The Falkirk FC Thread

[GMBairn]

53 minutes ago, Gaz said:

Serious question - if next season we can see a continuous improvement in the squad, but finish (say) 2nd or 3rd, would folk be happy?

Not particularly, I want out of this fucking league. Not saying I would necessarily be calling for hartley's head if we were generally playing entertaining stuff but at the end of the day his job is to win the league. No big clubs anymore so no one has a head start over us in terms of players or budgets, it's a pretty level playing field which is probably the most irritating thing about how terrible we have been this season.

[roman_bairn]

Not particularly, I want out of this fucking league. Not saying I would necessarily be calling for hartley's head if we were generally playing entertaining stuff but at the end of the day his job is to win the league. No big clubs anymore so no one has a head start over us in terms of players or budgets, it's a pretty level playing field which is probably the most irritating thing about how terrible we have been this season.

The danger is that Dundee come down next season and that reinvigorates Dundee Utd so that they are both highly competitive making it tough again next season.
As far as this season is concerned wins for The Pars (expected) and QoS (unexpected) just made our slim hopes of a playoff spot even slimmer.

[GMBairn]

The danger is that Dundee come down next season and that reinvigorates Dundee Utd so that they are both highly competitive making it tough again next season.
As far as this season is concerned wins for The Pars (expected) and QoS (unexpected) just made our slim hopes of a playoff spot even slimmer.

Fair point. I do think it will be tough regardless but I think we should be looking to compete for the title in a way that you kind of write off when stuck with Hibs, hearts, rangers etc in the league.

[Crawford Baptie]

Gimme being mathematically safe with 4 games to go and I’ll snap your arm off for it right now.

[PipoIsABairn]

I can't believe we're as close as we are to be honest. Win our game in hand and we're only 6 points off Morton. United V Pars and Queens V Livi this weekend, Pars V Queens, Morton V United the weekend after while we're playing Brechin at home. It's not totally out of the question we could be only 3 points (assuming we win our game in hand) off the pace at that point. With 4-5 games left at that point i'd take that in a heartbeat. How on earth are we even anywhere near.

[BendtnerBairn]

People keep saying we have United away, St Mirren away and Inverness away. 2/3 of them are utter mince and St Mirren have only been made to look good because Sir Paul only started playing in Jan.

[MrDust]

On 20/03/2018 at 00:46, Millions said:

Good pre season he'll be fine. He's a stand out player

If Grant gets back to where he was I think he needs a change of club to get him going again, players can go stale in the same environment, then again some just go downwards.

He clearly hasnt been the same player since the injury and been pretty injury prone since then 

23 hours ago, JinkyBairn said:

I liked Houston tbh. That season we got to the play off final was probably my favourite season as a Bairn.

I credit that season for turning the TFS into a ground that made you feel its home now, I know it obviously is but there was always a pine for Brockville.

 

 

15 hours ago, Gaz said:

Serious question - if next season we can see a continuous improvement in the squad, but finish (say) 2nd or 3rd, would folk be happy?

Improve on season before should be the remit and play offs the target as it wont be easy next season with a Ross County coming down with McGregors cash and a windfall from relegation, ditto if another club comes down. 

The best option for us would be if its only one club came down, Livvy team dissolve, Utd cut their cloth accordingly leaving the league pretty much open as relegated teams generally struggle.

Its a clean slate next season for Hartley after this seasons charade/pish season as there has been very few highs, the lows for sure outweigh the highs

[Reggie Perrin]

Hartleys initial remit was to get us out of the relegation zone.

This has been done with a fair degree of style I would suggest, though still a long, long way to go before we are anywhere near where we need to be for us to be genuine title challengers.

I am pretty confident that this will be remedied in the summer with January's slaughtering of the imposters and wage thiefs being made to look like a light spring clean.

We have been hugely lucky to have Brechin, the worst performing team in history, with us in the league this season.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, BendtnerBairn said:

People keep saying we have United away, St Mirren away and Inverness away. 2/3 of them are utter mince and St Mirren have only been made to look good because Sir Paul only started playing in Jan.

On our last visits to those grounds, each and every one of them (you could add QotS for added spice) have comprehensively demolished us. Yes, three of the four did it with Houston in charge, but the fact remains that this season, that’s four grounds that have made for miserable experiences.

I expect us to put in improved performances, but I doubt very much that we will win all four. Confidence is a great thing in football, and even given our rapid improvement since January, at this point in time, there’s probably no-one quaking in their boots about facing us on their home turf. 

Key in our grand total of 8 goals away from home, and you can see why we are still nothing to fear away from TFS. In fact, we have scored more than goal only once on our travels, and were still well beaten that day.

Edited March 21, 2018 by Guest

[roman_bairn]

Hartleys initial remit was to get us out of the relegation zone.

This has been done with a fair degree of style I would suggest, though still a long, long way to go before we are anywhere near where we need to be for us to be genuine title challengers.

I am pretty confident that this will be remedied in the summer with January's slaughtering of the imposters and wage thiefs being made to look like a light spring clean.

We have been hugely lucky to have Brechin, the worst performing team in history, with us in the league this season.

Yep, I’d say what Falkirk have done this season is in many ways similar to what St Mirren did last season. Although we did it with even less difficulty.

We only need to look at what St Mirren have achieved this season to see what we should be striving for next season...

[wullie robb]

Hartley will only get one shot at assembling a squad capable of winning this league. 

