The Falkirk FC Thread

[HonestAl]

3 hours ago, Grangemouth Bairn said:

Davie Cooper was a left winger and only got 22 caps. I think it was more Pat Nevin that kept him out the Scotland team although he only got 28 caps.

At the end of the day though a travesty Crunchie never got capped.

From the depths of my mind (!), I vaguely recall a home match v Cyprus in 1989 which was crying out for Scottish wing play attack. Crunchie on one wing, Nevin on the other, even an odd Scottish rag was championing the notion.

Andy ‘Largs Boys’ Roxburgh knew better. Nevin played and Dave McPherson made his debut in a back 3 with Maurice Malpas at right wing-back, iirc. (Wouldn’t rule out the fact that McPherson was the wing back, but you get the gist).

Scotland duly thumped (sic) Cyprus 2-1, and Andy ‘I’m a Scotland fan too’ felt fully justified in his team selection.  The beginning of the end.......

Kevin McAllister.....the finest player ever to wear a Falkirk shirt, lets not forget. Sorry Simon....

Edited January 22, 2020 by HonestAl

[Guest]

Shambolic but surely whoever was planning such a venture would surely detail their proposal to the club in writing . All seems a little bit wushu washy but if it’s true it’s a disgrace the offer was not followed up on!

The plan never had a chance to be fleshed out as CC and ML stopped it by saying there was "no pathway" to the first team so it wasn't viable. However it wasn't rocket science. The group cover the club cost, the Academy survived.

IMO It was almost impossible for said Director not to know about it because the Director who was responsible for the Academy was due to attend the meeting with the group till ML pulled the plug. At least one of the people involved in the proposal also speaks to him on a regular basis.

So he may well not have known but in all probability I think that was unlikely.

[Guest]

From the depths of my mind (!), I vaguely recall a home match v Cyprus in 1989 which was crying out for Scottish wing play attack. Crunchie on one wing, Nevin on the other, even an odd Scottish rag was championing the notion.
Andy ‘Largs Boys’ Roxburgh knew better. Nevin played and Dave McPherson made his debut in a back 3 with Maurice Malpas at right wing-back, iirc. (Wouldn’t rule out the fact that McPherson was the wing back, but you get the gist).
Scotland duly thumped (sic) Cyprus 2-1, and Andy ‘I’m a Scotland fan too’ felt fully justified in his team selection.  The beginning of the end.......
Kevin McAllister.....the finest player ever to wear a Falkirk shirt, lets not forget. Sorry Simon....

Latapy?

[Guest]

Greatest Falkirk player, answers please [emoji849]

It terms of ability Latapy.

[bridge of allan bairn]

choosing between stainrod, latapy and crunchie is like choosing between your children.

also what's the measurement criteria? goals, assists, skill, entertainment, games played? helping win important games? gaining promotion? raising the profile of the club?

[Super Tuesday]

4 hours ago, bridge of allan bairn said:

choosing between stainrod, latapy and crunchie is like choosing between your children.

 

Easy...

1. Dog
2. Last born
3. First born

Edited January 23, 2020 by Super Tuesday

[HopeStreetWalker]

1 hour ago, Bantabairn said:

Greatest Falkirk player, answers please

Don't think its as simple as that. Judging players in different positions in a team game. To say who is the greatest it is near impossible to judge. Individual skill - vision - team player - work rate - moments of brilliance - motivating. Therefore a hall of fame is more appropriate.

So as a Falkirk fan from the late 60's onward here are mine. Nobody right- nobody wrong its a matter of personal opinion and am sure there will be others that come to mind. Stewart Kennedy-Tiger McLaughlin-George Miller-Gary Gillespie-George Connolly-Brian Irvine-David Weir-Crawford Baptie-Crunchie-Russel Latapy-Simon Stainrod and of course Stokes.

This is going to be fun !

