Blame Me

Why did it have to be anonymous to the adjudicators if ran in this manner? The FSS know who their members are so what does it matter if all they end up doing is reporting the result.

Apart from anything else going on the questions about how the club was run and continues to be ran keep mounting - Easy to scapegoat Holt I suppose but how did it come to pass that after months of work we have ended up binning him on the eve of the window and from the outside left ourselves scrambling for players. AT-S deal seems to have come quite suddenly and a Rangers youth are all we have to show for months of work. Really? Not to mention the chase for DG when we've got far more important positions to fill. Shambles.

If the poll has knowingly been compromised then the results are meaningless as the vote is automatically open to challenge. Credit again to the FSS as this is exactly what they're for but lessons need to be learned wrt how you canvas members robustly.

I'd be keen to see the demographic breakdown of that poll.

I'm in same boat. I emailed the club's ticket manager on 22nd December to make them aware as my TicketHour account is up-to-date with my email address - I also got confirmation to that address when I bought season tickets in the summer. However, I get absolutely nothing and have checked my own filters and spam which aren't the issue. I'll be patient as it is likely 1st day back for some club staff to respond.

... and abbreviations. Can we all agree it's just DG as his name isn't double-barrelled Hopefully we won't have to use it on many topics in the future!

I'll focus on the mundane and ignore the potentially explosive part of the update - disregarding my issues with receiving the email - this is a B+ Good effort but should be broadcast to a wider audience. For example, the fans weren't told about Gary Holt by email

How widely circulated is the email? I've not had anything arrive - I won't jump to conclusions as I have emailed the club about the lack of correspondence I receive - and it's not published anywhere else to verify.

2 and a half according to the BBC - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59868631

Of course I'm not labelling him as foreign! I'll err that it was poorly worded but what I meant was European/British coaches are lauded in these regions to an extent because of the football culture we have. Turning it around we are then dismissive of coaches coming the opposite way because of "it's only US soccer" type attitudes. Hope that's clearer @Duncan Freemason

I'm sure I read an article or listened to a podcast last year regarding Motherwell and how they are looking at different markets for players, in-part, because of Brexit and cost. I've tried to search for it but came up short.

Some form of safe standing on the open side, corporate boxes pitch side or build permanent facilities for the communal pitches that were recently built - or combination of that. More office space is now unnecessary in this day-and-age or what about enhanced refreshment facilities. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but both the South stand and main stand seem under utilised so building anything would seem like folly.

Thats one of the misgivings about Rennie - I don't doubt his credentials and ability but he's used to cultures where dedication, deference, infrastructure and mindset are totally different. In the US/Asia, foreign coaches are valued whereas in the UK the perception is possibly inverted.

There's making a stand and then there is building a stand

How ironic would it be if it transpired that Holt was the stick-in-the-mud holding Falkirk back from signing DG and his departure this morning paved the way for his signing. Caveat Emptor!

The finish certainly was but I'll be harsh and say in an alternate timeline he wouldn't have got it! Had the defender not misjudged the flight of the ball, in the expected challenge he'd have come out 2nd best. He just doesn't have the nous for me.

... and the chalked off goal against East Fife. There's raw materials to work from whereas I've never seen it with Ruth.

We'll agree to disagree then! Keena has shown that he has something different and can conjure a goal from nothing. Service needs to be better but I don't think there's ever been a downing of tools even when Sheerin treated him abysmally. Like everywhere we need consistency.

Depending on other moves he'd be 3rd choice at best behind Keena - who Rennie has praised - and hopefully an in-form Dowds. Add to that Wilson and Ompreon are contracted we probably don't need another. It's at the back we need reinforcements.

Cove? Wasn't John Sheran performing that role

Upside is he's gone and we can move on from the seemingly endless debate about what he does and whether he eats children... Downside is we've again binned a "plan" that has invested resources and time and another review. Enjoy the euphoria of the news and get signed up to FSS folks. I look forward to the next few windows where we try signings by committee, drawing names out of a hat or a January window where we convince SPFL clubs to do transfers like a Secret Santa and see what we get!

At last something we can agree on The excerpt above is from Holt's hiring announcement so based on him only being one year in to the 5-year plan that's why he hasn't been dispensed with. He's restarted the youth and talent pipeline and must have a hand in recruitment. I can imagine Holt will manage the roster and based on the managers needs will buy, sell, loan or promote players based on criteria. As described at the infamous Q&A he is tasked with cultivating "assets" either via the talent pipeline or identifying guys like Wilson - who it's obviously hoped - can become valuable over time. Hence why they've gone on loan as Sheerin preferred Ruth. Rennie's (or any manager in situ) role is to work with Holt to identify positions and types of player to bring in and Holt does the dirty work. Some plausible examples of what might be at play: You're not in the managers plans and need game time - Holt facilitates your exit, temporarily. You're saleable and you've got a youngster to take their place - Holt facilitates your permanent sale and said youth is given a chance. You're short in a position - Holt works on a shortlist to bolster or backfill. You want an experienced head at the back - Holt works on a shortlist but in some cases X has to go before you can sign Y. There will be an element of horse trading going on so the manger might not get everything he wants but the manager ultimately decides on who comes in. Holt does the leg work and keeps the roster within whatever strategy the club are pursuing. The above is all conjecture based on what I know of similar roles discussed in the media and gleaned from statements made by Sheerin/Rennie and Holt himself. The success of other areas are obviously less visible.

Agreed. The FSS update is quite refreshing and credit where it's due - a good summation of where we are after the recent upheaval. However, anyone not seeing that this should have came from the club and not the FSS, FB or elsewhere is missing that fans shouldn't have to seek this out. Let the FSS publish the same or select snippets where their input as the 3rd-stool brought benefit but it can't be acting as the defacto board. The club is *the* definitive voice on Falkirk FC and the FSS can be the definitive voice for the FSS! They're not the same and shouldn't be in my view.

In-person. Regardless of anyone's view that is not an option for some in these times but folk still want to have an interest in club matters.

The board and the FSS are distinct entities though, aren't they? I think it unreasonable for the club to sub-contract dissemination of information to an external group who's membership is small but thankfully growing. Fans have already paid once to the club and not twice via membership for basic info.