The Falkirk FC Thread

[MattBairn]

Why is it?

Sorry but I think your statement comes from ignorance of why it is gong to be built.

The only planning permission there is for a structure that has seats, so whatever they build has to have that incorporated.

They are not building it for seats but for space to house the Academy and Foundation. Also there will be other space to hire out to other commercial ventures. That will not only bring in extra revenue but reduce costs we currently pay that stadium company.

There won't be anything like the West Stand going up. The new structure could have as few as a 1000 seats I believe.

This is one of the few posts I've seen that makes building the stand seem like a decent idea. The only other I saw was one saying we would get alot of grants for it. If those 2 are correct then it maybe does make sense. If it was just a stand, we were completely paying for it and there was no other reason, then it wouldn't make sense to me.

[Guest]

This is one of the few posts I've seen that makes building the stand seem like a decent idea. The only other I saw was one saying we would get alot of grants for it. If those 2 are correct then it maybe does make sense. If it was just a stand, we were completely paying for it and there was no other reason, then it wouldn't make sense to me.

This BOD of directors (or at least those with real doh) have shown now on a few occasions if there is a buck to be made they will invest in things. Soft loans, South Stand, Concerts, Pitch. All projects where investors/loanees have had a return. The 4th stand will be similar

[simons]

Do fans miss Brockville more now, a few years down the line; than they did soon after leaving it, given that the benefits of moving were immediately clear at the time?

yes ...defo....

[effeffsee_the2nd]

This BOD of directors (or at least those with real doh) have shown now on a few occasions if there is a buck to be made they will invest in things. Soft loans, South Stand, Concerts, Pitch. All projects where investors/loanees have had a return. The 4th stand will be similar

i wasnt at this meeting, whats going to be in there thats going to make us money?

[RC55 FFC]

i wasnt at this meeting, whats going to be in there thats going to make us money?

BPM talks about the investors/directors making money, not FFC.

However, from what I've gathered, FFC will benefit from the new development from: Increased capacity (when needed), hospitality/bar facilities that will retain more profit, gym/sports facilities for the 1st team and development teams.

For me, I'm looking forward to watching the game side on again. As much as I like and prefer the SS id like a spot similar to the choir at Brockville for sentimental reasons. Main stand in front of me and home behind the goals to the left.

Sent from my iPhone using Pie & Bovril

[Guest]

BPM talks about the investors/directors making money, not FFC.

However, from what I've gathered, FFC will benefit from the new development from: Increased capacity (when needed), hospitality/bar facilities that will retain more profit, gym/sports facilities for the 1st team and development teams.

For me, I'm looking forward to watching the game side on again. As much as I like and prefer the SS id like a spot similar to the choir at Brockville for sentimental reasons. Main stand in front of me and home behind the goals to the left.

Sent from my iPhone using Pie & Bovril

No I don't.

They will make their money from the funding of it like everything else they have invested in at the club. Why would this project be any different ?

The club will get the benefit IF they successfully manage to rent the space and or put services in there like you say. Personally I think their track record on this sort of thing is poor.

Concerts break even over four years

Pitch, missing budgeted revenue

South Stand, empty

And the Stadium costs us money not makes us any.

Edited November 22, 2015 by Back Post Misses

[BountyBairn]

BPM talks about the investors/directors making money, not FFC.

However, from what I've gathered, FFC will benefit from the new development from: Increased capacity (when needed), hospitality/bar facilities that will retain more profit, gym/sports facilities for the 1st team and development teams.

For me, I'm looking forward to watching the game side on again. As much as I like and prefer the SS id like a spot similar to the choir at Brockville for sentimental reasons. Main stand in front of me and home behind the goals to the left.

Sent from my iPhone using Pie & Bovril

And IMO very importantly - away fans to the right. I just wish they'd get away with a cage being put up.

[RC55 FFC]

I'd agree BPM, the only reason the Westfield Lounge now works is that it's ran by the Stadium Co/Council mon-fri.

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[gav-ffc]

Lee Miller signed up until the end of the season.

[Believe The Hype]

Lee Miller signed up until the end of the season.

Pleased with that, think the injury to McHugh may have also pushed this through as well.

[Gaz FFC]

How long we expecting Bob to be out?

