The Falkirk FC Thread

[Shodwall cat]

2 minutes ago, Jgs said:

The sign outside the stadium still states next game against Hamilton on 7th of October. 

Also, it states Falkirk against "Hamilton FC", when this isn't the name of the club. It's not the first time I've noticed the names of the clubs wrong in such a manner and isn't very professional. 

Why is the sign in such a way that a whole new sign needs made every game? It isn't very sensible or sustainable, when there could be slots for team name/day/time to slot into, and they could be re-used. 

I hope you are taking the piss here. Who gives a feck about a bloody sign. Maybe it should be in bloody gaelic too.

Edited October 10, 2023 by Shodwall cat

[GMBairn]

In regards to the £400k I think the clubs communication around that could be better. It all sounds a bit panicked that we need that much extra per year or we will collapse to part time football and oblivion.

That's not the case when you read the detail of the statement, but frankly what it costs to restart the academy and challenge for promotion to the premiership is in the short term, irrelevant. 

They should let the fans know what figure is required to keep the club on an even footing and full time if we're in league 1 or the championship next year.

Challenging for promotion from the league above the one we are in at the moment is not a priority objective. 

[LatapyBairn.]

14 minutes ago, GMBairn said:

In regards to the £400k I think the clubs communication around that could be better. It all sounds a bit panicked that we need that much extra per year or we will collapse to part time football and oblivion.

That's not the case when you read the detail of the statement, but frankly what it costs to restart the academy and challenge for promotion to the premiership is in the short term, irrelevant. 

They should let the fans know what figure is required to keep the club on an even footing and full time if we're in league 1 or the championship next year.

Challenging for promotion from the league above the one we are in at the moment is not a priority objective. 

Well if the projected operating loss for this year is circa 320k as per the AGM we would obviously need to somehow find that figure again just to simply maintain the current budget should we still be in league one next season. Not quite panic stations but I’d say it is a relatively serious situation that needs proactively highlighted and addressed now rather than later otherwise if we don’t go up we may well be looking at some form of part time set up next season unless there is an unforeseen cash windfall. 

Edited October 10, 2023 by LatapyBairn.

[ShaggerG]

3 hours ago, ShaggerG said:

As a supporter who has 'backed the club through thick and thin', now that you know we are fan owned and run, surely the club telling us what the financial situation is and hoping that we, as fans, can contribute more, should not grate, but should come as no surprise?

So you disagree with this one too pedro? Nae baws!

[Bainsfordbairn]

4 hours ago, Springfield said:

For the record I have contributed to the FSS way back, lack ambition? My arse, backed the club through thick and thin, and for the other geezer posting earlier, a ST and a top ? Try  ST / merchandise / sponsorship dinners / hospitality to name a few.

Thanks for all of that, and I'm sure everyone at the club including the staff whose wages you're helping to pay appreciate it. 

Can I make an observation about fans spending money that I don't think has been put forward yet? 

Every time someone buys a strip, books hospitality or takes a sponsorship it helps massively. Before launching these things the club make an educated guess as to how many will be purchased. They then build that assumption into the budget and if they get it right we don't make a loss at financial year end. 

What these purchases do is help FFC meet their targets and pay current bills, such as player and staff salaries.

Joining FSS is slightly different. When you join you’re basically making a promise that you’ll spend money in the future.

Buying strips or merchandise are a help, but until you walk into the shop and pull out your credit card the club have no idea if they’ll receive your cash.  So like cup runs, their assumptions are conservative because if they get it wrong and spend money they don’t receive we’ll be bankrupt.

Whereas joining FSS lets the club budget for the future. Because they know the money will come in next season, so they can make offers to players who’ll be out of contract long before summer arrives and next years budget is finalised. (As budgets can’t be confirmed until we know what league we’ll be in.)

If you have a spare £200 that you’re going to spend on the club, don’t buy strips or hospitality. Join the FSS. Because by doing so you’re making an ongoing commitment which is far more helpful than one-off sales.

[Reggie Perrin]

1 hour ago, Jgs said:

The sign outside the stadium still states next game against Hamilton on 7th of October. 

Also, it states Falkirk against "Hamilton FC", when this isn't the name of the club. It's not the first time I've noticed the names of the clubs wrong in such a manner and isn't very professional. 

Why is the sign in such a way that a whole new sign needs made every game? It isn't very sensible or sustainable, when there could be slots for team name/day/time to slot into, and they could be re-used. 

I think you need to take a closer look at the signage.

[Todd_is_God]

On 09/10/2023 at 17:36, FalkirkBairn2021 said:

Maybe just a sign of becoming an old b*****d but I never find our floodlights are that lighty.

I noticed on Saturday that the right hand corner of the pitch in front of the away end is very dark. Probably because the lights on the main stand aren't angled enough towards it, and the pylons are too far away.

I assume this may be the same up the other end?

 

[PedroMoutinho]

6 hours ago, ShaggerG said:

So you disagree with this one too pedro? Nae baws!

Frankly I disagree that supporters who already contribute hundreds of pounds per year to the club should be criticised for not being able to/wanting to contribute even more.  

Particularly when the number of FSS members we allegedly need to be sustainable is never going to happen. 

[Disco Duck]

Has there been any fallout from the pyro on Saturday?  I don’t usually mind them, but throwing fireworks and setting fire to an advertising board isn’t the brightest move!

