The Falkirk FC Thread

[Anthony Fitzgerald]

Can't be arsed going back to quote it but loving Shadwells comment of he should have reached his potential at 22, absolute belter. It's all downhill from here Alex you'll never get better than this...

[TheScarf]

I mind Chic Pearson breaking his leg against us at Brockville one time.  Dr Deucher was playing that day too.  We were housed in the terracing in the main stand down the far end.

Possibly the end of 2000-2001 season?

Edit - found the stats; May 2001

https://www.11v11.com/matches/falkirk-v-inverness-caledonian-thistle-05-may-2001-7073/

Edited June 20, 2017 by TheScarf

[Jimmy85]

[Shadwell Dog]

7 minutes ago, Trump said:

Can't be arsed going back to quote it but loving Shadwells comment of he should have reached his potential at 22, absolute belter. It's all downhill from here Alex you'll never get better than this...

Christ you only have to look at our side over the past few seasons when we had boys of 16 starting in the side every week. Harris has played less than 100 games despite having been on a pro for what 5 or 6 years. By the age of 22 the majority of players are set in their ways and its a lot more difficult to coach them to play differently and therefore to coach out their bad habits etc. Lets face it if Hibs had felt he was still going to improve vastly they wouldn't have freed him.Whilst he showed promise at 17 he's gone only one way since then and that's backwards.  We can only hope that getting punted by Hibs has given him a massive kick up the rear  because we're the best he's going to get at the moment and if he fails with us its the seaside leagues for him next.  The fact that he's a confidence player who shites out of tackles worries me most. Where's the power, physicality and pace Houston said we needed way back after the killie game?

[Ranaldo Bairn]

27 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

I mind Chic Pearson breaking his leg against us at Brockville one time.  Dr Deucher was playing that day too.  We were housed in the terracing in the main stand down the far end.

Possibly the end of 2000-2001 season?

Edit - found the stats; May 2001

https://www.11v11.com/matches/falkirk-v-inverness-caledonian-thistle-05-may-2001-7073/

That was his career finished.

[NavyBlueArmy1876]

4 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Heres a different outlook.

Alex Harris signing allows someone to play in their natural position on the right.

It also prevents us having to shoehorn either Joe McKee who looks like a player and will be better after a pre season, or James Craigen, easily the most improved player of the season and standout performer in the playoffs into that position. This simultaneously strengthens the right and centre of our midfield through one signing.

Horses for courses here. We didnt need to bust the budget for a right winger and if lack of options was an issue then we absolutely done the correct thimg by ensuring we at least got one in who knows how to play the position. We got second playing like the equivalent of a one armed boxer for most of the season. Harris will absolutely improve our team.

I also believe that his potential is enough to make it worthwhile and I will point to Leahy, Hippolyte and Craigen most recently as evidence of Houstons ability to get players to step on their game.

Top post. Would greenie twice if I could 

[roman_bairn]

Lest try a change the mood around here for a few moments. From the Club website:

Falkirk FC, in conjunction with the four other clubs drawn in Group A of the Betfred Cup, are pleased to confirm heavily reduced prices for all group stage matches.

In a uniformed approach to the fixtures all five clubs have agreed that Adults will be charged £10, Concessions £5 and Under 16’s FREE for all matches in the group.

The concession rate will be applicable to Under 18’s, Over 65’s and Students with a valid matriculation card.

As it stands, the opening group fixture on Saturday 15th July against Stirling Albion at The Falkirk Stadium will be the first chance for fans to see the Bairns in action in Scotland.

Group Stage matches are as follows:

Falkirk v Stirling Albion, Saturday 15th July, The Falkirk Stadium, 3:00pm – £10 Adults, £5 Concessions, FREE Under 16’s

Inverness CT v Falkirk, Saturday 22nd July, Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, 3:00pm – £10 Adults, £5 Concessions, FREE Under 16’s

Falkirk v Forfar Athletic, Tuesday 25th July, The Falkirk Stadium, 7:45pm – £10 Adults, £5 Concessions, FREE Under 16’s

Brechin City v Falkirk, Saturday 29th July, Glebe Park, 3:00pm – £10 Adults, £5 Concessions, FREE Under 16’s

[Shadwell Dog]

17 minutes ago, NavyBlueArmy1876 said:

Top post. Would greenie twice if I could 

We signed Lewis kidd to stop us having to play Muirhead at right back and look how thats turned out. There's no guarantee that he'll be better than Craigen or Mckee there. Mckee especially for me played pretty well in the play offs at right mid so Harris will need to perform better than that to get a game in my book. Plus we have 4 centre mids fighting it out for two places, I cant see Mckee and Craigen playing together so its one of them and either taiwo or kerr as the sitting midfielder. Your then left with the other one who I'd rather see on the pitch than Harris to be honest.