[Bigbri Bairn2]

Chance for O'Hara to get a bit of experience though perhaps still a bit young to get a regular place

[t1t3h]

Is the pub/bar at the stadium open for the game on Saturday? Do you still need to buy tickets for it and what time does it usually open on match days?

It's been years since I've been in it but me and my brother have decided to just meet up in there for a few pints on Saturday before the game rather than going into the town.

[Monkey Tennis]

Ok Falkirk friends, my latest genuine question(s):

Someone posted a list earlier of the players Falkirk have brought through and moved on for good money. It actually made for pretty impressive reading.

It begged questions about where the money goes, but my question is, what's the secret?

Is it a question of Falkirk having a really excellent coaching set up at their Academy?

Is it a question of excellent recruitment in the first place of very good kids?

Is it a combination of various things?

Has a great deal of money been invested in this side of things?

Do most of these guys come from the Falkirk area, or are they from all over the central belt?

I know these questions probably have blindingly obvious answers, but I'm just interested.

Edited November 25, 2015 by Monkey Tennis

[Gaz FFC]

Is the pub/bar at the stadium open for the game on Saturday? Do you still need to buy tickets for it and what time does it usually open on match days?

It's been years since I've been in it but me and my brother have decided to just meet up in there for a few pints on Saturday before the game rather than going into the town.

It is.

£1 for a ticket bought before.

[Gaz FFC]

Ok Falkirk friends, my latest genuine question(s):

Someone posted a list earlier of the players Falkirk have brought through and moved on for good money. It actually made for pretty impressive reading.

It begged questions about where the money goes, but my question is, what's the secret?

Is it a question of Falkirk having a really excellent coaching set up at their Academy?

Is it a question of excellent recruitment in the first place of very good kids?

Is it a combination of various things?

Has a great deal of money been invested in this side of things?

Do most of these guys come from the Falkirk area, or are they from all over the central belt?

I know these questions probably have blindingly obvious answers, but I'm just interested.

We've had the academy in place for around 14 years now.

I'm pretty sure we were the 1st to implement the system although that might be bollocks.

A large network of talent spotters who get kids from a very young age into the club is the key I feel.

Not just picking them up at 16/17 when they're ready to think about breaking through.

We also now have such a good history of playing and selling teenagers that if it comes down to a contest between us and another club they're more likely to pick us.

I'm not aware of any coming from outside the central belt and a good few were Falkirk lads but not exclusively.

It does cost a few quid to run but as you seen from the income it generates it does pay for itself.

We recently got into the Forth Valley academy so we can cut our costs and share the bills with a few of the other local clubs.

I guess it isn't an easy thing to setup and do seeing the example of the Highland academy.

That doesn't seem to be providing much success even though they have 2 Premiership clubs 10 miles apart financing it.

Edited November 25, 2015 by Gaz FFC

[Ned Nederlander]

On the subject of the academy, I remember a good few years ago having a chat with one of the youth coaches who mentioned that FFC were rather excited about the prospect of a player coming all the way through the ranks from the very very bottom (preschool age!?) to the First Team.

He said there was one player fairly close to achieving it. Given that the conversation was a few years ago does anyone know if this has now been achieved?

[Gaz FFC]

On the subject of the academy, I remember a good few years ago having a chat with one of the youth coaches who mentioned that FFC were rather excited about the prospect of a player coming all the way through the ranks from the very very bottom (preschool age!?) to the First Team.

He said there was one player fairly close to achieving it. Given that the conversation was a few years ago does anyone know if this has now been achieved?

Was speaking to 1 of the coaches during the QOS home game and he pointed at a 14 year old and said "he was the best at that age I have ever seen".

"Better than Sibbs was"

I assume that may be the fella you mean?

You never speculated with ages

[Skyline Drifter]

We've had the academy in place for around 14 years now.

I'm pretty sure we were the 1st to implement the system although that might be bollocks.

A large network of talent spotters who get kids from a very young age into the club is the key I feel.

Not just picking them up at 16/17 when they're ready to think about breaking through.

We also now have such a good history of playing and selling teenagers that if it comes down to a contest between us and another club they're more likely to pick us.