At the moment Brechin are the only side I could confidently say we would beat as Dumbarton are no worse than us along with Inverness. 

As far as I'm concerned he still has a huge rebuilding job come the end of the season. 

The question is will the B.o.d give him the funds he requires to make us genuine contenders? and can he manage to shift the dead wood that we currently have. 

At least this close season will give me the answer regarding how ambitious our Directors are about winning this league, or not. 

 

 

[Sam Thomson]

50 minutes ago, wullie robb said:

Hartley will only get one shot at assembling a squad capable of winning this league. 

At the moment Brechin are the only side I could confidently say we would beat as Dumbarton are no worse than us along with Inverness. 

As far as I'm concerned he still has a huge rebuilding job come the end of the season. 

The question is will the B.o.d give him the funds he requires to make us genuine contenders? and can he manage to shift the dead wood that we currently have. 

At least this close season will give me the answer regarding how ambitious our Directors are about winning this league, or not. 

 

 

I agree with this but needs a clean out and the right salaries to bring the players needed to get us up . 

What players stay then ? 

[wullie robb]

1 minute ago, Sam Thomson said:

I agree with this but needs a clean out and the right salaries to bring the players needed to get us up . 

What players stay then ? 

I know who I would keep and also try to shift but I'm not Hartley. 

On the subject of salaries, I would imagine we will be paying a decent wage. 

On what I've witnessed it's a fine line between playing part time or full time football, let's say Falkirk offer me £500 a week plus a bonus on points gained weekly? 

Is it worth say giving up a decent job that you could do until you retire or take £300 a week part time and keep your job, Peterhead have the perfect example in Rory,  between his job and wage from Peterhead he'll be earning more than championship player's do I would imagine. 

Players tend to go for the money unless they're brought in when they're younger and trying to move up levels. 

[Stuperman01]

On ‎20‎/‎03‎/‎2018 at 12:06, Bairnardo said:

Theres no helping anyone who thinks that. People who argue for Houstons results last season fail to remember how grim the football was. Hartleys team is much, much better to watch.

In particular the many abject first half performances boiled my piss no end last season.

This is spot on too many see last season as some sort of success but we didn't get promoted and didn't address the issues the season before. The only success as I see it under Houston was to reach the cup final even if that ended in failure.

[Stuperman01]

On ‎20‎/‎03‎/‎2018 at 23:14, roman_bairn said:

The danger is that Dundee come down next season and that reinvigorates Dundee Utd so that they are both highly competitive making it tough again next season.
As far as this season is concerned wins for The Pars (expected) and QoS (unexpected) just made our slim hopes of a playoff spot even slimmer.

Will Dundee United still have a team if they don't go up? I would also fancy them in the play-offs going by the teams who are down near the bottom of the SPL

[Sam Thomson]

22 minutes ago, wullie robb said:

I know who I would keep and also try to shift but I'm not Hartley. 

On the subject of salaries, I would imagine we will be paying a decent wage. 

On what I've witnessed it's a fine line between playing part time or full time football, let's say Falkirk offer me £500 a week plus a bonus on points gained weekly? 

Is it worth say giving up a decent job that you could do until you retire or take £300 a week part time and keep your job, Peterhead have the perfect example in Rory,  between his job and wage from Peterhead he'll be earning more than championship player's do I would imagine. 

Players tend to go for the money unless they're brought in when they're younger and trying to move up levels. 

Hartley will be here on assurances he will be able to compete well in terms of salaries to give him the best  opportunity to get up next season .  It does not guarantee success but will give him a better opportunity 

[Gaz FFC]

20 hours ago, Reggie Perrin said:

 

We have been hugely lucky to have Brechin, the worst performing team in history, with us in the league this season.

We deserved a bit if luck having had Hearts, Hibs and Sevco win the previous 3 campaigns.

[Gaz FFC]

1 hour ago, wullie robb said:

Is it worth say giving up a decent job that you could do until you retire or take £300 a week part time and keep your job, Peterhead have the perfect example in Rory,  between his job and wage from Peterhead he'll be earning more than championship player's do I would imagine. 

Rory is a plumber up Aberdeen is he not? Hardly bog standard career and income. 

I used to see Andy Rodgers working in a petrol station in Larbert and playing P/T for Montrose A far more common comparison of the standard of income P/T players make.

Rory doesn't need to play football to make his mortgage payments.

 

[Gaz FFC]

On 20/03/2018 at 23:14, roman_bairn said:

The danger is that Dundee come down next season and that reinvigorates Dundee Utd so that they are both highly competitive making it tough again next season.
As far as this season is concerned wins for The Pars (expected) and QoS (unexpected) just made our slim hopes of a playoff spot even slimmer.

I imagine Hamilton down is the best case Scenario 

Dundee and Ross C would have more cash than us to try and quickly buy their way out of trouble.

Hamilton I can see being as limp as Inverness are this season

Edited March 22, 2018 by Gaz FFC

[wullie robb]

1 minute ago, Gaz FFC said:

Rory is a plumber up Aberdeen is he not? Hardly bog standard career and income. 

I used to see Andy Rodgers working in a petrol station in Larbert and playing P/T for Montrose A far more common comparison of the standard of income P/T players make.

Rory doesn't need to play football to make his mortgage payments.

 

Andy Rodgers did as you say work at the garage, although I would imagine most players maybe earn upwards of £16.000 a year from working plus what they earn for part time football.