The Falkirk FC Thread

[FFC 1876]

2 minutes ago, Rocco said:

I’ve said it before but I’m not convinced by Mackie. I always thought he was a liability and even on Saturday he showed moments by either giving the ball away in poor positions or going flying into tackles he isn’t going to win. Personally I think we should be looking to get someone in who is better. 
 

I wouldn’t be opposed to him getting a new contract as if McGlynn believes he’s good enough for next season then who am I to argue

Agreed, he has that bombscare moment in him like nearly scoring an OG with the header on Saturday and he also gives the ball away often. He's done well for us filling in at centre back but I wouldn't want to see him there in the championship.

[Springfield]

Mackie I would defo keep unless M&S can replace with a better player. Yes he’s got a scary moment or three but since he’s got his slot, he’s been as consistent and as good as anyone could expect, faultless display at Montrose was as good as I’ve seen him play. 

[JS_FFC]

20 minutes ago, kiddy said:

I know it was all purely circumstantial, & highly unlikely to be replicated, but 5th choice for CH, in the Scottish Third Division? That highlights the strength in this squad, compared to the rest. Don’t think anybody else were afforded that luxury.

It’s worth noting though, that of the first four choices (assuming that either Mackie stays or Hanlon is signed, but not both. In any case they’re both LB/LCB hybrid players), two of them mainly play other positions. If Hendo is needed in midfield and Mackie/Hanlon are needed for left back then suddenly we’re a lot closer to the MacIver CB scenario.

 

The lad Keelan Adams is going to take Bisland’s role in the squad you’d assume. I wonder if he can also play CB? He was described as a right back in the signing announcement.

[ShaggerG]

3 minutes ago, FFC 1876 said:

Agreed, he has that bombscare moment in him like nearly scoring an OG with the header on Saturday and he also gives the ball away often. He's done well for us filling in at centre back but I wouldn't want to see him there in the championship.

I think Mackie's strength lies in the fact that he can 'adequately' cover two positions, which is important when money is tight. On that basis I wouldn't be against him re-signing.

Re the 3 players that we have put offers to, I can't see how one of them can be Tait? He has another year at Hibs, so any offer would need to be to them, not the player and I don't think that they'll be thinking about loaning players out until the season's over and they know who they're going to release and who they want to keep. Also their BOD may not even have decided whether they're going to keep the manager or not.

[tokyo bairn]

1 hour ago, FK1Bairn said:

Just the 13 Saturdays buddy. 

When do the fixtures get released? 

League cup groups earmarked for mid-July. So probably only 10 weeks. Throw in a Euros and it won't be that bad...

https://spfl.co.uk/news/key-dates-for-season-202425

[FFC 1876]

3 minutes ago, ShaggerG said:

I think Mackie's strength lies in the fact that he can 'adequately' cover two positions, which is important when money is tight. On that basis I wouldn't be against him re-signing.

Re the 3 players that we have put offers to, I can't see how one of them can be Tait? He has another year at Hibs, so any offer would need to be to them, not the player and I don't think that they'll be thinking about loaning players out until the season's over and they know who they're going to release and who they want to keep. Also their BOD may not even have decided whether they're going to keep the manager or not.

I have no doubt he's a great squad player and they all seem to love him but adequately covering 2 positions isn't enough in my opinion if we want to keep moving upwards. 

[NavyBlueArmy1876]

Would imagine the 3 contracts will be for Mackie, Ross and Shanley, as we can't offer anything to Tait at the moment (and suspect Hibs will at least wait for the dust to settle on their own season before deciding his future). Hopefully we can get him back though and I reckon we'd be his first choice.

Adams is obviously replacing Bisland and it sounds like we have replacements pretty much arranged for Long (Stone), McKay (Hanlon) and Lawal (McKenna). 

