSS or patrons/shareholders deserve to have more of a say and also suggested that we can be thankful to those select individuals to even have a club. That sort of thing rubs people up the wrong way. Where the club would have been in that or previous years if everyone who 'only' buys a ST hadn't bothered stumping up is anyone's guess... My take on the last few pages is that we should be grateful for any funding that fans put into the club through whatever means they can afford or choose to. It all contributes. Of course we should encourage others to join FSS and contribute in any way they can but encourage is the key word, not guilt trip or suggest their ST/shirts/50/50s etc aren't as worthy as those other means. Overall, I think FSS and others are getting the messaging right and hope we continue to grow via all avenues.

The majority of our squad would be ok stepping up but even our better players won't have the same influence a league above (Morrison perhaps the exception if he stays). Guys like Lang, Donaldson, Spencer, Miller, Hendo etc would be good squad level in the championship rather than leading players in a title chasing team. Hence their last clubs were happy to let them go. We did well in the challenge cup games but week in week out in the league is different (as the Fifers are finding out and they walked L1 last year)

You're always going to get disagreements on a discussion forum. Branding folk c*nts or acting like your own opinion is always correct is a bit much though.

Presumably we'd be due some sort of fee/income from hosting. As long as we net profit then makes sense to take it if offered. Great transport links for TNS and close enough to Airdrie. Suppose same could be said for any of the Glasgow area teams or Broadwood.

I think that's why we need to be slightly wary about handing out too many 2 year extensions. McCann, Hogarth and Yeats for example I'd be offering 1 year deals and not even entertaining giving a new deal to Oliver or Mackie. I assume Lawal & McKay will be away.

TNS had our number completely. They knew how we'd play and did well shutting down our main threats. Miller particularly didn't get a sniff. As others have said, a harsh reminder of McGlynns inability to mix it up or react during the game. We should get over the line this year but if we do go up, we'll get a lot more games that play out like tonight and somehow we need to get better at adapting. Gutted we've missed out on a final having beaten some decent teams to get to the semi. Player for player TNS aren't better than us but tactically better and very well organised.

I see there's a main stand cash gate too so may be a fair few walk ups.

Is it though? I'm quite surprised its so low and expected 4-4.5k. It's a semi final and the only 2 teams in Britain that are unbeaten in the league. Should be a cracker and I can't understand why folk wouldn't want to go.

Having an academy doesn't automatically mean having a successful academy. Will be hard to get something brand new back up to the standards we saw with the initial Falkirk Academy and won't happen quickly. Would like to see us try though agree this should only happen when we can do it and still be financially stable. The recent youngsters that have come through the new youth teams have looked a million miles off ever becoming first team regulars which shows it can't be done more cheaply easily either.

Sounds like TNS have done a fair bit of homework:

I expect the powers that be will be looking at East End Park for a Falkirk v Raith final rather than Easter Rd or Tynecastle unfortunately.

I must be one of the few that likes the range of topics this thread covers. I learn a lot that I wouldn't otherwise have known and find it all interesting. Room for everything in my view. If it was just football chat, some days the thread wouldn't move at all.

I'd hope not. Saturday night under the lights and a cup semi final. I'd hope we'd be pushing 5k. TNS will bring more than most League 1 teams you'd expect too.

Good to see Shanley score at the end and a fantastic 3 pts. Really looking forward to TNS next week. 22 games, 20 wins and 0 defeats for them in the Welsh League, it'll be as big a test as we've had this season. Same XI, good result and a cup final to look forward to would be a tremendous Saturday nights work.

You have to remember that Rudden was surrounded by Hartleys duds so 12 in 31 was nothing short of miraculous. Akinyemi, Shankland and Waghorn are the only championship strikers to score 20 goals in a season since Rory Loy 10 years ago did it for us.

I'm not trying to stir sh*t and have no particular disagreement with any decisions made to date my point was about making sure that when needed, the model works for the paying members first and foremost. Honestly? I'm happy with the progress FSS have but I'm not sure how the reps would know my views.

I'd hope so but he's tended to play Ross on the left and has liked a tinker lately..

Worrying that Morrison is looking like missing out tomorrow. The obvious replacement would be Agyeman but wouldn't be surprised to see Ross brought in with potentially some shuffling about between Miller/Ross/Nesbitt

Independent of other board members/groups. Where there is debate at board level, FSS should always represent the view of its members (its the elected members responsibility to gauge that accurately through whatever means) and challenge the other 2 legs where the need arises. For that reason, FSS reps should never also be patrons or major shareholders as that could result in a conflict of interest further down the line. That's what I'm getting at re FSS being independent. Nothing to do with some FSS members being unhappy with the stance the FSS rep takes, that can only ever represent the majority of members views.

I've been an FSS member since day 1 (or close enough to then) and I'm fully behind fan ownership and the current model. I'd also like to see the major shareholders more active or sell up too. I agree that FSS needs to be independent though. Personally I'd like to be consulted on more as the much vaunted strength of the society is that its the voice of 850 members. I also think this could encourage more people to join. Appreciate some things can't be shared so widely but something like how money raised post 25+1% should have been a discussion in my view. Some serious stuff, some could be more fun but more engagement/polls/direction from members would be welcome.

Couldn't give a toss about Marc McNulty