FM:12} Falkirk FC Mon The Bairns

[Mad_Bairn127]

Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire. The club was founded in 1876 and currently competes in the Scottish First Division as a member of the Scottish Football League.

Falkirk history

The club's date of formation is a point of much contention, although most accounts point to the year 1876 as the probable ending point, and this is the date used by the club and its fans as the formation date. The club quickly developed the nickname "The Bairns", a Scots word meaning child, son or daughter. This was in homage to an ancient Falkirk Burgh motto, "Better meddle wi' the deil [devil] than the Bairns O'Falkirk". In the First World War, a tank adopted as a wartime mascot by the people of the town was also named "The Bairn" in honour of this. The club were sent to the Scottish Football League in 1902 and were promoted to the old First Division in 1905. Before the First World War the club enjoyed a period of success, finishing second in the league in 1908 and 1910 and winning the Scottish Cup in 1913. The club's only other Scottish Cup victory came in 1957. In 1922 the club paid a world record transfer fee of £5000 to transfer Syd Puddefoot from West Ham.

Getting accepted to the SPL

In the club's early years, a wide number of pitches and stadia were used. In 1885, the site of Brockville Park in Falkirk was leased, and there the club remained until the last day of the 2002–03 season.Brockville Park was the home of Falkirk for most of the club’s existence. It was situated roughly a quarter of a mile from Falkirk town centre and was regarded as one of the most intimate and intimidating venues in Scotland to watch football. The main stand was situated on (roughly) the West of the pitch and was mostly for home supporters and directors, with a small part towards the North end allocated to away fans. The Cooperage Lane terracing was on the South of the pitch and was for home supporters. The Watson Street terracing was on the North of the pitch and was for away fans. Part of the Watson street end was closed in latter years as it failed to gain a safety certificate. The Hope Street end was divided into home and away fans and housed the famous Brockville “choir”. Due to the SPL's stadium requirements, the Brockville site, home of Falkirk for over 100 years, was no longer suitable for the club's ambitions. For season 2003–04, the club groundshared with Stenhousemuir at Ochilview stadium.At the start of season 2004–05 they moved into a new purpose built stadium which meets SPL criteria. The ground currently consists of three stands with one open side.The old Brockville ground was demolished in 2003–04 and the land is now home to a branch of the Morrisons supermarket, which has several items of Falkirk memorabilia on site, including a turnstile from the old ground.

squad

GK's Michael McGovern Graham Barrowman

FB's Tam Scobbie, Kieran Duffie

CB's Murray Wallace Darren Dodds Rhys Bennet

Wingers: Kallum Higgenbotham David Weatherston Jay Fulton

MC:'s Mark Millar Stewart Murdoch Blair Alston

Strikers Farid El Allagui Ally Graham

Starting 11

Michael McGovern[First Team]

He's your main keeper for the start of the first season you may want to loan another goalkeeper for extra cover.

Kieren Duffie [Key Player] [back up] Tam Scobbie, Stephen Kingsley

He's you're main fullback that will help the defence to take out those fast paced wingers.

Darren Dodds] Key Player] Rhys Bennet [backup] Murray Wallace Kyle Turnbull

Darren Dodds is you're main captain and Rhys bennet is loaned for the end of december so search for another CB then you'll be fine.

David Weatherston[key players] Kallum Higgenbotham Craig Sibbald

The wingers are good but you may want to sell Kallum Higgenbotham at the January transfer window for extra money.

Mark Millar [key player] Stewart Murdoch Blair Alston, Jay Fulton

Midfielders are ok for a start you may need to find experienced midfielders to help the squad to move forward.

Farid El Allagui[Key Player] Ally Graham. [Youths] Thomas Grant Ryan Millar

Farid is your main target man and he will get you goals per game try and get a decent good striker partnership.

Main Goals

The main goal for Falkirk is to reach the SPL, try and get them as financial as possible, stay in the SPL for a good few years and keep use of the 4-4-2 while you can get better players to try a different tactic and reach the europa qualifying spot.

This is my first team guide and im pleased that i complete it so in the future I will get better at it. Thanks and make Falkirk proud!

[Purefun]

Maybe your starting eleven, transfer targets to look at, key players, players to sell ....

Good effort though for your first time.

[Mad_Bairn127]

Ok purefun i'll edit my post.

