The Falkirk FC Thread

[ShaggerG]

40 minutes ago, Springfield said:

Interesting. With all the different types of coverings available  ie agriculture as an example, that Livi have a surface that doesn’t fit with the makers recommendations. Not knowing what surface we’ve installed, are we likely to have the same issues ? 

How can they have a surface that doesn't fit with the recommendations of the folk who made it? 

[Guest]

Talking of pitches. Bad news for us if things go as hoped the next couple of years. 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/spfl-premiership-could-ban-plastic-31588641?fbclid=IwAR3XgTJiIqU3h_ixodOBLM8ZkFX4KCUgltc2wvRVrXugOHgfUMme2Ei4GAE_aem_AUAD5uHo1GNaNnDZEMhj0550k-hW8HIKR769bmAeHSL-zCt-Fs1_eSEXkYyNjeAgO5c#lpr28nbgy7k1g5fi8y

Edited December 4, 2023 by Dave McInally

[Blame Me]

27 minutes ago, Dave McInally said:

Talking of pitches. Bad news for us if things go as hoped the next couple of years. 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/spfl-premiership-could-ban-plastic-31588641?fbclid=IwAR3XgTJiIqU3h_ixodOBLM8ZkFX4KCUgltc2wvRVrXugOHgfUMme2Ei4GAE_aem_AUAD5uHo1GNaNnDZEMhj0550k-hW8HIKR769bmAeHSL-zCt-Fs1_eSEXkYyNjeAgO5c#lpr28nbgy7k1g5fi8y

It's the DR so detail and substance isn't their strong point but it appears to be an article based on not much more than "some people don't like them, so we'll ban them" as opposed to being rooted in any factual reason why they should be outlawed e.g. injuries, ecological concerns etc.

[HopeStreetWalker]

25 minutes ago, Dave McInally said:

Talking of pitches. Bad news for us if things go as hoped the next couple of years. 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/spfl-premiership-could-ban-plastic-31588641?fbclid=IwAR3XgTJiIqU3h_ixodOBLM8ZkFX4KCUgltc2wvRVrXugOHgfUMme2Ei4GAE_aem_AUAD5uHo1GNaNnDZEMhj0550k-hW8HIKR769bmAeHSL-zCt-Fs1_eSEXkYyNjeAgO5c#lpr28nbgy7k1g5fi8y

 

Top clubs use a hybrid grass/synthetic as it is and I can't see them accepting this.

Most likely another example of the Daily Records passing relationship with factual reporting. Suspect there will be a notice period to go hybrid grass/synthetic to play in the top league at £2 - 3 million a pop every 4 -5 years. In other words, a back door closed shop.

 

[Roboccop]

3 hours ago, Proudtobeabairn said:

Very encouraging that they're considering additional benefits for FSS members (discounts etc).  Should help push numbers up. 

As i and others have pointed out to the FSS committee they have to be very careful not to attract VAT on the subs if the benefits are regarded as too high. Also joining total tickets has major ramifications for a possible technical breach of the deal with the Scottish govt. Don’t say they weren’t warned. 

[Springfield]

1 hour ago, Dave McInally said:

Talking of pitches. Bad news for us if things go as hoped the next couple of years. 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/spfl-premiership-could-ban-plastic-31588641?fbclid=IwAR3XgTJiIqU3h_ixodOBLM8ZkFX4KCUgltc2wvRVrXugOHgfUMme2Ei4GAE_aem_AUAD5uHo1GNaNnDZEMhj0550k-hW8HIKR769bmAeHSL-zCt-Fs1_eSEXkYyNjeAgO5c#lpr28nbgy7k1g5fi8y

Just be like it centenary year and Motherwell have the casting vote to keep us down because of the pitch

[Believe The Hype]

3 hours ago, Dave McInally said:

May have differences with how I view the FSS but 850 members is a great amount. Pleasing to see that get recognised as a success rather than not being enough. 

With it bringing in 120k per year, it's the equivalent of 1000 fans donating the minimum tenner a month so far, so without always focusing on the amount of subs, the amount of actual cash going in is great. 

Without trying to state the obvious of course. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Blame Me said:

It's the DR so detail and substance isn't their strong point but it appears to be an article based on not much more than "some people don't like them, so we'll ban them" as opposed to being rooted in any factual reason why they should be outlawed e.g. injuries, ecological concerns etc.

Very true. Probably clutching at the fact, Kilmarnock are moving to grass so would give them the 11-1 vote required however there was only 1 team with an astroturf pitch when Killie got relegated and nothing happened. Would be a bit crap for Kilmarnock to turn around and vote against them too as soon as they change. 

Edited December 4, 2023 by Dave McInally

[Guest]

43 minutes ago, Believe The Hype said:

With it bringing in 120k per year, it's the equivalent of 1000 fans donating the minimum tenner a month so far, so without always focusing on the amount of subs, the amount of actual cash going in is great. 

Without trying to state the obvious of course. 

Exactly, that’s what I tried to point out several times when on the FSS committee. There is no comparison to Wells numbers as although they have 3,500 members, they have lower buy ins and over 700 child members at £25 pa. 

What is being by contributed by the FSS is close to matching clubs of our size. 

[Guest]

50 minutes ago, Springfield said:

Just be like it centenary year and Motherwell have the casting vote to keep us down because of the pitch

Bad memories! Always think of that when some clubs talk about being hard done by. Don’t know many who won the league and were denied outright promotion or the chance of promotion. Has happened to us 3 times although will admit to being lucky not to being relegated in 2002.

