The Falkirk FC Thread

[Dawson Park Boy]

Spoke to Margaret Lang at the start and she is obviously totally committed.

Thought she looked very poorly.

obviously feeling the strain!!

She went through the process of appointing Hartley and after his successes in the second half of the season they felt confident that he would do the business this year.

No fee paid for Mackin.

Surely a lot more of the keyboard warriors on here attended!!

please give details of the second half which I missed.

[Hank von Hell]

4 minutes ago, CC52 FFC said:

Fairly enjoyed that. I don’t have a strong opinion of the board but in some cases they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Margaret have a good explanation into the closure of the academy and it’s basically down to project brave and the SFA fucking clubs about.
We have a health bank balance and we have no debt whatsoever.
Agreed the keyboard warrior comment didn’t help but I think she spoke very very well. Even the process behind selecting Paul Hartley was explained thoroughly.

Need a bit more detail than that please.

And was there a new law made where any club's academy must be under the project brave jurisdiction - I am only asking coz I don't know but would seem a serious restriction of trade if t was the case.   

[gav-ffc]

If Laing called fans keyboard warriors she has my backing.

[Harry Kinnear]

If Laing called fans keyboard warriors she has my backing.

She did mention keyboard warriors and said P&B is rife with them [emoji23]

[Hank von Hell]

6 minutes ago, Harry Kinnear said:

We have no debt and have cash in the bank due to cutting our monthly running costs from £100k to £49k.

 

What? Is no-one getting paid?

That might explain the rubbish players then. 

[Harry Kinnear]

What? Is no-one getting paid?
That might explain the rubbish players then. 

Would you pay some of these players ?

[Hank von Hell]

1 minute ago, Harry Kinnear said:

She did mention keyboard warriors and said P&B is rife with them

I'm a Keyboard Warrior of Genghis Khan

[Reggie Perrin]

The manager came across really well and is obviously painfully aware of the limitations of the players available to him. Don’t think anyone expected him to say he was looking for 8 players!
Had enough about him to laugh at the round of applause he received for telling us Paton is suspended for Saturday.
Margaret Laing was clearly hyped up for a tough time and in truth ended up getting a fairly easy time of it though one very well spoken elderly gent forcibly made the point that we have been hearing the same stories from the same people for 10 years and it was time that they moved aside. The CEO said little or anything of note and even left it to the Chair to justify his role at the club. Lex Miller, Andy Thompson andColin Liddell all had cameo roles but said nothing of any significance.
In summary worth listening to the manager but as for the rest of them same old same old. Time for fresh blood.

[WestfieldBairn]

Need a bit more detail than that please.
And was there a new law made where any club's academy must be under the project brave jurisdiction - I am only asking coz I don't know but would seem a serious restriction of trade if t was the case.   

In terms of us being under the “elite” umbrella we would have to have had (or built) a indoor Astro pitch. As it was obvious we weren’t going to achieve the elite status the board met with others such as Michael McArdle and said it would be hard to attract the high end kids they previously had because them and their parents would want to be at an elite club. Which then makes the academy unsustainable. The board said in terms of our academy we had always been operating at an elite level anyway and were not prepared to operate at a lower level but would have and did apply for the second level.

[gav-ffc]

8 minutes ago, CC52 FFC said:

 

In terms of us being under the “elite” umbrella we would have to have had (or built) a indoor Astro pitch. As it was obvious we weren’t going to achieve the elite status the board met with others such as Michael McArdle and said it would be hard to attract the high end kids they previously had because them and their parents would want to be at an elite club. Which then makes the academy unsustainable. The board said in terms of our academy we had always been operating at an elite level anyway and were not prepared to operate at a lower level but would have and did apply for the second level.

 

Seen a list somewhere of what is needed to be in the elite level and it is definitely not sustainable in this league for us.

[Stainrod]

41 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

 

Thought she was rather patronising TBH. Calling the fans keyboard warriors early on didn’t help

 

Keyboard warriors, pitch side warriors South stand warriors, we need them all as long as they are behind the team (Falkirk till they die) but most of all we need playing warriors. Whilst we also need boardroom battlers like Margaret who have the clubs best interest at heart what we definetly don't need is boardroom bottlers like our hibby CEO. 

