The Falkirk FC Thread

[Rugster]

On the piss in Kirkcaldy. I take it aw other Bairns are away down the road?

[BountyBairn]

McKenna and Shanley not able to replace the potency and effectiveness of MacIver. Would rather stick system and put Alfie up top. I’d be shipping the two out if possible. We badly need another CF. 

[BountyBairn]

Ref was brutal though as well tbf. 

[Harry Kinnear]

Just didn’t get going today, we definitely need another option up front if big Ross is going to be out for a while. McKenna and Shanley definitely are not the answer. Thought big Luke Graham had a good solid debut and once Coll and Tom come back, I would be getting Hendo into midfield for his height and strength. Up front for me is the only position where we have no cover.

Not too despondent, been a superb run and the manager and players deserve all the credit in the world, they have given us the best season and a bit following the Bairns ever.

Hopefully the board can find the dosh to let us bring someone else in on loan.

[Tea and Busquets]

Well I hope that ends the debate about MacIver. If we had those injured players available we wouldn’t have lost that. We should have got a least a point, that Tait header was a sitter. The stats must be wrong as their keeper saved right at the death from Miller (?) which was going in. I’ve been very critical of Shanley but he was so much better than McKenna when he came on. Won headers and linked up well. Don’t actually think Nicky had a save to make after the penalty, which he nearly saved. I thought today our decision making in the final third was poor and ultimately cost us. Good thing is they weren’t anything great, Easton aside.

[Disco Duck]

34 wins, 9 draws, 0 losses

114 goals scored, 34 conceded

Pretty good run I’d say! Reckon I was at 27 of them.

Edit - in fact, I wasn’t there today so it’s 27 still unbeaten as far as I’m concerned!

Edited 55 minutes ago by Disco Duck

[Anthony Fitzgerald]

28 minutes ago, PedroMoutinho said:

Ross is one of, if not our most popular, player. I can see why as you can’t fault his effort but I don’t think his end product is of the same quality as our other wingers much of the time.

This is a joke isn’t it? I like Ethan as do most fans but he’s probably not even in any supporters top 5, arguably top 10 most popular players in this squad.

[FFC 1876]

For the love not the glory

[Shodwall cat]

Yes the biggest disappointment really is the run finally ending against a side as poor as Raith are. I'd thought it was going to take a side playing really well to stop us but today was a game we really should never be losing. On the flip I suppose at least we didn't lose to a title rival like Ayr or livi. Win the next two home games and we're looking good.

[Shodwall cat]

14 minutes ago, Anthony Fitzgerald said:

This is a joke isn’t it? I like Ethan as do most fans but he’s probably not even in any supporters top 5, arguably top 10 most popular players in this squad.

 

Morrison and miller got 36 goals between them last season . Ross and Alfie just do not have that kind of return or close to it.  With  Nesbitt 12 and MacIver 18  we were starting today missing players that scored 66 goals last season so it's hardly surprising that we weren't as potent in front of goals today. I like both Ross and Alfie as impact subs in the main or either or having to play when someone's missing but if everyone's fit neither starts for me.

[HopeStreetWalker]

The run had to end sometime and whenever that was it would still be a memorable achievement and those that that witnessed it, its a memory that will never leave them and will be woven into the club's history.

So to the management and to the players past and present that contributed, a big thank-you.

Where we are in the league was always going to be more realistically gauged after we had played everybody once. So after 6 games, 2nd top, 3 points behind, 2 games in hand. If we had been offered that at the start of the season we would have 'yes thank you' and grabbed it.

Injuries, suspensions, loss of form over the season will play a big part for all the teams. The runs over, It's a monkey off our back so onward and upward for the season ahead.

[bairn88]

1 minute ago, Shodwall cat said:

Morrison and miller got 36 goals between them last season . Ross and Alfie just do not have that kind of return or close to it.  With  Nesbitt 12 and MacIver 18  we were starting today missing players that scored 66 goals last season so it's hardly surprising that we weren't as potent in front of goals today. I like both Ross and Alfie as impact subs in the main or either or having to play when someone's missing but if everyone's fit neither starts for me.

Exactly. Our proven front 4 are Maciver, Miller, Nesbitt, Morrison. We couldn’t start any today! We are going to lose games in this league. This squad will go again next week, wouldn’t be surprised if we respond very well at home 

[HonestAl]

38 minutes ago, Harry Kinnear said:

Hopefully the board can find the dosh to let us bring someone else in on loan.

Well, for me there’s no hopefully about it.

An unbudgeted -£450k due from last Sunday (attendance, TV, 1/4 final fund). I recall Jamie Swinney a couple of months ago that all such money would be given to John McGlynn. I know John has talked about extending existing contracts but the loss of MacIver for several weeks is a serious blow.

Think the loan window closes on 30th September……

Bobby Wales warming the Killie bench today. Go on John, you know it makes sense.

[falkirkbairn23]

1 hour ago, Tamtheman said:

Why did we sign Shanley ? The boy is out his depth by a long way.

Thought he done alright today when he came on, won most headers. Offered more in 20 minutes than McKenna all game.

[falkirkbairn23]

The criticism of Hendo giving that penalty is harsh imo. Tait made an arse of it and put us in that position after doing the hard part. Easton isn't exactly the easiest to deal with either, he is some player.

[Raybowski89]

4 minutes ago, falkirkbairn23 said:

The criticism of Hendo giving that penalty is harsh imo. Tait made an arse of it and put us in that position after doing the hard part. Easton isn't exactly the easiest to deal with either, he is some player.

A fair point. Whilst Hendo's challenge was rash, he should never have been in that situation in the first place. That attempted pass by Tait was truly awful. 

[Dade]

16 minutes ago, HonestAl said:

Well, for me there’s no hopefully about it.

An unbudgeted -£450k due from last Sunday (attendance, TV, 1/4 final fund). I recall Jamie Swinney a couple of months ago that all such money would be given to John McGlynn. I know John has talked about extending existing contracts but the loss of MacIver for several weeks is a serious blow.

Think the loan window closes on 30th September……

Bobby Wales warming the Killie bench today. Go on John, you know it makes sense.

Not sure if it will be as much as that. Morton got £200k when they played Celtic in the cup in 2023 with just over 40,000 in attendance so expect we’ll get around that with £100k in prize money and £40k for it being on TV. It also depends what was budgeted for in terms of TV fixtures and if we were expected to get to the last 16.

Ultimately it would be prudent to reserve a lot of that money given previous information about the large gap in finances for maintaining a break even budget. Although we have had a great start and would seem safe to finish above the budgeted position, IMO it is still far too early to gamble with money we may need to balance the books. We just brought in Luke Graham too so he’s likely to be an addition to McGlynn’s transfer budget. 

In terms of contracts, how does it work with contract extensions? Is that not money taken out of future budgets or do they sometimes rip up the current contract and start on improved terms with an extended deal? 

[Hartleys18/19Army]

This is the problem with Tait, brilliant player but he takes risks. Just part of his game and more often than not it works out.