The Falkirk FC Thread

[Springfield]

3 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.

With respect we’ve got a localish MP that’s under a fair bit of pressure getting caught claiming expenses watching his favourite “tic”. Wouldn’t trust any of them. Corrupt from top to bottom. Remember COVID and the championship teams getting 0.5M payout ?

[Shodwall cat]

2 minutes ago, Springfield said:

With respect we’ve got a localish MP that’s under a fair bit of pressure getting caught claiming expenses watching his favourite “tic”. Wouldn’t trust any of them. Corrupt from top to bottom. Remember COVID and the championship teams getting 0.5M payout ?

He's an msp mind you not sure they would have any influence on a UK govt grant.

[Bairnardo]

@Div having a shocker? Well I never....

 

"And that surface is grass" is the distilled, bottled, and sold to the masses essence of stupidity that their argument is based on. 

 

It is essentially, " I have a personal preference, based on a snapshot of perfect grass surface, and so regardless of ALL other factors, no one else can have anything else."

Once again, it's snobbery, blended with utter ignorance and stupidity. 

Old. Firm. Boot. Licker. 

Edited May 28 by Bairnardo

[BPM]

6 hours ago, North West said:

Plastic seats, plastic crowd, plastic pitch, what's the difference, its all plastic at Falkirk FC anyway.

A bit like your big sisters tits 

[AL-FFC]

The other thing about it is other than Hibs/Heart and the arsecheeks games the end of the day that's the only interest anyone would have in the league from outside Scotland pretty much, if anything you have a 50/50 shot of calling who the winner of the league and no relegation it hardly a competitive league.

Any other televised game would be the equivalent of a token gesture out of guilt.

[Grangemouth Bairn]

40 minutes ago, BPM said:

A bit like your big sisters tits 

He prefers it when you refer to her as his wife.

[bairn88]

Statement by Cumbernauld questioning the integrity of the SPFL after Lowland League clubs invited to the Trust Trophy with no indication as to why. Not fit for purpose. 

[scottsdad]

It has been pissing rain non stop since October. Everything is sodden even now, at the end of May.

We have seen games on grass get cancelled over and over again. Top flight games cancelled at very short notice. 

In ideal conditions @Div might have a point about watching games. But we play through the wet months in Scotland. Add to that for smaller clubs, having an artificial pitch can be used to generate revenue. Scottish football is not awash with cash. 

Forcing smaller clubs to shell out huge sums replacing perfectly good pitches for grass is lunacy in the context of the Scottish game. It is just penalising clubs based on...what exactly? 

Context is key. Those pushing for the ban don't see the big picture.

[Bairnardo]

5 minutes ago, scottsdad said:

It has been pissing rain non stop since October. Everything is sodden even now, at the end of May.

We have seen games on grass get cancelled over and over again. Top flight games cancelled at very short notice. 

In ideal conditions @Div might have a point about watching games. But we play through the wet months in Scotland. Add to that for smaller clubs, having an artificial pitch can be used to generate revenue. Scottish football is not awash with cash. 

Forcing smaller clubs to shell out huge sums replacing perfectly good pitches for grass is lunacy in the context of the Scottish game. It is just penalising clubs based on...what exactly? 

Context is key. Those pushing for the ban don't see the big picture.

You are giving them too much credit. The binary choice here is that they are wilfully sticking their fingers in their ears and refusing point blank to hear anything other than their own opinion. 

OR..... they are fully aware of the big picture, but just don't give a f**k about anyone else except their own club. 

The reason why we have anyone in the first camp, is because the more credible sounding reasons for binning artifical pitches, "BUT THEY CAUSE INJURIES" has been thoroughly debunked by scientists/experts/people who know much more than the Sportsound clowns and arse cheek client media who have belt fed those in camp 1 their opinions. 

This is an argument about aesthetics and personal preference, and for anyone to so fucking arrogant as to believe their personal preference should carry this much weight is a genuinely quite amazing indictment of... Well quite a lot of people. Divs posting could almost be a satirical take of how ridiculous the whole thing is. Very much "funny if it wasn't a serious attempt a point"

[Springfield]

2 hours ago, Senator Frimpton said:

This makes my eyes vomit

ICT will have a similar set up across at Kelty 

[NavyBlueArmy1876]

Div has always been a w****r tbf 

[GunnerBairn]

11 hours ago, HIT THE CHANNEL said:

Hi folks, I am following up on the idea that I floated in various threads to write to local representatives to try and prevent the ban on artificial pitches in Scottish Premiership. 

If you read the Consultation paper, it is crystal clear that the ban is unfair and regressive - the recommendations for ensuring quality artificial pitches are sound.

Numbers and momentum is everything, so please, please do email (if you have 5 minutes for reading nonsense on P&B you have 2 mins to send two emails!). I recommend sending two emails, one to your MSP and one to your councillor/council lead.

I have created a draft email to copy and paste. I have also included instructions for who to email for rovers fans in Kirkcaldy (perhaps some kind soul could do similar for their own team in Airdrie/Falkirk/Dumfries/Hamilton/Cove respectively. I have left the Rovers version below as a template). I also have included how to find who to email. Thanks folks!

 

EMAIL SUBJECT LINE: RE: Potential ban of artificial surfaces in the Scottish Premiership

 

Dear NAME OF MSP/COUNCILLOR,

 

Purpose of writing

I am writing to raise concerns about the potential ban of artificial surfaces in the Scottish Premiership. There is a proposed vote taking place in the coming weeks. This vote will only be open to current Premiership clubs with the vote being for a blanket ban of artificial surfaces from season 2026/27.