[Guest]

In terms of us being under the “elite” umbrella we would have to have had (or built) a indoor Astro pitch. As it was obvious we weren’t going to achieve the elite status the board met with others such as Michael McArdle and said it would be hard to attract the high end kids they previously had because them and their parents would want to be at an elite club. Which then makes the academy unsustainable. The board said in terms of our academy we had always been operating at an elite level anyway and were not prepared to operate at a lower level but would have and did apply for the second level.

The Board agreed to sign up to level 2 in June 17

[MrDust]

3 hours ago, superandy_07 said:

Absolutely hoachin’ at the stadium

Around an average Morton crowd in for a fans forum, Ray knew what he was doing !!

I wished Id left after Ray part, it was as expected the usual x y z from the board, the only words of joy I got out of the latter part was Margaret Lang asking Houston about Tony Gallacher in how he is doing  in relating to how close he is to the first team and his reply being you want to pick my f**king team.....

Ray came across pretty well, seems to have a sense of humour about him and by fuk he must be clinging on to that after assessing the squad.

[Rob - FFC]

First post but wanted to respond on the academy situation. Margaret stated that after speaking with Mick several players had already left, after we never got elite status, from the most promising age group in the academy. Totally inaccurate as only 1 player left and that was before elite status was known about. Also it was said that we would not be able to attract players as we didn’t have elite status. Prior to project brave our status was less than other clubs such as Rangers and Celtic and we still attracted players who chose Falkirk over the old firm as they could see a more realistic pathway. We only had silver status under the old banding so not sure why attracting players would change and they have no facts to back up that this would happen. On the costs of the academy then if you look at a similar status academy to Falkirk who publish year end accounts then you can see the net deficit of running their academy is £50k and not what the club have been reporting. 

[BMbairn]

7 minutes ago, Rob - FFC said:

First post but wanted to respond on the academy situation. Margaret stated that after speaking with Mick several players had already left, after we never got elite status, from the most promising age group in the academy. Totally inaccurate as only 1 player left and that was before elite status was known about. Also it was said that we would not be able to attract players as we didn’t have elite status. Prior to project brave our status was less than other clubs such as Rangers and Celtic and we still attracted players who chose Falkirk over the old firm as they could see a more realistic pathway. We only had silver status under the old banding so not sure why attracting players would change and they have no facts to back up that this would happen. On the costs of the academy then if you look at a similar status academy to Falkirk who publish year end accounts then you can see the net deficit of running their academy is £50k and not what the club have been reporting. 

It hasnt produced any players for a few years though. Youth football is important but a massive academy for a first division club is too expensive.

[Guest]

It hasnt produced any players for a few years though. Youth football is important but a massive academy for a first division club is too expensive.

 

Do not listen to her cost claims, that was elite level costs.

 

The actual cost is much much lower

[BMbairn]

2 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

 

Do not listen to her cost claims, that was elite level costs.

 

The actual cost is much much lower

Fair enough but the academy only closed a few months ago but why didn't we see any benefit in the first team from the last few years crop. We don't look like we have any decent youngsters available from recent times

[Rob - FFC]

I was just stating her facts and reasons were inaccurate. If you want to believe her then fine I have no issues with that. Academies don’t produce year on year otherwise Man United would have a class of 92 every year. I can guaranteee you Margaret and Craig had no idea of the potential coming through. Other clubs seemed to as around 90% of the players found other academies. They took them on at the expense of players already within their own academy. Is £50k too expensive considering the return we have had over the years??? 

[Guest]

Fair enough but the academy only closed a few months ago but why didn't we see any benefit in the first team from the last few years crop. We don't look like we have any decent youngsters available from recent times

Because we sold them too early to start with.

If you speak to anyone who was involved there the Academy took a hit and lost players when they went to FV and it was only after 2/3 years of that where we got our act together. There was loads of talent at 15 and below. You were always going to get fallow years anyway.

Do not forget too that without the player sales you would either be choked out with soft loans or bust

[ShaggerG]

Was anything said about the situation with McKinnon and Morton?