[Springfield]

12 minutes ago, Dave McInally said:

Very true. Probably clutching at the fact, Kilmarnock are moving to grass so would give them the 11-1 vote required however only 1 team with an astroturf pitch when Killie got relegated and nothing happened. Would be a bit crap for Kilmarnock to turn around and vote against them too as soon as they change. 

We don’t need to be reminded that they will protect their own at any cost. As said earlier if its in the Daily …… check that Xmas day doesn’t fall in January.

[Todd_is_God]

RE: Banning Plastic Pitches I feel Scottish Football in general could do itself a huge favour by shaking off the delusion of it being an Elite league and being more forward thinking.

I find it mind-boggling that both supporters and clubs would rather play on poorly maintained grass pitches than a well maintened synthetic surface purely because one is made from grass.

We're not an elite league, and we're not awash with money either. Synthetic pitches are a lifeline for many of the clubs in the lower tiers of Scottish football.

Of course, the other, more cynical reason is that by forcing any smaller club that has the cheek to be successful on the pitch to spend large sums of money to replace their perfectly good surface there is less chance of them sticking around long enough to send one of the bigger clubs through the trapdoor.

[Mr Grimsdale]

3 hours ago, Roboccop said:

As i and others have pointed out to the FSS committee they have to be very careful not to attract VAT on the subs if the benefits are regarded as too high. Also joining total tickets has major ramifications for a possible technical breach of the deal with the Scottish govt. Don’t say they weren’t warned. 

Surely they have checked this out though? 

[Mr Grimsdale]

17 minutes ago, Todd_is_God said:

RE: Banning Plastic Pitches I feel Scottish Football in general could do itself a huge favour by shaking off the delusion of it being an Elite league and being more forward thinking.

I find it mind-boggling that both supporters and clubs would rather play on poorly maintained grass pitches than a well maintened synthetic surface purely because one is made from grass.

We're not an elite league, and we're not awash with money either. Synthetic pitches are a lifeline for many of the clubs in the lower tiers of Scottish football.

Of course, the other, more cynical reason is that by forcing any smaller club that has the cheek to be successful on the pitch to spend large sums of money to replace their perfectly good surface there is less chance of them sticking around long enough to send one of the bigger clubs through the trapdoor.

Until there is a fairer distribution of wealth to the lower leagues then this extra income from synthetic pitches will be required. What the top league seem o forget is the community engagement these surfaces give clubs. Grounds around the country are filled with kids and other teams playing and training all week and getting a feel for the club they are at. Most of these Premiership grounds are empty from one week to the next. 

[Bairnardo]

1 minute ago, Mr Grimsdale said:

Until there is a fairer distribution of wealth to the lower leagues then this extra income from synthetic pitches will be required. What the top league seem o forget is the community engagement these surfaces give clubs. Grounds around the country are filled with kids and other teams playing and training all week and getting a feel for the club they are at. Most of these Premiership grounds are empty from one week to the next. 

This whole absolutely reeks of the arse cheeks and their media buddies pushing their agenda. At this exact moment in time all clubs involved should be drawing up what it cost to lay their pitch in accordance with the rules at the time, what it would cost replace well within the expected life (imagine we got successive promotions with a 2 year old pitch), and what income we would miss out on, then asking these p***ks how they intent on redressing that balance. 

Until someone can come up with a more coherent argument against them than "the sportsound lads huv never seen a gud gemme oan plastic" they should be told to f**k right off. 

[Springfield]

34 minutes ago, Todd_is_God said:

Of course, the other, more cynical reason is that by forcing any smaller club that has the cheek to be successful on the pitch to spend large sums of money to replace their perfectly good surface there is less chance of them sticking around long enough to send one of the bigger clubs through the trapdoor.

Livingston does spring to mind. With the recent press release about not being able to fund a grass pitch, and coincidentally Kilmarnock a day or so apart saying they’re reverting back to grass next again season, one would wonder if it’s Livis time up with the big boys. Maybe this is just putting 2 + 2 and getting five. After all you would never question the ethics of our top division…….

[HopeStreetWalker]

Watching the Wimbledon v Ramsgate English Cup Game

What a cracking wee stadium New Plough Lane is.

Rows of 20-25 seats wrap round stand with boxes above the main stand with a capacity of 9,000 odd

That was the type of stadium that should have been built at Falkirk instead of Goldies ego trip

 

[Springfield]

6 minutes ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

Watching the Wimbledon v Ramsgate English Cup Game

What a cracking wee stadium New Plough Lane is.

Rows of 20-25 seats wrap round stand with boxes above the main stand with a capacity of 9,000 odd

That was the type of stadium that should have been built at Falkirk instead of Goldies ego trip

 

Not sure about this style of stadium. Probably out on a limb but apart from being a stand short, I think the stadium is starting to feel like home albeit twenty years in the making. Was really worried about the Ultras but what a bloody difference at the home games. 

[RC55 FFC]

Other than the summer recruitment being on point, the ultras are the best thing that’s happened this season (so far).

[HopeStreetWalker]

54 minutes ago, Springfield said:

Not sure about this style of stadium. Probably out on a limb but apart from being a stand short, I think the stadium is starting to feel like home albeit twenty years in the making. Was really worried about the Ultras but what a bloody difference at the home games. 

Final stand a simple 15 - 20 row stand and the simpler cheaper the better.

Hardcore, concrete facing, seats and a roofing job done.