I would agree that Leahy has improved under Houston but has Hippo ? Houston still seems averse to playing him at times and Craigen only came on to a real game when Houston eventually gave him a good run at centre mid when the season was virtually finished. 

Edited June 20, 2017 by Shadwell Dog

[roman_bairn]

We signed Lewis kidd to stop us having to play Muirhead at right back and look how thats turned out. There's no guarantee that he'll be better than Craigen or Mckee there. Mckee especially for me played pretty well in the play offs at right mid so Harris will need to perform better than that to get a game in my book. Plus we have 4 centre mids fighting it out for two places, I cant see Mckee and Craigen playing together so its one of them and either taiwo or kerr as the sitting midfielder. Your then left with the other one who I'd rather see on the pitch than Harris to be honest.
I would agree that Leahy has improved under Houston but has Hippo ? Houston still seems averse to playing him at times and Craigen only came on to a real game when Houston eventually gave him a good run at centre mid when the season was virtually finished. 

When he's good, he's good, but I think Hippo has often drifted out of games so it's hardly surprising if he's not an automatic pick each week.

Agreed on Craigen needing the run though.

[The Grass Is Greener.]

53 minutes ago, Jimmy85 said:

Roman

[roman_bairn]

Roman

Ta. [emoji16]

[Anthony Fitzgerald]

Christ you only have to look at our side over the past few seasons when we had boys of 16 starting in the side every week. Harris has played less than 100 games despite having been on a pro for what 5 or 6 years. By the age of 22 the majority of players are set in their ways and its a lot more difficult to coach them to play differently and therefore to coach out their bad habits etc. Lets face it if Hibs had felt he was still going to improve vastly they wouldn't have freed him.Whilst he showed promise at 17 he's gone only one way since then and that's backwards.  We can only hope that getting punted by Hibs has given him a massive kick up the rear  because we're the best he's going to get at the moment and if he fails with us its the seaside leagues for him next.  The fact that he's a confidence player who shites out of tackles worries me most. Where's the power, physicality and pace Houston said we needed way back after the killie game?

Not everyone starts their career in the first team at 16. Nathan Austin was playing boys club level at that age. He is 22, certainly hasn't peaked. An extreme example but according to your theory, Jamie Vardy would never have made it into an a premier league winner and England international. He was floating around non league and improved once he aged. I'm not saying Harris will be an excellent signing, a Scotland international or a premier league winner, but to write him off cause of his age is silly.

Heres a different outlook.

Alex Harris signing allows someone to play in their natural position on the right.

It also prevents us having to shoehorn either Joe McKee who looks like a player and will be better after a pre season, or James Craigen, easily the most improved player of the season and standout performer in the playoffs into that position. This simultaneously strengthens the right and centre of our midfield through one signing.

Horses for courses here. We didnt need to bust the budget for a right winger and if lack of options was an issue then we absolutely done the correct thimg by ensuring we at least got one in who knows how to play the position. We got second playing like the equivalent of a one armed boxer for most of the season. Harris will absolutely improve our team.

I also believe that his potential is enough to make it worthwhile and I will point to Leahy, Hippolyte and Craigen most recently as evidence of Houstons ability to get players to step on their game.

Voice of reason once again.

[PipoIsABairn]

27 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Heres a different outlook.

Alex Harris signing allows someone to play in their natural position on the right.

It also prevents us having to shoehorn either Joe McKee who looks like a player and will be better after a pre season, or James Craigen, easily the most improved player of the season and standout performer in the playoffs into that position. This simultaneously strengthens the right and centre of our midfield through one signing.

Horses for courses here. We didnt need to bust the budget for a right winger and if lack of options was an issue then we absolutely done the correct thimg by ensuring we at least got one in who knows how to play the position. We got second playing like the equivalent of a one armed boxer for most of the season. Harris will absolutely improve our team.

I also believe that his potential is enough to make it worthwhile and I will point to Leahy, Hippolyte and Craigen most recently as evidence of Houstons ability to get players to step on their game.

He's also gotten Austin from a league one regular to first choice striker for a team finishing second in the Championship. Granted I think he could have thrown him into the team earlier but you can't argue with the end product. Houston makes, what look to me, bonkers decisions in games but we seem to pull through it. Harris might turn out to be nothing more than a bench-warmer but at least he's not likely to get pictured in a Rangers bar singing, at best, questionable songs.

