The Falkirk FC Thread

[Bainsfordbairn]

1 hour ago, FFC 1876 said:

Ex academy striker Luke Rankin getting himself a deal with Alloa after scoring for them the other week.

Luke's a decent player. He was prolific in scoring at youth level, just as others before him such as Kevin O Hara, Scott Shepherd, Ally Graham and Thomas Grant were. He's probably at a similar standard to Scott Honeyman who we now have on loan to the Shire though I think he's a bit older. 

I'll be interested to see how his career goes from here onwards. Good luck to the lad. Except when he plays against us, obviously. 

[Bairn in Exile]

2 hours ago, NavyBlueArmy1876 said:

I would honestly have ATS in my worst Falkirk 11 of all time. Genuinely feel for the supporters of whatever club he ends up at

I think that you are being a bit naive with that sentiment. If one of our main competitors for promotion signed 11 ATS -esque type of players I would be absolutely delighted.

[LatapyBairn.]

9 hours ago, Van_damage said:

On the subject of the stadium. What happened to all the money we got from the sale of Brockville? Was it not £4m and if so how do we have very little to show for it? 

It was a lot more than 4 million I think, remember we had 2 million debt to clear as well tho. When we originally moved to the new stadium we owned 51% of Falkirk community stadium limited which was a joint venture with the council, that was all carved up a few years ago as the stadium company was running up debts,  hence the reason we have the current convoluted ownership structure. 

Edited September 2, 2022 by LatapyBairn.

[HopeStreetWalker]

10 hours ago, Back Post Misses said:

FFS if you are going to spout off about things get your facts right. We own the land the pitch is on AND the land the new pitch opposite is on. 

Well I contacted the Stadium Company 3 - 4 years ago and asked the question regarding what the club owned.

Was told what I posted with the addition of the changing rooms, treatment room etc.

If we do own the land under the pitch all and good pity about what the seating sits on. As it turns out FFC is picking up the tab for a badly built stand. What also stinks is the lack of clarity from the club laying out once and for all who owns what. Which leads you to wonder why the secrecy. 

 

[LatapyBairn.]

2 minutes ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

Well I contacted the Stadium Company 3 - 4 years ago and asked the question regarding what the club owned.

Was told what I posted with the addition of the changing rooms, treatment room etc.

If we do own the land under the pitch all and good pity about what the seating sits on. As it turns out FFC is picking up the tab for a badly built stand. What also stinks is the lack of clarity from the club laying out once and for all who owns what. Which leads you to wonder why the secrecy. 

 

It’s a complicated ownership structure, I’ll give you that but there is no secrecy. You really seem to consistently get yourself in a state over various things that aren’t actually happening, just chill out and step away from the keyboard unless you have all the facts in future. 

[Bairn in Exile]

13 minutes ago, LatapyBairn. said:

It’s a complicated ownership structure, I’ll give you that but there is no secrecy. You really seem to consistently get yourself in a state over various things that aren’t actually happening, just chill out and step away from the keyboard unless you have all the facts in future. 

I'm not taking sides in your conversation with @HopeStreetWalker but if as you say that there is no secrecy, hopefully all that is required is for HSW to drop the club an email and they will happily explain the actual situation to him to put his mind at ease, yes? Then we can put this debate to bed once and for all.

[NavyBlueArmy1876]

6 hours ago, Bairn in Exile said:

I think that you are being a bit naive with that sentiment. If one of our main competitors for promotion signed 11 ATS -esque type of players I would be absolutely delighted.

Didnt realise he signed for Airdrie. That is some laugh 

[Shodwall cat]

I think we can safely say we were utterly shafted by the council when the original stadium company was dissolved. It was the council's fault that that  company had failed to deliver  with them having spent their time in it dithering or blocking virtually every move to develop the site. The company wasn't financially viable to keep going so we then had the split which changed the ownership model from one where the club owned 51 percent of the ground to one where we own very little but get a 175 year free lease.  Not a good outcome in anyone's book.

[AL-FFC]

What I don't get is the mono blocking the Council were given money from the Scottish Govt for to make it better for visitor parking for the kelpies, not to mention also given money for the charging points, how come you can park in front of the stadium to go to the kelpies for free but on match day we are charged for parking. Is this a council or club thing and if it is a council thing I find it a bit hypocritical to make supporters pay on match days yet not charge for using the same parking during the week.

Edited September 2, 2022 by AL-FFC

[Shodwall cat]

1 hour ago, AL-FFC said:

What I don't get is the mono blocking the Council were given money from the Scottish Govt for to make it better for visitor parking for the kelpies, not to mention also given money for the charging points, how come you can park in front of the stadium to go to the kelpies for free but on match day we are charged for parking. Is this a council or club thing and if it is a council thing I find it a bit hypocritical to make supporters pay on match days yet not charge for using the same parking during the week.

