The Falkirk FC Thread

[Chinatoon Bairn]

On 25/02/2023 at 21:56, Tea and Busquets said:

Did I hear a Gary Oliver song today? Does anyone know the lyrics if there was? 

If you're looking for a striker

Hates the fucking fifers

Gary Oliver

Somewhere in the box he's scoring

Falkirk boys are roaring 

Gary Oliver

[Shodwall cat]

9 minutes ago, Brockvillenomore said:

Exactly. Why does there need to be even the idea of any conflict? I expect there will be differences but they can be resolved by working together we all want the same thing, surely.

Conflict isn't always a bad thing though. You want your reps to stand up for the people they represent and not just agree to everything simply to not rock the boat at the end of the day. Compromise only comes about due to differences in opinion to begin with.  

[Mr November]

11 minutes ago, Shodwall cat said:

Frizzell is a cracking wee player. Always liked him at Killie and was very surprised when he left and only ended up playing part time for dumbarton.Can never understand why he's stuck at Airdrie playing in front of a few hundred folk every other week and getting paid a pittance. He could be playing at a far higher level . He's not one of their part time players I don't think or then I could see why he's hanging about down here.

 

Yeah Frizzell is full-time. He had a pretty underwhelming time at Dumbarton to be fair, though it’s easy to understand why he might struggle in a Jim Duffy team. Most Airdrie fans weren’t too fussed when he signed but he’s been a revelation since moving back into a central midfield role. He had to play more of a supporting role to Easton last season and while there was talk of other clubs being interested (Queen’s Park were the main one mentioned), I think a season of being the main man with things built around him must have appealed. His lack of pace might be an issue at a higher level but for a small guy he really puts himself about and is certainly good enough technically. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him or Smith at Falkirk next season if you go up.

[ShaggerG]

7 hours ago, Bigbrbairn said:

A real good plan would be to bring in a season ticket plus option. Instead of paying the perhaps £240 in a one go an option of paying £30 a month with £10 of it going to FSS membership might draw in a few. People already FSS member could pay the standard £20 but could agree to take the plus scheme and increase their involement.

I now qualify for a concession season and asked this year if I could pay the full price with the balance going to the club. They were happy with me paying the extra but wanted that to go to the scheme that was running at the time which allowed less fortunate folk to go to a game.

I'd happily pay more for my ST if the balance was going to the FSS and I'd wager that a good few more folk would too.

[Bigbrbairn]

It would stop people paying all the money at one go as it could be spread out in 12 payments and the extra would be a lot easier to arrange as its the one payment

[Richie Sacramento]

Can't believe theres been criticism of a board trying to think outside the box and come up with a way of creating a sustainable fan owned model. As i understand it, the new scheme will create a more tiered approach to the FSS, will bring extra benefits, and the additional funds over and above the Season ticket income can all be ring fenced and applied to the football budget, so first team, building the academy, all the things the fans want to be better.

We have 2200 ST holders (or thereabout) and 600 odd FSS members...if we can convert even half of the ST holders not signed up then we instantly close the funding gap that we've been running with for years.

If we found a way of converting existing ST holders and other fans into the new scheme with additional benefits, surely everyones a winner.

As it stands more Falkirk fans travelled to Wick than have joined FSS...if we want the fan ownership model to work then we need to back it.

[Anthony Fitzgerald]

What a great feeling it is for it to be Monday and you can’t wait to get back to a Falkirk game on a Saturday. Long may it continue.

[RC55 FFC]

If any Bairns fan, existing sponsor, business or supporters group wish to sponsor the upcoming episodes of the podcast - pre, post or indeed both episodes either side of the derby with that lot, get in touch via DM. Cheers. 

 

[SouthStander1876]

Probably the best win of the season on Saturday there, yet another bogey team wiped out. Seems to be an aura around the club that we're going into every game expecting a win. Bring on Peterhead and lets keep the momentum going into Pars away and then hopefully earn a day out at Hampden!