[FK1Bairn]

5 minutes ago, Disco Duck said:

Has there been any fallout from the pyro on Saturday?  I don’t usually mind them, but throwing fireworks and setting fire to an advertising board isn’t the brightest move!

It's been mentioned before but considering there were searches taking place outside the KM7, i cant understand how the pyro got in! 

[LatapyBairn.]

7 hours ago, PedroMoutinho said:

Frankly I disagree that supporters who already contribute hundreds of pounds per year to the club should be criticised for not being able to/wanting to contribute even more.  

Particularly when the number of FSS members we allegedly need to be sustainable is never going to happen. 

I’ve see no criticism of fans whatsoever, unless I missed something. Everything that was communicated via the AGM and subsequent statement released simply laid out the picture of exactly where our finances are and how our expenditure is likely to look going forward should we remain in this division next season. I’d rather we knew now so we can perhaps at least try to get ahead of it. If we are going to be fan owned then fans need to be able to have transparent adult communication with the club about this stuff. 

Edited October 11, 2023 by LatapyBairn.

[NavyBlueArmy1876]

8 minutes ago, FK1Bairn said:

It's been mentioned before but considering there were searches taking place outside the KM7, i cant understand how the pyro got in! 

Probably because all stewards are absolutely incompetent and these 'body searches' are totally useless at discovering banned items 

[ShaggerG]

2 hours ago, PedroMoutinho said:

Frankly I disagree that supporters who already contribute hundreds of pounds per year to the club should be criticised for not being able to/wanting to contribute even more.  

Particularly when the number of FSS members we allegedly need to be sustainable is never going to happen. 

Well, whoever it was that criticised shouldn't have, but I've never seen any criticism. In fact, I've seen numerous posts saying that fans that can't afford it shouldn't contribute! 

I think I recall you saying that we should be courting outside investment (apologies if not) but, where do you think that should come from? Anyone that wants to, or a Falkirk fan with the best interests of the club at heart? Sadly, it doesn't look like there's a multi millionaire fan out there that wants to get involved, so I really can't see any other route than trying to increase FSS numbers. 

It looks to me that you have an axe to grind and that may be fair enough if you feel hard done by, but we need to move on and try to get everyone behind us. As it stands, many of the posts that you make read like you don't want the FSS and fan ownership to succeed. If it doesn't then worse case scenario is we don't have a club to support at all,while best case may be floundering around down here as a part time club! 

[Rugster]

I see we are advertising for a new lead physio. Has Rachel Gillen left? @Bainsfordbairn

[Sarcastic Bairn]

46 minutes ago, Rugster said:

I see we are advertising for a new lead physio. Has Rachel Gillen left? @Bainsfordbairn

Livi

Edited, sorry I saw someone from the team had left to Livingston, @Bainsfordbairn will clarify I'm sure in case Ive put 2+2 together and came with 5.

Edited October 11, 2023 by Sarcastic Bairn

[Reggie Perrin]

4 minutes ago, Sarcastic Bairn said:

Livi

Losing staff to shitty clubs like the West Lothian franchise is another symptom of being in the third tier.

[Disco Duck]

2 minutes ago, Reggie Perrin said:

Losing staff to shitty clubs like the West Lothian franchise is another symptom of being in the third tier.

Livi are my bet for the next club to go bust.  Again.

[Reggie Perrin]

1 minute ago, Disco Duck said:

Livi are my bet for the next club to go bust.  Again.

I hope that you are correct, I actually loathe them more than the Fifers and almost as much as the arse cheeks.

Squalid club.

[HopeStreetWalker]

3 hours ago, ShaggerG said:

Well, whoever it was that criticised shouldn't have, but I've never seen any criticism. In fact, I've seen numerous posts saying that fans that can't afford it shouldn't contribute! 

I think I recall you saying that we should be courting outside investment (apologies if not) but, where do you think that should come from? Anyone that wants to, or a Falkirk fan with the best interests of the club at heart? Sadly, it doesn't look like there's a multi millionaire fan out there that wants to get involved, so I really can't see any other route than trying to increase FSS numbers. 

It looks to me that you have an axe to grind and that may be fair enough if you feel hard done by, but we need to move on and try to get everyone behind us. As it stands, many of the posts that you make read like you don't want the FSS and fan ownership to succeed. If it doesn't then worse case scenario is we don't have a club to support at all,while best case may be floundering around down here as a part time club! 

People's personal finances have been decimated with ongoing reductions in disposable income. 

Therefore budgeting for £400k pear season donation from fan's is not sustainable, it never was. These funds should be looked on as a short-term fix because sooner or later it will not be met.

Some hard decisions for next season whether we go up or stay down.

[ShaggerG]

1 minute ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

People's personal finances have been decimated with ongoing reductions in disposable income. 

Therefore budgeting for £400k pear season donation from fan's is not sustainable, it never was. These funds should be looked on as a short-term fix because sooner or later it will not be met.

Some hard decisions for next season whether we go up or stay down.

Yes, that's the point. Short term fix to give us the budget to re-sign players for next season in January to give us the best chance of promotion. Once we get up things should get a bit easier because income will increase. 

The ONLY opportunity we have to increase funds at the moment is via the FSS, so we've got to try, surely?