[Shadwell Dog]

9 minutes ago, Trump said:

 

Not everyone starts their career in the first team at 16. Nathan Austin was playing boys club level at that age. He is 22, certainly hasn't peaked. An extreme example but according to your theory, Jamie Vardy would never have made it into an a premier league winner and England international. He was floating around non league and improved once he aged. I'm not saying Harris will be an excellent signing, a Scotland international or a premier league winner, but to write him off cause of his age is silly.


Voice of reason once again.

 

Vardy at a similar age to harris was scoring 27 goals in a season for Halifax town. He was at least showing promise . All we've got for harris is a decent second half performance in a cup final we bottled big time. Again Austin scored a barrowload of goals for east fife before we signed him.  He had something about him.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Shadwell Dog

[Anthony Fitzgerald]

Vardy at a similar age to harris was scoring 27 goals in a season for Halifax town. He was at least showing promise . All we've got for harris is a decent second half performance in a cup final we bottled big time.

Okay so ignore the Austin, more realistic comment. Nobody is enthralled by this signing, you're not the only one underwhelmed by it. But under Houston, when have we ever made that type of signing. The way he sets the team up is functional, it's not star studded but what team is at our level.

The more I think about it, the more I believe it's a similar model to when Partick Thistle won promotion a few years back. Doolan and Erskine aside (who they both picked up from the juniors) it was a team made up of players who were deemed not good enough by other clubs. Sean Welsh released by Hibs deemed not good enough in the middle of the park. Stevie Lawless deemed not good enough by Motherwell. Conrad Balatoni deemed not good enough by Hearts. Players in their early twenties trying to prove their worth after getting early knock backs in their careers.

I'm sure our average age has been mentioned on here before, around 24? Including Kerr and Miller.

After losing Vaulks and Alston last year it was a massive blow to replace them in terms of how we play. This year i don't see the same loss, even if Sibbs does leave. Get back to how we were two seasons ago, hard to beat, but efficient going forward, and we have a good chance of getting what we want.

[Shadwell Dog]

2 minutes ago, Trump said:

Okay so ignore the Austin, more realistic comment. Nobody is enthralled by this signing, you're not the only one underwhelmed by it. But under Houston, when have we ever made that type of signing. The way he sets the team up is functional, it's not star studded but what team is at our level.

The more I think about it, the more I believe it's a similar model to when Partick Thistle won promotion a few years back. Doolan and Erskine aside (who they both picked up from the juniors) it was a team made up of players who were deemed not good enough by other clubs. Sean Welsh released by Hibs deemed not good enough in the middle of the park. Stevie Lawless deemed not good enough by Motherwell. Conrad Balatoni deemed not good enough by Hearts. Players in their early twenties trying to prove their worth after getting early knock backs in their careers.

I'm sure our average age has been mentioned on here before, around 24? Including Kerr and Miller.

After losing Vaulks and Alston last year it was a massive blow to replace them in terms of how we play. This year i don't see the same loss, even if Sibbs does leave. Get back to how we were two seasons ago, hard to beat, but efficient going forward, and we have a good chance of getting what we want.

See to me though if its not worked for the last seven seasons then why should it suddenly work now?Surely we have to change our outlook or we're going to be stuck down here for another 7. If Houston won't change then we need to think long and hard over whether he's the man for the job.  What was it Einstein said 'Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results'. To me thats us at the moment
 

[Anthony Fitzgerald]

See to me though if its not worked for the last seven seasons then why should it suddenly work now?Surely we have to change our outlook or we're going to be stuck down here for another 7. If Houston won't change then we need to think long and hard over whether he's the man for the job.  What was it Einstein said 'Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results'. To me thats us at the moment
 

Houston hasn't been in charge for the last 7 seasons. We've also had Rangers, Hearts and Hibs in the league whilst he's been manager. What did you expect?

[The Moonster]

18 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Vardy at a similar age to harris was scoring 27 goals in a season for Halifax town. He was at least showing promise . All we've got for harris is a decent second half performance in a cup final we bottled big time. Again Austin scored a barrowload of goals for east fife before we signed him.  He had something about him.

Possibly the worst comparison I've ever seen on here.

[Shadwell Dog]

2 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

Possibly the worst comparison I've ever seen on here.

It wasnt me that brought up Vardy I think you'll find.

[Shadwell Dog]

4 minutes ago, Trump said:

Houston hasn't been in charge for the last 7 seasons. We've also had Rangers, Hearts and Hibs in the league whilst he's been manager. What did you expect?

No but we've still been following the same tired format for most of those seasons. Now that the league is far more winnable again we should be changing that formula that didnt work and looking at a different approach. Its time to really push it now if we are serious about trying to win this league. The bod are good at telling us that but we're not seeing any change in the quality of player we're signing up.