The Falkirk FC Thread

[ebobsboy]

If he had stood out like a sore thumb week in week out it would have been harder to take. Fact is he didnt. Duncan Freemason pretty much summed him up in his assessment. Will he be missed? Time will tell. 

[Marshmallo]

Falkirk fans have been talking down his ability since he was 16. For all the shouts of "one of our own" there have been just as many people looking to run him down for no apparent reason. He broke his leg at 17, came back in and was too soft. Then he got shunted out to the left wing and he was too slow. Then he was in the middle and he was too inconsistent or too lightweight. 

The guy has answered every criticism of him, got on with his football and been a great player for us over a number of years. He is now a more complete player than at any point in his Falkirk career - he has bulked up, still has the passing and vision, and covers the park for 90 minutes.

This will have been a tough decision for him, he is a Falkirk supporter and all his mates are Falkirk supporters. I find it difficult to get my head round as well cause it's Livingston, but objectively he's leaving the team who finished 8th in the second tier for the team who got promoted to the top flight. If he has a good season there, where there is a decent chance he'll be the main man in the team, then he can move down South or to a bigger club in the top flight. 

I wouldn't have him in an all time Falkirk XI or anything like that but he should go with our best wishes. I am disappointed he's leaving but can understand why. The club are to blame for making such a c**t of getting out this league for the entirety of his career. 

Edited May 31, 2018 by Marshmallo

[knee jerk reaction]

Cracking signing for livy, sibbald is a very good player, without doubt one of the best in our squad. I really do hope he has a great season and can get a move to a far bigger club that his talent deserves. 

For us though, sibbald is a long way from irreplaceable and this is where Hartley need to get his signings right and really earn his salary. 

[Guest]

Thinking about this over night the statement is naughty and a cynical attempt to keep people onside to buy ST’s and blame Sibbald.

Can’t believe people fall for this crap

[ilostmyself]

Season tickets AND a new website today lads.

[Falkirk_Bairn_1983]

Anyone actually considered that maybe Hartley didn't want to keep him? Possibly has a quicker more committed player lined up?

I can't see Hartley liking the fact Sibbald is out on the lash every weekend so maybe wanted rid and took the opportunity to get a small fee as well. 

 

[Hughsie]

I can only assume the couple that sit behind me at games screaming “Git the finger oot SibbulDDDD” have multiple accounts on here.

[ilostmyself]

59 minutes ago, Marshmallo said:

Falkirk fans have been talking down his ability since he was 16. For all the shouts of "one of our own" there have been just as many people looking to run him down for no apparent reason. He broke his leg at 17, came back in and was too soft. Then he got shunted out to the left wing and he was too slow. Then he was in the middle and he was too inconsistent or too lightweight. 

The guy has answered every criticism of him, got on with his football and been a great player for us over a number of years. He is now a more complete player than at any point in his Falkirk career - he has bulked up, still has the passing and vision, and covers the park for 90 minutes.

This will have been a tough decision for him, he is a Falkirk supporter and all his mates are Falkirk supporters. I find it difficult to get my head round as well cause it's Livingston, but objectively he's leaving the team who finished 8th in the second tier for the team who got promoted to the top flight. If he has a good season there, where there is a decent chance he'll be the main man in the team, then he can move down South or to a bigger club in the top flight. 

I wouldn't have him in an all time Falkirk XI or anything like that but he should go with our best wishes. I am disappointed he's leaving but can understand why. The club are to blame for making such a c**t of getting out this league for the entirety of his career. 

100% this. He needs out of this division for his own development too, seemed like he signed on for one more year with the option to ensure we could get some fee.

My only criticism of Sibbs (and I don't think it's his fault with the amount of changes made at the club) is that he never really nailed down a position as his own. Good out left but lacked pace, good CM but drifted in and out of games. Everyone thought at one point he'd be best behind the striker but didn't nail that down either. He was definitely one of the first names on the team sheet but I always thought he could be utilised better.

As was said above, I was already worried about the amount of new/potential players who haven't played first team football regularly before or together once. Hartley needs them in early and drilled as soon as possible.

[Guest]

Will Hartley get the nominal fee? Rumours also kicking around the nominal fee is nothing more than a sell on clause [emoji15]

[Rizzo]

1 hour ago, Marshmallo said:

Falkirk fans have been talking down his ability since he was 16. For all the shouts of "one of our own" there have been just as many people looking to run him down for no apparent reason. He broke his leg at 17, came back in and was too soft. Then he got shunted out to the left wing and he was too slow. Then he was in the middle and he was too inconsistent or too lightweight. 

The guy has answered every criticism of him, got on with his football and been a great player for us over a number of years. He is now a more complete player than at any point in his Falkirk career - he has bulked up, still has the passing and vision, and covers the park for 90 minutes.

This will have been a tough decision for him, he is a Falkirk supporter and all his mates are Falkirk supporters. I find it difficult to get my head round as well cause it's Livingston, but objectively he's leaving the team who finished 8th in the second tier for the team who got promoted to the top flight. If he has a good season there, where there is a decent chance he'll be the main man in the team, then he can move down South or to a bigger club in the top flight. 

