The Falkirk FC Thread

[Silvio Tattiescone]

"Where were you when we were shite?"

[GunnerBairn]

1 hour ago, NavyBlueArmy1876 said:

Just a shame if we are promoted we'll have to prioritise spending a wedge of cash replacing a perfectly good pitch within 12 months 

The finances get interesting if we get promoted. IMO, the funding of the grass pitch becomes 'less' of a concern, as even (at worst) if we were relegated; we could ringfence the substantial league prize money plus relegation parachute payment in to installing one. Effectively using the SPFL's own money to make up for their calamitous decision making.  If we stayed up, the increased league prize money for finishing higher, plus the prospect of at least another season in the Premier, would also boost finances. Maybe throw in our share of the European Football 'solidarity payment' £650K, if Celtic do well in Europe too. In this regard, perhaps the board have a little more wriggle room financially IF we were to go up this season. 

Edited 13 hours ago by GunnerBairn

[Springfield]

55 minutes ago, GunnerBairn said:

The finances get interesting if we get promoted. IMO, the funding of the grass pitch becomes 'less' of a concern, as even (at worst) if we were relegated; we could ringfence the substantial league prize money plus relegation parachute payment in to installing one. Effectively using the SPFL's own money to make up for their calamitous decision making.  If we stayed up, the increased league prize money for finishing higher, plus the prospect of at least another season in the Premier, would also boost finances. Maybe throw in our share of the European Football 'solidarity payment' £650K, if Celtic do well in Europe too. In this regard, perhaps the board have a little more wriggle room financially IF we were to go up this season. 

I’d imagine that should we get up (that’s a huge should) the club would need to redraw all plans. Different planet should we make it. 

[JS_FFC]

Some back of a fag packet maths but I believe the worse case scenario of prize and TV money in the Premiership is about £800k more than the second best case scenario in the championship. Plus an extra £90k for finishing at least 11th. 

Thus, if we go up this season and don’t come straight back down (i.e., a grass pitch becomes necessary) we’d be about £1.7m better off compared to narrowly missing out on promotion twice.

 

Obviously that excludes things like having to spend bigger on the squad to stay up though. 
 

Not sure whether or not that £1.7m would cover the cost of a grass pitch.

[Bairn in Exile]

[GunnerBairn]

22 minutes ago, JS_FFC said:

Not sure whether or not that £1.7m would cover the cost of a grass pitch.

IIRC from reading media and quotes from JS interviews, the approximate cost of installing a grass pitch would be around £1.5M.

[HopeStreetWalker]

43 minutes ago, Springfield said:

I’d imagine that should we get up (that’s a huge should) the club would need to redraw all plans. Different planet should we make it. 

Would have to be a rethink as it would be based on a whole new business model finance wise incoming and outgoing.

If the board are on top of their game they should have the basics on file for finalisation should and its a big should Falkirk be promoted hit the closed season transformation running.

Hopefully with promotion with so many full capacity crowds at TFS will make a 4th stand financially viable. My own choice would be based on the AYR hybrid Terracing, Seating, Hospitality

[Latapy is god]

The AGM is tomorrow.  Perhaps a good time to ask how the club plan to invest in a grass pitch going forward?

[Bairney The Dinosaur]

7 minutes ago, Latapy is god said:

The AGM is tomorrow.  Perhaps a good time to ask how the club plan to invest in a grass pitch going forward?

24th for the AGM.

[Bairnabéu17]

4 hours ago, Shodwall cat said:

Weird I'd have thought it would still be one person per seat but you can stand up. Not sure how it's any safer than terracing if you can put in more people.  

Safe standing isn't about stopping there being more people, it's about stopping how many people are able to push forward before hitting a barrier. If only 3 or 4 people push forward into a barrier it's relatively safe, as opposed to thousands pushing forward without being broken up. If you take away seats you could presumably fit an extra couple of people in each row/section behind each barrier safely.

[Blame Me]

3 hours ago, JS_FFC said:

...I think a lot of the young teenagers whose mates are in the ultras will simply not go at all rather than sit in the main stand. For them the entire point in going is a day out with their pals to make a racket and support the team...

As a KM stand regular who sits in the centre I have zero intention of moving to the main stand.

When I was younger and after we moved to TFS I sat in the main stand behind what was the "home" dugout for many years and have found the KM, even before the Ultras, to be a far better experience and vantage point.

The club have the utilisation data to make an informed decision around how they accommodate and satisfy demand. Cost probably is the least determining factor of why folk are in the KM.

[Harry Kinnear]

Would love to draw the Rangers/Sevco in the cup at TFS, we could take they c***s.