 

Facts of the case

I would like to draw your attention to this joint statement provided by several clubs who presently have artificial surfaces (Raith Rovers, Falkirk, Queen of the South and Hamilton Academical), and especially to the detailed position paper which sets out a series of arguments and recommendations to allow artificial surfaces to continue to be used. The joint statement is here: https://www.raithrovers.net/artificial-pitch-statement; the consultation paper is here (created by the four aforementioned clubs alongside Airdrieonians and Cove Rangers): https://online.publuu.com/516411/1157872

 

Key points: Artificial surfaces are permitted at the very pinnacle of the game, being used in Champions League fixtures. There is therefore no good argument for banning them with regards to quality. Banning artificial surfaces would have a deleterious effect on sporting integrity and, most importantly, have a devastating impact on various clubs’ capacity to act as a sustainable community hub, providing a basis for boys, girls and women’s football to thrive.

 

Request

I would like to request:

a) Public support of the consultation paper and to advocate that a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

b) That this issue is raised with appropriate senior ministers with the request to support the consultation paper and to advocate that a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

c) Raising the issue directly with the SPFL, the Scottish football governing body, to advocate that the consultation paper’s recommendations be accepted and a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

 

Yours Sincerely,

YOUR FULL NAME:

YOUR HOME ADDRESS:

 

 

Find your MSP here: https://www.parliament.scot/msps; find your local councillor here: https://www.gov.uk/find-your-local-councillors

For Rovers fans in Kirkcaldy I recommend contacting a) David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy here: David.Torrance.msp@parliament.scot and b) Cllr. David Ross, who is leader of Fife Council and represents Kirkcaldy North, here: cllr.david.ross@fife.gov.uk For Rovers fans, here is the link to Fife councillors:  https://www.fife.gov.uk/kb/docs/articles/about-your-council2/politicians-and-committees/your-local-councillors/councillor;

Done and thanks.

Below link is the FSS request for same, including a list of local Falkirk councillors / MPs / MSPs to contact. Good luck.

https://falkirksupporters.org/artificial-surface-vote-lobbying/

Edited May 28 by GunnerBairn

[camer0n_mcd]

10 hours ago, StuartA said:

I get the feeling we’re going to have to suck this up. Many football fans will take a reactionary view and not think through the issues, just say “grass is good”. 

. Don't think St Mirren will be the only one's to do this. If Motherwell put it to the 'well society I'd suspect a similar outcome. This is an issue much more complex than "grass good, astro bad", however the majority still seem to be hitting out with the "I've never seen a good game on astro" patter.

[Anthony Fitzgerald]

This whole situation is thoroughly depressing isn’t it.

[Bairn in Exile]

8 minutes ago, Anthony Fitzgerald said:

This whole situation is thoroughly depressing isn’t it.

[Coventry Saint]

12 hours ago, bairn88 said:

Just shows you even reasonable people’s minds can be bent and twisted into arguing for something just because their own club supported it.

Quite.

[Bairnardo]

18 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

Quite.

I don't think it really works the other way round does it? Not when most if not all of us recognise that the best surface for football is high quality grass. 

Where it falls down for the other side is thats where they stop. They stop there because everything further is arrogance, and an insistence that your own opinion of what looks good should supercede what's good for clubs and communities up and down the pyramid. 

It's such a weird hill to die on, because although you are dead right if you think good grass is better, you can't argue for a actual ban of artificial without coming across as arrogant and a bit thick

[Coventry Saint]

2 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

I don't think it really works the other way round does it? Not when most if not all of us recognise that the best surface for football is high quality grass. 

Where it falls down for the other side is thats where they stop. They stop there because everything further is arrogance, and an insistence that your own opinion of what looks good should supercede what's good for clubs and communities up and down the pyramid. 

It's such a weird hill to die on, because although you are dead right if you think good grass is better, you can't argue for a actual ban of artificial without coming across as arrogant and a bit thick

Fair, though I think it does work the other way around because you've got a lot of people rabidly defending plastic pitches because their club has one. A lot of the same people banging on about postponements as if Livi haven't had as many if not more games called off than us over the past few years.

FWIW, I'm not in favour of the outright ban. As the fan of a club that was made to upgrade its stadium to meet spl rules while other teams splurged on expensive players instead, I'd rather the league system was a true meritocracy.

[Shodwall cat]

How many times did we hear the old well our teams had to fork out a fortune on a 10k all seater stadium so yours should have to too from st mirren , Raith , Motherwell fans etc even though the whole thing was frankly completely ludicrous. It's one of the reasons why Scottish football  is in the state it's in these days. Clubs of a similar size instead of banding together suddenly become a completely different entity entirely after a few years of hanging off the coat tails of the old firm.  The fact that it's now fan owned clubs that are shafting other fan owned clubs tells you everything you need to know. It would be the same two faced tossers involved that will come along to your club and tell you what a great idea fan ownership is and how it's the way forward  and if you need any help to get there just give us a call . Meanwhile we'll do everything to make sure you don't get anywhere near where we've got to. 

Edited May 29 by Shodwall cat

[Bairnardo]

6 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

Fair, though I think it does work the other way around because you've got a lot of people rabidly defending plastic pitches because their club has one. A lot of the same people banging on about postponements as if Livi haven't had as many if not more games called off than us over the past few years.

FWIW, I'm not in favour of the outright ban. As the fan of a club that was made to upgrade its stadium to meet spl rules while other teams splurged on expensive players instead, I'd rather the league system was a true meritocracy.

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.