[Mad_Bairn127]

Falkirk FC 2012/2013

Started off buying the stadium then sell a couple of players for future profit now, i'm trying to get youths to play in the first team then sell them on when they're fully developed.

This is the strategy been used by Steven pressley and i really agree with the program he's been using to sign free players then sell them on later.

On the game i'd holidayed a few months in the game then i decided to go back in cause my team has few ups few downs.

But we're still in the promotion race to be honest.

And here's the finances right now.

That's it for now i'll post another update later on out.

[thompe]

Where is Mark Kerr?

[leumd]

Just noticed this thread - great idea! I've just kicked off season 4.

I won promotion by the skin of my teeth in season 1, using a 5-3-2 system. It worked really well for the team since we have so many promising CBs which can easily make it in SFL1. I was quite lucky in the first season as I managed to bring back Darren Barr on loan from Hearts for 6 months - nothing got through the defence after he arrived! Also - my best signing to date has been a played called Kevin Kerr, you can get him on a free at the beginning of the season. Solid and improves well too.

Season 2, first in the SPL. This season was really hard, most of the first team had signed pre-contracts with other clubs before the end of season 1. Having such a tight wage budged, I could only offer new contracts to Duffie, Scobbie, El Allagui and McGovern. Weatherston, Doddsm Millar and Higgenbotham all signed elsewhere before promotion so I had no chance of retaining them. I did manage to pick up a couple of youth guys release from Rangers but the season was one long struggle. Kingsley and Duffie got plenty of game time, as did Murdoch. We finished in 8th place having spent most of the season in 11th. There were 7 points separating 12th from 7th. Squeaky Bum time!

Season 3 was all about rebuilding. Picked up Stephen Thicot from down south to become a solid rock in defence. Also managed to pick up Keith Watson from Dundee Utd on a free, which has been an excellent signing. The youth system provided with an outrageously talented CF in the form of a support TM. No chance I'll keep him forever, so I'm going to try keep him for a few seasons before selling for profit $$$. Picked up a regen from Denmark who has become a first team player almost immediately. This was also the first season I had a transfer budget which I spent on a regen Czech striker who has awesome potential but is very unreliable. Jay Fulton is becoming a super sub but needs more consistent game time to really develop. El Allagui is still playing well and was top scorer this season for the team. At the end of the season, I somehow managed to sign an ex-EPL keeper (I've forgotten his name!) We finished in 6th place!

Season 4 is about maintaining a top 6 place. El Allagui is fading a little, but I've picked up another Czech regen who can place both as ST and AMC. I've also picked up a gem of a AMC player from East Stirlingshire of all places. He is going to a be a top player. More good youths have came through the system, so I've looked to having a little more rotation to give them some game time. I've also secured a feeder club in East Fife who are currently in SFL1, so I currently have 3 players on a season loan (including Jay Fulton). Kingsley and Duffie are now both great players. Murdoch has peaked and will be little more than a backup but he is still solid. I've also been giving Craig Comrie a little game time - he's a real player, right? 4 games into the season and I'm W3 L1. Not scoring too much, but the defence is now pretty solid. I love playing 3-5-2, especially if I can use my AMC from the shire. His stats are exploding

'Mon the Bairns!

[Mad_Bairn127]

@leund great start of the game i've just restarted again, so a 5-3-2 works better in the 1st season?

[leumd]

I just like the extra man in defence, it leaves less of a gap. Plus Duffie is a good right back. I pulled in Darren Cole on loan from Rangers for cover and he ended up playing 50% of games. I brought in another loanee for WBL, (I can't remember his name) and played him in rotation with Scobbie (who was decent enough when he wasn't caught for pace).

I had a trio in midfield of Millar, Murdoch and Kerr which were pretty solid. Millar was also useful for playing AMC if you feel adventurous My main problem (and still is) was finding a decent strike partner for El Allagui. Once Compton came back from loan, he was pretty good as an Advanced Forward so that might be useful too.

[Mad_Bairn127]

Falkirk FC 2011/2012

Started off the game and went 7 games unbeaten, no signings yet as i'm trying to bring youths into the first team to gain their full potential.

Now we're sitting 2nd with 16 points from 7 games Ronnie Murray is a great player who will do well for this season. I have sacked some of my coaches to get better ones to join the club, somehow the wage bill only gives me £250 for youth coaches and £500 for coaches and first teams.