That basically only leaves a new signing for McGinn (and Allan who is still under contract). Maybe we'll run with 1-2 extra senior players in the championship, especially if McGlynn can work his magic in the loan market again. It doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room but I trust the management to get these players right 

Edited May 6 by NavyBlueArmy1876

[JS_FFC]

7 hours ago, NavyBlueArmy1876 said:

Would imagine the 3 contracts will be for Mackie, Ross and Shanley, as we can't offer anything to Tait at the moment (and suspect Hibs will at least wait for the dust to settle on their own season before deciding his future). Hopefully we can get him back though and I reckon we'd be his first choice.

Adams is obviously replacing Bisland and it sounds like we have replacements pretty much arranged for Long (Stone), McKay (Hanlon) and Lawal (McKenna). 

That basically only leaves a new signing for McGinn (and Allan who is still under contract). Maybe we'll run with 1-2 extra senior players in the championship, especially if McGlynn can work his magic in the loan market again. It doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room but I trust the management to get these players right 

How many minutes did McGinn play after Dylan Tait was signed?

 

Feels to me that we basically already replaced McGinn during the season. I think the Tait signing was effectively and admission that his legs were finished.

 

Of course if Tait moves on then another central midfielder will be needed, but with a relatively small squad preferred then I’m not sure if we’d need to replace BOTH Tait and McGinn.

 

Goalkeepers: Nicky Hogarth, (Harry Stone?) [2]

 

Defenders: Finn Yeats, Coll Donaldson, Tom Lang, Leon McCann, Keelan Adams, (Paul Hanlon?), (Sean Mackie?) [7]

 

Midfielders: Brad Spencer, Liam Henderson, Callumn Morrison, Aidan Nesbitt, Calvin Miller, Gary Oliver, Alfredo Agyemang, (Ethan Ross?), (Michael McKenna?) [9]

 

Strikers: Ross MacIver, (Ryan Shanley?) [2]
 

That squad composition feels about right to me if all the players in brackets end up signing. Personally I’d prefer to try and upgrade on Shanley but if McGlynn likes what he’s seen in training then fair enough, he has looked good in parts off the bench. I’m not sure if both Hanlon and Mackie would be signed but if not then I’d try and get one more defender in. 

 

[Gaz]

Was thinking last night about whether I'd swap this season for a cup win and I genuinely couldn't answer.

[kiddy]

53 minutes ago, Gaz said:

Was thinking last night about whether I'd swap this season for a cup win and I genuinely couldn't answer.

A Challenge Cup?

[BrockvilleDel]

2 hours ago, JS_FFC said:

How many minutes did McGinn play after Dylan Tait was signed?

 

Feels to me that we basically already replaced McGinn during the season. I think the Tait signing was effectively and admission that his legs were finished.

 

Of course if Tait moves on then another central midfielder will be needed, but with a relatively small squad preferred then I’m not sure if we’d need to replace BOTH Tait and McGinn.

 

Goalkeepers: Nicky Hogarth, (Harry Stone?) [2]

 

Defenders: Finn Yeats, Coll Donaldson, Tom Lang, Leon McCann, Keelan Adams, (Paul Hanlon?), (Sean Mackie?) [7]

 

Midfielders: Brad Spencer, Liam Henderson, Callumn Morrison, Aidan Nesbitt, Calvin Miller, Gary Oliver, Alfredo Agyemang, (Ethan Ross?), (Michael McKenna?) [9]

 

Strikers: Ross MacIver, (Ryan Shanley?) [2]
 

That squad composition feels about right to me if all the players in brackets end up signing. Personally I’d prefer to try and upgrade on Shanley but if McGlynn likes what he’s seen in training then fair enough, he has looked good in parts off the bench. I’m not sure if both Hanlon and Mackie would be signed but if not then I’d try and get one more defender in. 

 

Remember Allan is still our player unless we give him a deal to go. I doubt anyone will offer money for him.

Shanle hasn’t shown enough to me to warrant a contract for the Chanpionship. He’s a neat player but for me he just isn’t good enough. 
 

 

[JS_FFC]

55 minutes ago, Gaz said:

Was thinking last night about whether I'd swap this season for a cup win and I genuinely couldn't answer.