[Shodwall cat]

44 minutes ago, Richie Sacramento said:

Can't believe theres been criticism of a board trying to think outside the box and come up with a way of creating a sustainable fan owned model. As i understand it, the new scheme will create a more tiered approach to the FSS, will bring extra benefits, and the additional funds over and above the Season ticket income can all be ring fenced and applied to the football budget, so first team, building the academy, all the things the fans want to be better.

We have 2200 ST holders (or thereabout) and 600 odd FSS members...if we can convert even half of the ST holders not signed up then we instantly close the funding gap that we've been running with for years.

If we found a way of converting existing ST holders and other fans into the new scheme with additional benefits, surely everyones a winner.

As it stands more Falkirk fans travelled to Wick than have joined FSS...if we want the fan ownership model to work then we need to back it.

I thought the new scheme was entirely seperate to fss . Is that not the case?

[FFC 1876]

11 games left with us still waiting on a new date for Montrose away. Here's the run in.

Falkirk vs Peterhead
Dunfermline vs Alloa

Dunfermline vs Falkirk

Peterhead vs Dunfermline

Queen of the South vs Falkirk
Dunfermline vs FC Edinburgh

Falkirk vs Kelty Hearts
Montrose vs Dunfermline

Clyde vs Falkirk
Dunfermline vs Kelty Hearts

Falkirk vs Dunfermline

Falkirk vs Airdrie
Dunfermline vs Queen of the South

Alloa vs Falkirk
Airdrie vs Dunfermline

Falkirk vs FC Edinburgh
Dunfermline vs Clyde

Peterhead vs Falkirk
Alloa vs Dunfermline

[Bairn in Exile]

I hope this doesn't sound daft but maybe due to our recent good run of results in the league and progressing so far in the cup that people simply don't realise how precarious our financial situation is and don't think that they need to bother signing up to FSS?

I go nuts during the close season, counting down the days until the new league season starts, imagine a life without having the football to look forward to! Doesn't bear thinking about. You never miss something until it is gone. Maybe shock tactics are called for?

We should hang a huge big banner, 50ft x 80ft, outside the main stand saying that we are going out of business, maybe that would finally get people to donate to the FSS? Times are hard, I understand, but not every fan who hasn't signed up yet is down on their uppers, surely?

(Got it of t'nternet, I know it says everythink instead of everything).

[SouthStander1876]

I'm begging you to tell us this wasn't serious...

[Bairn in Exile]

3 minutes ago, SouthStander1876 said:

I'm begging you to tell us this wasn't serious...

We've been asked to come up with ideas to get more people signing up to FSS due to the relatively low uptake in membership, this was an idea to try and help. You are perfectly entitled to not like my off the wall idea but it came from a place where I am trying to help our club and secure its future.

[Kevin James Left Knee]

This is my personal view but I think rather than initiate a scheme like FF (which we should be honest has been received with rather a poor reception) the club should end the early bird scheme and put the prices up on season tickets. The latter will have to happen sometime - the price has been held stable for several seasons (and if we get promotion then ticket prices are higher in the Championship). I know this may cause some people issues and I am entirely sympathetic to their plight but this is a better way of raising money than asking for an additional donation which give you nothing, compared to the FSS where you get a vote in how the club should be run. 

[Kevin James Left Knee]

1 hour ago, Richie Sacramento said:

Can't believe theres been criticism of a board trying to think outside the box and come up with a way of creating a sustainable fan owned model. As i understand it, the new scheme will create a more tiered approach to the FSS, will bring extra benefits, and the additional funds over and above the Season ticket income can all be ring fenced and applied to the football budget, so first team, building the academy, all the things the fans want to be better.

We have 2200 ST holders (or thereabout) and 600 odd FSS members...if we can convert even half of the ST holders not signed up then we instantly close the funding gap that we've been running with for years.

If we found a way of converting existing ST holders and other fans into the new scheme with additional benefits, surely everyones a winner.

As it stands more Falkirk fans travelled to Wick than have joined FSS...if we want the fan ownership model to work then we need to back it.