[JS_FFC]

53 minutes ago, Blame Me said:

As a KM stand regular who sits in the centre I have zero intention of moving to the main stand.

When I was younger and after we moved to TFS I sat in the main stand behind what was the "home" dugout for many years and have found the KM, even before the Ultras, to be a far better experience and vantage point.

The club have the utilisation data to make an informed decision around how they accommodate and satisfy demand. Cost probably is the least determining factor of why folk are in the KM.

Nothing wrong with that. No one can or should be forced to move. Anyone who’s been in the KM for years will of course have their seat until they choose not to.

 

However, I don’t see an issue with the club gently encouraging/incentivising some who aren’t interested in the ultra stuff to go to the main stand. If they say no, then so be it. But I don’t see why the club shouldn’t at least try to make some room for the next generation of the ultras. 

[BPM]

2 hours ago, Springfield said:

I’d imagine that should we get up (that’s a huge should) the club would need to redraw all plans. Different planet should we make it. 

How is it a huge should? The reality is there is a 50/50 chance now as it will be us or Livingston who win this league. Even if we were not to win it the playoffs are another opportunity. Every team below will keep beating each other or drawing as has happened so far. 
IMO the Board need to seriously start thinking about it. 

[BPM]

17 minutes ago, Harry Kinnear said:

Would love to draw the Rangers/Sevco in the cup at TFS, we could take they c***s.

I watched a bit of that game and Kilmarnock are a horrible watch. I hate it Everytime I see the bib and cone manager we had who helped to nearly destroy our club pointing at his clipboard on the Kilmarnock bench and still making a living from football. 

[Harry Kinnear]

13 minutes ago, BPM said:

I watched a bit of that game and Kilmarnock are a horrible watch. I hate it Everytime I see the bib and cone manager we had who helped to nearly destroy our club pointing at his clipboard on the Kilmarnock bench and still making a living from football. 

They were both a horrible watch. Hopefully in a years time we will be on here, after 10 premiership games, saying that we’ve not seen anything to worry us in the league as us and Celtic are battling for the title

Edited 9 hours ago by Harry Kinnear

[Bairn in Exile]

2 hours ago, Bairn in Exile said:

 

[HopeStreetWalker]

If Falkirk get promoted the completion of TFS comes back on the agenda as financially viable.

Ayr built their Hybrid Terracing, Seating, Hospitality, Disabled stand with a 748 capacity for £2 million.

If Falkirk were to build say 1,200  1,500 version the price should be ball park £2.5 million

The Boards beancounters have to sit down and do some serious thinking.

Could the terracing be the natural home for the Ultra's after all they do very little sitting anyway. It would solve the contentious KMS empty seat issue being discussed. Accommodate more season ticket holders while providing increased stadium capacity for visiting fans.

On visiting fans if! big if" we're promoted I would like to see Falkirk match the capacity of the stadium for visiting fans on the same % basis Falkirk fans are allocated when they visit away grounds.

For example if Celtic give 2.5% of their grounds capacity to Falkirk, Falkirk do likewise when Celtic visit TFS, they would be in no position to complain about allocations.

Thats fair.

[bridge of allan bairn]

Sorting through some old FFC programmes in the loft this morning and a couple of things struck me...

1. How many games were cancelled in the winter at brockville due to a waterlogged or frozen pitch. Say what you like about plastic pitches we really don't lose as many games to the weather.

2. How well the crowds have held up and exceeded in the past 30-40 years. If anything they are up on a like for like basis eg playing Ayr in the second tier of Scottish football 

3. One of my favourite photos in an old programme. Some younger fans may not be aware Dalglish and Souness playing in a Falkirk strip at brockville for a Falkirk select in the Andy nicol testimonial game 

[GMBairn]

4 minutes ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

If Falkirk get promoted the completion of TFS comes back on the agenda as financially viable.

Ayr built their Hybrid Terracing, Seating, Hospitality, Disabled stand with a 748 capacity for £2 million.

If Falkirk were to build say 1,200  1,500 version the price should be ball park £2.5 million

The Boards beancounters have to sit down and do some serious thinking.

Could the terracing be the natural home for the Ultra's after all they do very little sitting anyway. It would solve the contentious KMS empty seat issue being discussed. Accommodate more season ticket holders while providing increased stadium capacity for visiting fans.

On visiting fans if! big if" we're promoted I would like to see Falkirk match the capacity of the stadium for visiting fans on the same % basis Falkirk fans are allocated when they visit away grounds.

For example if Celtic give 2.5% of their grounds capacity to Falkirk, Falkirk do likewise when Celtic visit TFS, they would be in no position to complain about allocations.

Thats fair.

Worth remembering that the ayr terracing already existed they just expanded into it so a totally new construction would be more expensive.