 

Scottish cup yes. Short of some oligarch billionaire buying our club it’s the best thing we can realistically achieve and those of us my age (35) or older have experienced three agonising near misses, not to mention the semi final choke under Gary Holt and not really turning up against Inverness last season. It would also give us a plum European tie and a one time chance to get in to the Europa league proper. 

 

I don’t think I’d trade this for a league cup win though. No chance. 

[Hughsie]

1 hour ago, Gaz said:

Was thinking last night about whether I'd swap this season for a cup win and I genuinely couldn't answer.

I’d have always said Scottish Cup previously but this season has been so good it’s a tougher choice now. The days we’ve have (Montrose and the weekend there in particular) have been picture postcard stuff. Not sure I would swap them for anything.

On the other hand, imagine what the scenes would be like if we won the Scottish Cup.

Impossible choice.

[JS_FFC]

1 minute ago, BrockvilleDel said:

Remember Allan is still our player unless we give him a deal to go. I doubt anyone will offer money for him.

Shanle hasn’t shown enough to me to warrant a contract for the Chanpionship. He’s a neat player but for me he just isn’t good enough. 
 

 

I don’t think anyone is going to pay money for Allan but I expect one of the following two things to happen:

 

He could be punted out on a season long loan to a L1/L2 club that would take up a portion of his wages and free up some wages from us, and then he leaves when his contract is up this time next year.

 

Or, a deal could be agreed to terminate his contract now. As part of that deal we’d pay up an agreed percentage of the rest of his contract and he’d be free to find a new club.

[bridge of allan bairn]

Nice to be spending more time in the Championship thread now. Clubs in there already turning their attention to the Navy Blue juggernaut. 

Much talk of us in the attendance thread, the Ayr thread (think they'll get us first game of season away), Raith thread (McGlynn) and especially a few pages on the Pars thread (as one might expect).

[LatapyBairn.]

1 hour ago, Gaz said:

Was thinking last night about whether I'd swap this season for a cup win and I genuinely couldn't answer.

Scottish cup I think probably the only trophy that would top this season, it’s the highest profile trophy we realistically have a chance of winning and would allow us to play in a European competition which would be massive. The other two cups don’t come close however. 

[PedroMoutinho]

24 minutes ago, BrockvilleDel said:

Remember Allan is still our player unless we give him a deal to go. I doubt anyone will offer money for him.

Shanle hasn’t shown enough to me to warrant a contract for the Chanpionship. He’s a neat player but for me he just isn’t good enough. 
 

 

Shanley is only 23 and has potential but he’s not shown enough to suggest he would do much in the championship at the moment.

A few have suggested keeping him as back up but he’s not going to develop sitting on our bench or in the stand as 21st man so I don’t see him as particularly suited to that role.

[Shabba]

I suspect that Jordan Allan’s future will depend on where Ian McCall ends up. Allan got 8 goals and 1 assist since signing for a Clyde at the end of January, he obviously has quality but just doesn’t suit our tactics 

Edited May 7 by Shabba

[gav-ffc]

3 minutes ago, Shabba said:

I suspect that Jordan Allan’s future will depend on where Ian McCall ends up. Allan got 8 goals and 1 assist since signing for a Clyde at the end of January, he obviously has quality but just doesn’t suit our tactics 

McCall going to Queens and taking Allan there would be ideal so he can remain full one.

[LatapyBairn.]

55 minutes ago, BrockvilleDel said:

Remember Allan is still our player unless we give him a deal to go. I doubt anyone will offer money for him.

Shanle hasn’t shown enough to me to warrant a contract for the Chanpionship. He’s a neat player but for me he just isn’t good enough. 
 

 

We would not have to give him a deal to go if another full time club came in for him, we’d simply allow him to leave. That situation isn’t that far fetched given his form in the 2nd half of the season for Clyde probably attracted a bit of interest in him, in fact I’d wager if jobby McCall leaves Clyde and ends up at queen of the south as is rumoured it’s very likely Jordon Allan will end up there as well.