[Stuperman01]

On 21/01/2020 at 15:35, Back Post Misses said:

 

The funding would not have disappeared without elite status. It would have been lower however. If you tick all the boxes for the level under elite level you get 80k in SFA grants

 

I don't know enough about it to be honest but I stand by what I have said priority has to be getting back to the premier league. 

[Rugster]

16 minutes ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

Don't think its as simple as that. Judging players in different positions in a team game. To say who is the greatest it is near impossible to judge. Individual skill - vision - team player - work rate - moments of brilliance - motivating. Therefore a hall of fame is more appropriate.

So as a Falkirk fan from the late 60's onward here are mine. Nobody right- nobody wrong its a matter of personal opinion and am sure there will be others that come to mind. Stewart Kennedy-Tiger McLaughlin-George Miller-Gary Gillespie-George Connolly-Brian Irvine-David Weir-Crawford Baptie-Crunchie-Russel Latapy-Simon Stainrod and of course Stokes.

This is going to be fun !

The criteria for me would be the player I enjoyed watching the most, who could do magical things with the ball and had the utmost technical ability and for me it's Latapy. 

Some of his vision and passing play was hard on inducing.

[AL-FFC]

15 minutes ago, Rugster said:

The criteria for me would be the player I enjoyed watching the most, who could do magical things with the ball and had the utmost technical ability and for me it's Latapy. 

Some of his vision and passing play was hard on inducing.

If one game could summarise that ability in a player and as much as Latapy was a genius all you need to do is look at Crunchies goal against Huntly where he single handedly took on the whole team to score. also his goal against Hearts in the SC semi final at Ibrox (alright thats 2 games)

Edited January 23, 2020 by AL-FFC

[Gaz]

Latapy for me. I can't remember too much of Stainrod (I was 9 when he left us). I can remember Crunchie but for me the entire Latapy period coincided with probably my most enjoyable phase of going to football, me and the same four mates going to pretty much every single game, home and away, league and cup, with some brilliant days / nights out along with it.

[USA bairn]

Over from America I'm going on Saturday 4 0 falkirk COYB

[Shadwell Dog]

For entertainment value and taking the piss it has to be Simon. I've never enjoyed a season as much since that glorious one in 1990/91.  Latapy was a top player but he disappeared every winter for 2 or 3 months when the bad weather set in.  Crunchie was your greatest  all round Falkirk player.  Fantastic skill which was more than matched with effort and determination to win the ball back and go again. Never saw him finish a 90 mins with the Bairns without looking utterly spent and that was over  10 years so its impossible to look past him certainly in the modern era.

[Bairnschild]

16 minutes ago, Bantabairn said:

Brian Rice had the best leg peg ever seen at Brockville

You want to bet

[Hank von Hell]

5 hours ago, Bantabairn said:

Greatest Falkirk player, answers please

Crunchie might be the best but for sheer impact on the club , support and the whole town my vote would always be Stainrod.

He had style , class and so much swagger it was unbelievable - and he was a footballer  in the same mould as Tony Currie , Stan Bowles & Frank Worthington.

Crunchie could turn defenders inside out , put in great crosses and finish as well - but Simon was real Roy of the Rovers stuff.

The goal from the half way line v St Johnstone , the goal direct from the corner after he tried it once then told the goalie he would score the next one v St Johnstone, the chest then volley v Raith away , the flying superman diving header v Celtic, the goal where he was fouled then stood straight back up and chipped the keeper v Ayr at home.....and so much more.

And for playing in my 5 a-side FFC community football side like it was the FA Cup , and hanging about with us all day.

Russell & Kevin were really great , but Simon is a God - our God.

Simon is The Greatest. 

  

 

[AL-FFC]

8 minutes ago, Bantabairn said:

It all about opinions

I think you might have been whooshed

[HopeStreetWalker]

24 minutes ago, Hank von Hell said:

Crunchie might be the best but for sheer impact on the club , support and the whole town my vote would always be Stainrod.

