The Falkirk FC Thread

[Blame Me]

1 hour ago, Bairnardo said:

There's no one rabidly defending them. People are rabidly defending the right to have them assuming they meet the correct standards of footballs governing bodies, and the right to not be dictated to based on opinions of a small and (relatively speaking) rich few, based on nothing but aesthetic preference. If you think you can mount a decent argument from that platform fair play. I don't agree. You can mount a decent argument that grass is preferable. But from there, you then move to something else, which can't IMO be defended by any person with any capacity for critical thought.  

Completely agree. 

If you can, look at the Hibernian's groundsman SM on X (Stevie Thomas) - He details the power of work and resources that clearly go into creating and maintaining the standard of surface that you'd think is being expected by the 12.

He is honest enough to show the challenges - sunlight; cutting schedules; moisture; disease - and some of the kit employed - heat and LED lamps; aerators; various cutting equipment; and even AI!  

Then factor in that they rip it up at the end of the season and do it all over again!

As you say, everyone will suggest grass is preferable but not realise the ongoing scale of costs to get from where the ER pitch was a few years ago (which would be classed as acceptable compared to some) to where it is now. 

We are all aware from last season at Bonnyrigg that "grass" variance can be massive when you compare the full-time/cost of maintenance outlined above versus a 10-hr commitment over a week as I've seen elsewhere.

I appreciate that the proposal is not about comparing L2 and Premier pitches but astro or grass the context behind why clubs end up with the surfaces they do is key. Asking fans a purely binary grass vs. astro question ignores all of that.

 

[Ned Nederlander]

2 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

The Caley stand was built in 1993 and that was before the rule but a direct response to the Taylor Report. 

I guess that's the particular bit I'm recalling ta.

[Lex]

10 minutes ago, Baggio said:

Our stadium situation has been living rent free in St Mirren fan's brains for 20 years. We shouldn't be surprised by this vote. 

I bet if you asked 100 St Mirren fans what surface Falkirk play on you’d be lucky if 10 knew. Personally, I found out this morning when it came up on our thread. Why would we know, or care?

The idea that the SMISA vote had anything to do with some historical grudge against Falkirk is as bizarre as it is entertaining. You weren’t even a consideration. 

[Buddie Holly]

the vote was against having artificial pitches and not a vote against falkirk 

[Springfield]

17 hours ago, Shodwall cat said:

As I said should possibly be contacting local MPs too as it's a UK govt grant that paid towards the new pitch I think.

Family member asking if shop was busy (limited top) on line vanished at 09.35

[Coventry Saint]

3 minutes ago, Buddie Holly said:

the vote was against having artificial pitches and not a vote against falkirk 

It's a two birds/one stone scenario.

 

 

 

(Kidding, kidding...)

[Baggio]

I actually don't care.

I am interested in how the choice was presented though, was there any nuance, any discussion or was it a simple binary choice yes or no with zero evidence presented for either case? If there are pitch standards in place already, maybe they should be higher? The "elite" label in Scotland is ridiculous when rules get made up as they go along, why is it ok for "elite" professional women's teams to play on these terrible surfaces? 

Ultimately I'm a bit too old and jaded to get riled up about this, the power in this country lies with 2 clubs and in 10 years time it will be something else they want to change. 

[Harry Kinnear]

2 minutes ago, Baggio said:

I actually don't care.

I am interested in how the choice was presented though, was there any nuance, any discussion or was it a simple binary choice yes or no with zero evidence presented for either case? If there are pitch standards in place already, maybe they should be higher? The "elite" label in Scotland is ridiculous when rules get made up as they go along, why is it ok for "elite" professional women's teams to play on these terrible surfaces? 

Ultimately I'm a bit too old and jaded to get riled up about this, the power in this country lies with 2 clubs and in 10 years time it will be something else they want to change. 

Good post and so true, these two clubs will always run Scottish Football and they can basically do what they like.

[Ranaldo Bairn]

Of course it's not a vote to get it right up the Falkirk, it's just classic da patter in the form of a vote.

Less injuries?

Massive benefits to community initiatives and physical/mental health of local people?

A financial benefit to clubs, rather than having the negative of paying for somewhere else to train, or ruin your own pitch?