League

Squad

[leumd]

Well done for second spot so far! I never knew Dale Fulton was a D/M C. He's only a MC on my game - I've just let him go on a free. I've stalled his progress too much! But to be honest, the amount of good youth in the team from the start of the first season, going with all the young ones is probably a very good idea. It will mean they will be up to standard when you get promoted

[Mad_Bairn127]

End of season 2011/2012

What a poor season it was but Farid got his first international cap for Morocco. I shouldn't holidayed for the end of the season...because i asked the board to buy the stadium.

Then the debt has increased and Ritchie the chairman is set to happy to stay so i'm hoping to get another chairman soon.

Still need to find a good goalkeeper @Leund have you found a decent GK in the second season?

league

[leumd]

McGovern should be excellent for the SFL1. I still have him as back up in my save (I remember now, I have Fulop as my No.1!). He played in every one of my games in my first season in the SPL, he should be good enough. Otherwise I'd try get a GK on a season loan. I was quite lucky in the second season as the board found me a parent EPL club (Birmingham) without me even asking - perhaps thats a good thing for helping you get out the SFL1, they always have good young keepers who need games!

What did you find your main problem to be in the first season? You seem to have a decent goal difference with a low GA total. Was it scoring? I found that really hard in the first season, there was no good player to play along side El Allagui.

How did you find the 5-3-2 ?

[Mad_Bairn127]

McGovern should be excellent for the SFL1. I still have him as back up in my save (I remember now, I have Fulop as my No.1!). He played in every one of my games in my first season in the SPL, he should be good enough. Otherwise I'd try get a GK on a season loan. I was quite lucky in the second season as the board found me a parent EPL club (Birmingham) without me even asking - perhaps thats a good thing for helping you get out the SFL1, they always have good young keepers who need games!

What did you find your main problem to be in the first season? You seem to have a decent goal difference with a low GA total. Was it scoring? I found that really hard in the first season, there was no good player to play along side El Allagui.

How did you find the 5-3-2 ?

Well the 5-3-2 was the main problem so i decided to change the tactic from a 4-4-2 and that tactic worked greatly. Plus i have bring in youths to the first team and they're settling in well. This is my tactic at the moment.

As you can see it is working well for me.

Well it's January and Falkirk are catching up with Hamilton this has been a exciting season so far. With youths coming into first team are progressing well,

We're glad that Ryan Millar has scored 9 goals for his club he's only 18 so i hope that will boost his development. Other news had to let go Farid for £250K i know fans will not like that but hey that's only in FM.This second season he hasn't scored as much as he should be and i got other quality youths striker to take his place and they're doing a lot better to be honest. So here are some of my players and current league standing.

Ryan Millar

Kyle Turnbull

So now the main goal is to keep winning, develop players into first team then sell them on for later. That's all for now.

[leumd]

Ryan Miller looks like he will be an excellent player - I can't remember if I had him at the start of my first season!

[Mad_Bairn127]

End Of Season 2011/2012

Well this season has to be the most exciting i ever had, at the start of the season i thought were going to make the 1st spot of our own somehow there were ups and downs.

Now I changed tactic and went on from winning to the end, plus the youths have improved massively this season so far. Ryan Millar scored 15 goals for his club and new signing Lauri Dalla Valle helped us to achieve the winning title. Now we've got a new chairman Andy Thompson to get rid of the clubs debt which i'm trying to sell off one of the top earners in my club to stay afloat.

So here's my progress of this season so far.

Ryan Millar

League

Squad

[

[Mad_Bairn127]

Falkirk FC Season review 2014/2015

Well we managed to stay in the SPL for another season and making money to build the team up to help Falkirk progress. The youths are the best in the game you play them in the first team their value rises up and when the time is right the offer is too good to refuse. So we have made a lot of changes in the squad and the backroom staff to keep Falkirk afloat.

The season was a roller coaster ride but we manged to stay up without a fight with the help of Lauri Dalla Valle, Ryan Millar and Phillip Roberts stay above midtable.

First half of the season

Second half of the season

End of season 2013/2014

So now we have made a good amount of money by using add on's and profit from next sale

With these clauses and if there's a buyout fee we'll make extra cash for improving the club. That's all for now.