I'm not aware of any coming from outside the central belt and a good few were Falkirk lads but not exclusively.

It does cost a few quid to run but as you seen from the income it generates it does pay for itself.

We recently got into the Forth Valley academy so we can cut our costs and share the bills with a few of the other local clubs.

I guess it isn't an easy thing to setup and do seeing the example of the Highland academy.

That doesn't seem to be providing much success even though they have 2 Premiership clubs 10 miles apart financing it.

I think it's difficult to compare success with the Highland Academy in particular. Not only is it much newer, but inherently it has a massive geographic disadvantage compared to Falkirk and everyone else Central Belt. I doubt they manage to persuade too many kids from South of Perth to travel up there at an early age so they have a very limited population to find players in. Falkirk of course are competing with a dozen other academies for players and have different challenges in identifying players before other clubs and selling themselves to the ones they want but they also have a much larger player pool to look at.

Similarly our own situation more mirrors the Highland one geographically. Much lower population centre to pull from which is part of the reason why we run a smaller Academy programme with less teams (we operate three age groups whereas the elite academies operate six).

However, all that said, there seems little doubt that the Falkirk academy over the years has probably been the most successful in bringing players through and moving them on for good fees. For all the publicity of Hamilton for instance they only really did it with three players (McCarthy, McArthur & Easton) and Livingston with five or six (Griffiths, Snodgrass, Dorrans, McNulty, Donaldson).

[NavyBlueArmy1876]

Ok Falkirk friends, my latest genuine question(s):

Someone posted a list earlier of the players Falkirk have brought through and moved on for good money. It actually made for pretty impressive reading.

It begged questions about where the money goes, but my question is, what's the secret?

Is it a question of Falkirk having a really excellent coaching set up at their Academy?

Is it a question of excellent recruitment in the first place of very good kids?

Is it a combination of various things?

Has a great deal of money been invested in this side of things?

Do most of these guys come from the Falkirk area, or are they from all over the central belt?

I know these questions probably have blindingly obvious answers, but I'm just interested.

As others have said, we've had the academy for a good while now. I couldn't tell you the exact dates but it must have been set up around the time we moved to the new stadium, and was set up mainly due to the hard work of John Hughes and George Craig - an idea backed by our chairman Campbell Christie.

The costs associated with running the academy was a factor to the financial mess we were in when we came down (rumoured to be costing us over £500k a season) as no financial help was provided to first division clubs - whilst I believe there were substantial subsidies for running one in the SPL.

Ironically, these financial problems forced us to cut back on the playing budget and get academy graduates in to the first team from a young age. Some were thrown in miles before they were ready (McGrandles, Kingsley etc) as extremely raw 16/17 year olds. If you're ever fortunate enough to take the stadium tour, there is a Wall of Fame - picturing every academy graduate to make a senior appearance for Falkirk - it is quite a sight.

I suspect the coaching and recruitment is of a fairly high standard. As far as I know the kids generally come from the Falkirk district, and probably no further away than Stirling/Fife. Getting them in to the club from a fairly young age is key I suspect. Some are picked up later than others and from other clubs - for example Murray Wallace was signed at 15/16, having spent a couple of years at Rangers.

I believe Falkirk was also the trial for Mark Wotte's 'school of football' idea. Clearly the quality of player produced was improved because these are now in place in regions across Scotland.

As others have mentioned, we have now merged with other local clubs (Stirling, Stenhousemuir etc) to create the Forth Valley Academy. As far as I know we still have our own players, but the running costs are generally shared. Others who have a better knowledge of the academy seem extremely excited by some of the prospects currently on the books. I guess we'll just have to wait and see whether the standard can be maintained - or even improved upon.

The good news is that we're now in excellent financial health as a club. It means we can offer better, longer term contracts to our most promising young players, giving them time to develop properly (not disappearing down south at 16 never to be seen again), and we don't have to snap the hand off for the very first bid that come along. I really can't see us accepting many bids of under £500k in future.

Hopefully there aren't too many mistakes in there. No matter what, it certainly took a lot of money and hard work to get the academy to where it is now. Only now and in the coming years I think are we (and hopefully the future national side) going to start reaping the full benefits.

Edited November 25, 2015 by NavyBlueArmy1876