Another personal view:

There are 640 members in FSS some of whom are donating more than £10 a month. That is NOT A FAILURE. In fact the mention of Motherwell at the AGM was a mistake - their membership has a lot of young people paying next to nothing and a large number of £5 a month subscriptions. If you look at the other supporters schemes they pretty much max out at 50% of their season ticket holders. FSS has been a huge success from a standing start and I get annoyed when it is hinted at that it has failed. 

There has been a steady stream of new members to join FSS over the last month. Around a further 50 will have signed up in the last 6 weeks and it keeps on slowly growing. I expect we will have around 700 by the end of the season and a boost if we get to the Semi Finaly/promotion. That brings in nearly £8,000 a month - a decent amount to help John and Paul.

It is important that FSS is well supported as it is the only voice of the fans - you can come to the AGM on the day after the Ayr game and ask questions, keep everyone accountable and meet the fan directors. That is much more important than simply just raising money for the club - you can have representation as well as helping keeping the team out of the red.

Furthermore there is a lot of work being done behind the scenes of FSS which will, we hope, will bring long term benefits to the club. That is another reason to donate to FSS instead of another scheme that gives you nothing really. Time will tell.

[roman_bairn]

22 minutes ago, Bairn in Exile said:

We've been asked to come up with ideas to get more people signing up to FSS due to the relatively low uptake in membership, this was an idea to try and help. You are perfectly entitled to not like my off the wall idea but it came from a place where I am trying to help our club and secure its future.

I’m not sure asking our board to send out Donald Trump style miscommunications is really the appropriate approach here……

[Guest]

33 minutes ago, Bairn in Exile said:

I hope this doesn't sound daft but maybe due to our recent good run of results in the league and progressing so far in the cup that people simply don't realise how precarious our financial situation is and don't think that they need to bother signing up to FSS?

I go nuts during the close season, counting down the days until the new league season starts, imagine a life without having the football to look forward to! Doesn't bear thinking about. You never miss something until it is gone. Maybe shock tactics are called for?

We should hang a huge big banner, 50ft x 80ft, outside the main stand saying that we are going out of business, maybe that would finally get people to donate to the FSS? Times are hard, I understand, but not every fan who hasn't signed up yet is down on their uppers, surely?

(Got it of t'nternet, I know it says everythink instead of everything).

I think people have taken this the wrong way but I understand your point. 

I wouldn’t put it like that but the message is  correct that we do need to make more fans understand that to keep the club running as we know it, more need to sign up to the FSS.

The message I got was clear. The board are volunteers and huge fans of the club. They want us to have a successful team on the park but they also don’t want to be the ones that lead us towards going bust. 

They’ve been under massive stress trying to steer us away from bankruptcy whilst keeping a winning team on the park. 

They deserve huge plaudits for all they’ve done and understandably they don’t want to sign off a budget that will result in a. £400k loss again. There are no more reserves to cover that and there are no rich fans to cover that. If no more sign up and we run a similar budget to this season then we will go bust. That’s the reality of the situation.

I completely understand that paying an extra £10/month is not feasible for some but quite simply, the only way we can assure a good team on the park is more fans sign up to FSS. 

[roman_bairn]

16 minutes ago, Kevin James Left Knee said:

This is my personal view but I think rather than initiate a scheme like FF (which we should be honest has been received with rather a poor reception) the club should end the early bird scheme and put the prices up on season tickets. The latter will have to happen sometime - the price has been held stable for several seasons (and if we get promotion then ticket prices are higher in the Championship). I know this may cause some people issues and I am entirely sympathetic to their plight but this is a better way of raising money than asking for an additional donation which give you nothing, compared to the FSS where you get a vote in how the club should be run. 

How does this approach raise more money when the number of people who will purchase a season ticket will inevitably go down?…

[Kevin James Left Knee]

1 minute ago, roman_bairn said:

How does this approach raise more money when the number of people who will purchase a season ticket will inevitably go down?…

We cannot keep the prices at this level forever - the Club AGM more of less said as much. The level of increase is, of course, the issue but asking for extra money for nothing isn't going to work. I think the vast majority of season ticket holders will re-sign up next year if the price increases are reasonable.