He had style , class and so much swagger it was unbelievable - and he was a footballer  in the same mould as Tony Currie , Stan Bowles & Frank Worthington.

Crunchie could turn defenders inside out , put in great crosses and finish as well - but Simon was real Roy of the Rovers stuff.

The goal from the half way line v St Johnstone , the goal direct from the corner after he tried it once then told the goalie he would score the next one v St Johnstone, the chest then volley v Raith away , the flying superman diving header v Celtic, the goal where he was fouled then stood straight back up and chipped the keeper v Ayr at home.....and so much more.

And for playing in my 5 a-side FFC community football side like it was the FA Cup , and hanging about with us all day.

Russell & Kevin were really great , but Simon is a God - our God.

Simon is The Greatest. 

  

 

Stainrod scoring against Raith at Starks Park is my pick. Was behind the goal mid way up the terracing. He was just to the left of the penalty spot with his back to goal. The ball got chipped to him from about 15 yards away straight down the middle. God took a step back, stuck his big arse into the centre half behind him, took two steps forward. killed the ball on his chest. dropped to his right thigh what knocked the ball back up again. swivelled and hit the ball on the drop with a swivel kick into the top left hand corner.

All that happened in about 4-5 seconds - wow just wow ! Raith never even knew it was a goal and to be fair half the Falkir team as well. Moment to acknowledge a good % of the Raith fans in their stand who stood on mass and applauded footballing genius. Anybody else remember that goal ? was one of his best.

[Senator Frimpton]

Just now, Hank von Hell said:

Crunchie might be the best but for sheer impact on the club , support and the whole town my vote would always be Stainrod.

He had style , class and so much swagger it was unbelievable - and he was a footballer  in the same mould as Tony Currie , Stan Bowles & Frank Worthington.

Crunchie could turn defenders inside out , put in great crosses and finish as well - but Simon was real Roy of the Rovers stuff.

The goal from the half way line v St Johnstone , the goal direct from the corner after he tried it once then told the goalie he would score the next one v St Johnstone, the chest then volley v Raith away , the flying superman diving header v Celtic, the goal where he was fouled then stood straight back up and chipped the keeper v Ayr at home.....and so much more.

And for playing in my 5 a-side FFC community football side like it was the FA Cup , and hanging about with us all day.

Russell & Kevin were really great , but Simon is a God - our God.

Simon is The Greatest. 

  

 

Have to agree with this. Although I have nothing but undying love for all three, Stainrod was like a hybrid of Maradona and Errol Flynn in my eyes. Not only cocksure swagger and unreal skills, he put in some amount of effort as well.

I recall a game at brockville (don't recall v who though) we were attacking and the ball was heading out for a bye. Out of nowhere comes Simon through some superhuman effort caught the ball on his right and hooked it back in and onto (iirc) Eddie Mays head to bullet one home.

Insane skill and determination, and he always looked like he was having an absolute ball.

The beautiful b*****d

[MrDust]

Stainrod has spent more weeks at No1 for me than the other two.

Running across the park with the ball and a thistle defender on him whilst waving at the Falkirk support, outside of the boot corners, kneeling on the ball, sending two defenders the wrong way when he was on the floor and much much more circus tricks. The man was a pure genius on and off the park. 

I have video footage of his time at both Dundee and Ayr somewhere, he for sure was the only God I followed.

Love the other two and followed their careers post Falkirk but not to the same worship to God.

I did go and see Crunchie play for Albion Rovers at Hampden tho.

 

[ShaggerG]

<<<<George Gibson was my favourite ever Falkirk player. Guy just oozed class and never looked like he broke sweat. I do concede however that there's probably a bit of nostalgia involved in that as I was young at the time.

Very hard to pick from Stainrod, Latapy & Crunchie however I look at it from the angle of who I would like back in the team now (at their Falkirk prime & if I could only pick one) and I think that would probably be Simon.