[leumd]

You look like you've cracked it this time round =)

I'm having a slump in the second half of my season after an excellent first half. I think the quality of the team is catching up with them - too many 'in developement' youngsters and not enough solid players. I've barely any cash as we're in the process of both buying the stadium and relying the pitch so it looks like another summer of scouring the free transfer market for aging internationals.

I've picked up Shaun Maloney on a free. Scouts and coaches rate him one of our best players but I cannot get him to play well, he goes missing far too much in a game. Defence is solid but my midfield is full of holes - players are either too young or just not good enough. I've got a great strikeforce but my midfield is letting me down.

[Mad_Bairn127]

Falkirk FC season 2013/2014

Had to start again as Falkirk so here i'am back in the SPL managed to reach the scottish cup finals, got knocked out by rangers 3-0. Got qualified for the Europa Cup.

Players are improving very well including Sibbald who is going to be the best player of the club. Trying to stay alive with Falkirk and get youths plenty of game time, We won promotion last season and it was a close one when St Mirren were trying to takeover 1st place. Now we're sitting 2nd at the start of the season beating celtic 2-0.

Squad

First division champions

Sibbald

That's for the update be right back when it's January.

[Mad_Bairn127]

Falkirk FC January transfer

Well it's time for new players heading into the club and selling ones that are playing poor. Farid is fading so the only option is to sell him for £375K, need a new striker to replace him.

Need one that is in form and play as a lone striker. Then need another GK on the go, had to rely on my youths and they have performed brilliantly in the SPL. Now we're sitting 7th in the SPL not far from the euro qualifying spot this is what we need. We were in the europa league but got beaten by Sporting Gijon 3-0 in the third round which is a achievement.

Now were still trying to survive the SPL while Hibernian are sitting 1st for the first time let's see how long they can last on that position.

squad

League

That's all for now.

[Mad_Bairn127]

Falkirk FC End of season 2011/2012

Well my current save was corrupted and had to start the game yet again so managed to won the league thanks to Farid scoring 24 goals, finished 1st with 74 points and can't wait to start again next season. Made no signings at all just used some loans players and using youngsters to develop them to professional players. So now we're going to need more experienced signings for tutoring youngsters and helping the squad to stay in the SPL, now we're in the off season with players away on holiday and checking out which players i don't need. Then here's the screenshot of the season which was a rollercoaster thought i couldn't win it cause Partick were above me. All of a sudden i stole their first place and hold on to it to the end.

Farid

Squad

League table

Tactic that made me won the league

Sorry to post again i know other members are not interested playing this team but to be honest Falkirk has a lot of potential and it takes patience and tactical knowledge to do it,

Thanks for reading.

[leumd]

I haven't updated for a long time but here is a quick summary.

After a couple of seasons fighting relegation, I manage two seasons of a 6th place finish. I was very happy with this, considering I also managed to win the League Cup in my first 6th place season. The next season I somehow managed to finish 4th! It was a crazy effort, but it meant I got into the Europa league.

I hoped to fair better than the real team's initial attempt, and to my surprise we actually made it through the group stage into the knockouts! Incredible doesn't even describe it! Of course, I assumed this would mean our league form would suffer, but somehow we managed to with the SPL! With one of the smallest squads in the league, we won it with a game to spare. Rangers were only 4 points behind me in the second last game. I was drawing 1-1 in my game, assuming Rangers would win, but they managed to choke and lost their own game, meaning I won without needing the last game. I was quite glad of that as Rangers were to be the final game of the season, any my players were playing nervously for the last 10 games due to the expectation.

So into the Champions League I went. As league winners we got right into the group stage, meaning a stupid amount of prize money was immediately given to us ($5 million I think). We got drawn against Liverpool, Roma and Wolfsburg (I think). I expected nothing, I set the team up to play defensively for every game. We managed to win both games against Roma, and draw one game each against Liverpool and Wolfsburg, meaning we got through the group stage! Crazy! Next up for us is Man Utd, which I've still to play.

Players still with me: Stuart Murdoch (very reliable), Craig Sibbald(always a sub, I feel bad I didn't develop him), Stephen Kingsley (he has peaked, will probably sell) and Kyle Turnbull (very decent back up DC but not first choice).

I also have 3 players who have came through the youth system as first team players, one who has been capped for Scotland.

I'll try post some screens soon - COYB!