Think it's a club thing. Tickets you get have the club crest etc on them. Got to say that 4 quid to park on a bit of land that looks like the dark side of the moon is a bit steep and the yearly parking tickets I think the cash goes to the club but I've never had one.

Edited September 2, 2022 by Shodwall cat

[RC55 FFC]

26 minutes ago, Shodwall cat said:

Think it's a club thing. Tickets you get have the club crest etc on them. Got to say that 4 quid to park on a bit of land that looks like the dark side of the moon is a bit steep and the yearly parking tickets I think the cash goes to the club but I've never had one.

I think it’s right we do pay for match day parking as it brings in cash & makes sense with it right on the doorstep. I do wonder if we are charged by the council for using it on match day too though so may not all be profit. 

[kemlinbairn]

11 hours ago, roman_bairn said:

From my hazy recollection, I honestly think they despised everything FFC…..

Oh they did at the time and probably still do

[HopeStreetWalker]

2 hours ago, Shodwall cat said:

I think we can safely say we were utterly shafted by the council when the original stadium company was dissolved. It was the council's fault that that  company had failed to deliver  with them having spent their time in it dithering or blocking virtually every move to develop the site. The company wasn't financially viable to keep going so we then had the split which changed the ownership model from one where the club owned 51 percent of the ground to one where we own very little but get a 175 year free lease.  Not a good outcome in anyone's book.

 

Council ran the stadium Company into the ground as you said by blocking the development and therefore the financial viability of the company. It was very telling once they owned the stadium it all was sweetness and light regarding development.

This 175 lease or whatever is no more than bondage and does not change the situation that the club has not one single asset. Together with being at the mercy of the council regarding on costs for running the facility seconding staff etc that must be a self-replenishing money fountain to them. The latest is picking up the tab for shoddy construction of the stand the club seats are on but as a leaseholder the club's liable.

The council must be pissing themselves laughing.

 

[Proudtobeabairn]

I quite like the main stand... 

[LatapyBairn.]

1 hour ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

 

Council ran the stadium Company into the ground as you said by blocking the development and therefore the financial viability of the company. It was very telling once they owned the stadium it all was sweetness and light regarding development.

This 175 lease or whatever is no more than bondage and does not change the situation that the club has not one single asset. Together with being at the mercy of the council regarding on costs for running the facility seconding staff etc that must be a self-replenishing money fountain to them. The latest is picking up the tab for shoddy construction of the stand the club seats are on but as a leaseholder the club's liable.

The council must be pissing themselves laughing.

 

The club are not lease holders! We own part of that stand, if the seats are fucked it’s our responsibility to sort them! End off. 

[NavyBlueArmy1876]

Tbf I wouldnt classify a couple of defective movement joints as shoddy construction. The main stand is nearly 20 years old and will need more and more TLC as the years progress. Given the council will have to pick up the tab for the majority of this work it may strengthen our negotiating position in the future 

[Rugster]

Big update on the website. Corrzo's away! 

[Sarcastic Bairn]

1 hour ago, HopeStreetWalker said:

 

Council ran the stadium Company into the ground as you said by blocking the development and therefore the financial viability of the company. It was very telling once they owned the stadium it all was sweetness and light regarding development.

This 175 lease or whatever is no more than bondage and does not change the situation that the club has not one single asset. Together with being at the mercy of the council regarding on costs for running the facility seconding staff etc that must be a self-replenishing money fountain to them. The latest is picking up the tab for shoddy construction of the stand the club seats are on but as a leaseholder the club's liable.

The council must be pissing themselves laughing.

 

I think I preferred the Aberdeen posts, those only made me poke my eyes with pins.

[HopeStreetWalker]

9 minutes ago, LatapyBairn. said:

The club are not lease holders! We own part of that stand, if the seats are fucked it’s our responsibility to sort them! End off. 

It is the structure underneath that leaking into the floors below that's why the seats have to be lifted

 

[HopeStreetWalker]

6 minutes ago, NavyBlueArmy1876 said:

Tbf I wouldnt classify a couple of defective movement joints as shoddy construction. The main stand is nearly 20 years old and will need more and more TLC as the years progress. Given the council will have to pick up the tab for the majority of this work it may strengthen our negotiating position in the future 

Anyway what's done is done regarding the stadium nothing is going to change the club is well and truly screwed. Why not sell off to the council the worthless assets in the stadium and let them stew in their own juice with the repairs and upkeep? 

Effort should now be made to decant what we can from the stadium to more cost-effective locations offices, hospitality etc.

The perfect scenario is the only time the club goes near the place is on matchday.