Already held to stringent standards and suitable for UEFA matches up to the semis?

NAh, HAuF n a hAuF BoAbBy, an HuV yE ivVeR SeEn a GuID gaMe OaN AStrO, eH?

[Arch Stanton]

1 hour ago, Shodwall cat said:

 yet noone seems to bother about these sums of money being wasted.

 

[SouthStander1876]

Ive seen Falkirk be absolutely horrendous on Astro, Ive also seen us play brilliantly on astro. Same goes for on grass. The excuse saying theres no good games on astro is just an excuse when teams lose on astro.

[Shodwall cat]

1 hour ago, Buddie Holly said:

the vote was against having artificial pitches and not a vote against falkirk 

Vote was to prevent other clubs getting access to the cosy cartel that is the top 12 just like the 10k seats rule. No other reason for it stands up to any decent scrutiny at all. 

[Shodwall cat]

27 minutes ago, SouthStander1876 said:

Ive seen Falkirk be absolutely horrendous on Astro, Ive also seen us play brilliantly on astro. Same goes for on grass. The excuse saying theres no good games on astro is just an excuse when teams lose on astro.

The worst surface we played on this season was grass by a country mile and that includes the fact that a number of the artificials in league one aren't of the best quality.

[Buddie Holly]

4 minutes ago, Shodwall cat said:

Vote was to prevent other clubs getting access to the cosy cartel that is the top 12 just like the 10k seats rule. No other reason for it stands up to any decent scrutiny at all. 

i will repeat the vote was not against falkirk

talk about greeting bairns!!!

[Grangemouth Bairn]

11 minutes ago, Shodwall cat said:

The worst surface we played on this season was grass by a country mile and that includes the fact that a number of the artificials in league one aren't of the best quality.

Surely the worst pitch in Scotland is Dundee’s grass pitch in the top flight.

Dundee chose to invest in their squad rather than improve their pitch which resulted in a top 6 finish.

You honestly could not make this up .

[Shodwall cat]

28 minutes ago, Buddie Holly said:

i will repeat the vote was not against falkirk

talk about greeting bairns!!!

Your right it was against every club that has an artificial pitch thus restricting the number of teams that can gain promotion without spending a fortune ripping up and replacing the pitch to get there. As I said no other reason stands up to any decent scrutiny whatsoever. 

[ZingaliMan]

14 minutes ago, Grangemouth Bairn said:

Surely the worst pitch in Scotland is Dundee’s grass pitch in the top flight.

Dundee chose to invest in their squad rather than improve their pitch which resulted in a top 6 finish.

You honestly could not make this up .

They laid off their groundsman to cut costs  are also heavily in debt again by millions of. They have invested large sums into the squad. A club who has went into administration twice is a huge risk. As for grass it costs thousands a year to maintain. St mirren's pitch currently being laid is £130,000 then maintenance costs above that. That could be two to three decent signings. Each to their own grass for me .  

[bridge of allan bairn]

Fewer than 150 season tickets left in the south stand. If folks want to sit there this season they'll need a season ticket....and probably before this weekend 

Edited May 29 by bridge of allan bairn

[Shodwall cat]

7 minutes ago, ZingaliMan said:

They laid off their groundsman to cut costs  are also heavily in debt again by millions of. They have invested large sums into the squad. A club who has went into administration twice is a huge risk. As for grass it costs thousands a year to maintain. St mirren's pitch currently being laid is £130,000 then maintenance costs above that. That could be two to three decent signings. Each to their own grass for me .  

St mirren have separate training facilities though which is a must for any full time side wanting to play on grass. You can't train on it 5 days a week and play every other Saturday. It's fine if you have an owner like Kilmarnock willing to stump up millions to build a purpose built new training site but few clubs are that fortunate. If it wasn't for that Killie would be sticking to artificial that's clear.

 

[Hampden Roar]

2 minutes ago, bridge of allan bairn said:

Fewer than 150 season tickets left in the south stand. If folks want to sit there this season they'll need a season ticket....and probably before this weekend 

I always thought they kept half the capacity non seasons per SA’s wishes so people could “walk up” like Brockville has that changed or is it still the case?