I wouldn't have him in an all time Falkirk XI or anything like that but he should go with our best wishes. I am disappointed he's leaving but can understand why. The club are to blame for making such a c**t of getting out this league for the entirety of his career. 

I was wondering if anyone would look at this from a sane perspective. 

It's probably not a bad move for him, if he'd wound up at a bigger club he might well find himself on the bench. At least this way he'll have a decent chance at proving his ability and he won't be lining up against us next season.

For what it's worth I hope he does well, unless we wind up facing Livingston in the cup that is.

[Harry Kinnear]

I don't blame Sibbald for leaving, but I also don't know the facts about what has gone on with his contract talks so until I do I don't blame the club either. If the correct information becomes available then I may review my thoughts.

I will be renewing my season ticket which I would have done even if we had been relegated. Sibbald leaving and the way the club have or haven't dealt with it wouldn't influence that.

[southstand_bairn]

Anyone not renewing based on sibbald moving on needs a look at themselves. He has given us plenty years of service and wish him well in the rest of his career. No doubt he is getting more cash and will get a chance at livi to at least prove if he is good enough, which the bottom six SPL is probably about the right level.  If it wasn't for those rules around development fees then i am pretty sure we would have lost him a lot earlier than we have. I am also not convinced Hartley is that fussed about him. He is maybe the last of the players he felt he needed to move on to get a proper clean slate.  It will no doubt free up a wage of our highest earner so lets see what Hartley brings in before having a meltdown before June has even started

[Shodwall cat]

We had an option on sibbald. If we were as desperate to keep him as the statement makes out then that shouldve been invoked and that shouldve been it. There was no need for negotiations , chats etc as everything shouldve been agreed when the option was put in the contract. The fact therefore that a player we were supposedly so desperate to keep and had an option on is no longer at the club needs clearly explained by our ceo and 'because he wouldve gone in the huff for a couple of weeks ' is not a viable answer.

I thought the transfer window didnt open till 10th of june anyway so how has he managed to move before that date with a fee involved?

Edited May 31, 2018 by Shodwall cat

[TheScarf]

Is it not the player who has the option of the second year?  

As in 'Right you've honoured the 1 year contract, do you want to go for the option of 2nd year?'  And Sibbald is like 'Nah I'll go elsewhere'.

[Shodwall cat]

3 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Is it not the player who has the option of the second year?  

As in 'Right you've honoured the 1 year contract, do you want to go for the option of 2nd year?'  And Sibbald is like 'Nah I'll go elsewhere'.

 

No the option was with the club. 

Is the club better off with craig sibbald in the side than 50k in the bank? If you think the answer is yes then what the feck are the clowns running our club playing at? Its pretty simple really when it all boils down to it.

[TheScarf]

1 minute ago, Shodwall cat said:

 

No the option was with the club. 

Is the club better off with craig sibbald in the side than 50k in the bank? If you think the answer is yes then what the feck are the clowns running our club playing at? Its pretty simple really when it all boils down to it.

I see.  Yeah that doesn't reflect well on the club then IMO.

[Bainsfordbairn]

15 minutes ago, Shodwall cat said:

We had an option on sibbald. If we were as desperate to keep him as the statement makes out then that shouldve been invoked and that shouldve been it. There was no need for negotiations , chats etc as everything shouldve been agreed when the option was put in the contract. The fact therefore that a player we were supposedly so desperate to keep and had an option on is no longer at the club needs clearly explained by our ceo and 'because he wouldve gone in the huff for a couple of weeks ' is not a viable answer.

It's been explained though.

The manager spoke in public - three times - and said if Sibbald wasn't committed  he didn't want him. And will probably do so again tonight. And put his name to a statement repeating that.

If all the rumours about Hartley's personality are true then he appears to be a very strong character who tells it like it is.  So why do you not believe him?

 

[Believe The Hype]

Some spectacular levels of seven stages of grief over a few pages. Rather entertaining. 

The suggestion of forcing him to stay because 'he will come round eventually' is akin to a stubborn spouse refusing to sign divorce papers. Laughable really and not healthy for both parties. 

[Marshmallo]

27 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Is it not the player who has the option of the second year?  

As in 'Right you've honoured the 1 year contract, do you want to go for the option of 2nd year?'  And Sibbald is like 'Nah I'll go elsewhere'.

It will depend on how the contract is written.

[Falkirk_Bairn_1983]

16 minutes ago, Believe The Hype said:

Some spectacular levels of seven stages of grief over a few pages. Rather entertaining. 

The suggestion of forcing him to stay because 'he will come round eventually' is akin to a stubborn spouse refusing to sign divorce papers. Laughable really and not healthy for both parties. 

Exactly. If Sibbald wanted to try something new then why would the club force him to stay? Wanting rid of this Campbell fella because Sibbald wanting to move on is just laughable.