Falkirk F.C.

Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional association football club based in the town of Falkirk. The club was founded in 1876<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and competes in the Template:Scottish football updater, the top tier of Scottish football, as a member of the Scottish Professional Football League. The club was elected to the Second Division of the Scottish Football League in 1902–03, was promoted to the First Division after two seasons and achieved its highest league position in the early 1900s when it was runner-up to Celtic in 1907–08 and 1909–10. The football club was registered as a Limited Liability Company in April 1905 – Falkirk Football & Athletic Club Ltd.

Falkirk won the Scottish Cup for the first time in 1913. After 1945, Falkirk were promoted and demoted between the Premier and First Divisions seven times until 1995–96, and during the 1970s spent three seasons in the Second Division. In 2005, Falkirk were promoted to the Scottish Premier League (SPL). Falkirk won the Scottish Cup again in 1957 and were runners-up in the competition in 1997, 2009 and 2015. As a result of their performance in the 2009 Scottish Cup, the club qualified for the inaugural season of the UEFA Europa League in 2009–10. Falkirk have won the second tier of Scottish football a record eight times. They have also won the Scottish Challenge Cup more than any other club, winning it for the fourth time in 2012.

In their early years, Falkirk played at three venues: Hope Street, Randyford Park and Blinkbonny Park. Between 1885 and 2003, the club was based at Brockville Park, built on the former Hope Street ground. After the creation of the SPL in 1998, its strict stadium criteria – to which Brockville Park did not conform – was enforced, and the club was denied promotion on three occasions. The club's present home ground since 2004 is the Falkirk Stadium, a Template:SPFL-stadiums all-seater stadium in the Westfield area of Falkirk.<ref name="capacity">Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Club formation and early years

The club's date of formation is uncertain.<ref name="Better_meddle_Origins">A Brief History – Part One – Origins, bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 20 June 2012.</ref> Although some accounts point to the year 1876, others claim it was formed in 1877.<ref name="Club_list">Club directory Template:Webarchive, Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 20 June 2012.</ref> However, the former is the date used by the club and its fans.<ref name="1876_club">Fans Zone – 1876 Club, Falkirk FC, 16 August 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2012.</ref> In 1878, the club joined the Scottish Football Association, and became eligible to compete in the Scottish Cup, a knockout tournament which became the country's main association football cup competition. The club reached the second round in the first year that it competed.<ref name="Better_meddle_19C">A Brief History – Part Two – 19th Century Bairns, bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 20 June 2012.</ref> In the first few years after it was formed, Falkirk played mostly friendly games. They played their home matches at three different grounds during this period; Hope Street, Randyford Park and Blinkbonny Park. It left the latter in 1884 and moved to Brockville Park, which remained the club's home ground for 118 years. The Stirlingshire Football Association was founded in 1883, which invited clubs from the Stirlingshire region to join. It resulted in the establishment of a new tournament, the Stirlingshire Cup, a competition open exclusively to the teams from the region, which Falkirk won in its inaugural season.<ref name="SFHA_Stirlingshire_Cup">Stirlingshire Cup Template:Webarchive, Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 20 June 2012.</ref><ref name="Historian_Stirlingshire_Cup">Stirlingshire Cup – 1883/84, Falkirk FC Historian. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2012.</ref> The club's nickname is "The Bairns",<ref name="scot_prem" /> a Scots word meaning sons or daughters, which is given to natives of the town of Falkirk.<ref name="FLHC_Bairns">Why are Falkirk people called 'bairns'?, Falkirk Local History Society. 2005. Retrieved 20 June 2012.</ref> This is reflected in the Falkirk Burgh motto: "Better meddle wi' the de'il than the Bairns o' Fa'kirk".<ref name="FLHC_walks">Historical Walks, Falkirk Local History Society. 2005. Retrieved 20 June 2012.</ref>

Election to the Football League

After playing mostly regional matches, friendly games and the nationwide Scottish Cup tournament for the majority of its existence, the club was elected to the bottom tier of the Scottish Football League in 1902–03, a national sports league consisting of Scotland's top football clubs. At the time, the league consisted of two tiers, the First and Second Divisions. Falkirk was promoted to the top division with a second-place finish behind Clyde after two seasons. Despite the club's success, several months beforehand a proposal to merge with local rivals East Stirlingshire was raised, which was narrowly rejected in a vote.<ref name="Better_meddle_success">A Brief History – Part Three – Early Success, bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 20 June 2012.</ref> In 1907–08, Falkirk's third season in the top flight, the club finished the season in second place, its highest league position to date, and repeated this in the 1909–10 season.<ref name="Better_meddle_success" /> On both occasions it finished behind champions Celtic despite being the top goal scorers in the league, becoming the first Scottish club to break the 100 goals barrier in a single season.<ref name="Better_meddle_success" /> In 1913, the club won the Scottish Cup for the first time, defeating Raith Rovers in the final 2–0.

In 1922, the club broke the world record transfer fee, paying £5000 for the transfer of striker Syd Puddefoot from English club West Ham United.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>The day Falkirk broke world transfer record The Scotsman, 14 June 2009 (Follows after "The £100000m odd couple" article)</ref> The following year, the club played against the Scottish Football League XI to raise funds for those affected by the Redding mine disaster.<ref>Redding Pit Disaster Fund Tournament 1923/24, Falkirk Football Historian, 21 May 2015</ref><ref>Throwback Thursday: Fundraising - 1923 Style, Falkirk FC, 18 June 2020</ref>

Falkirk spent 30 consecutive seasons in their first spell in the top flight of Scottish football, before being relegated in 1934–35 after finishing 20th at the bottom of the league.<ref name="statto_18-45">Falkirk : History 1918 to 1945 Template:Webarchive, statto.com. Retrieved 20 June 2012.</ref> Despite this, the club was promoted to the top flight after one season, as champions of the 1935–36 Second Division, amassing a club record of 132 league goals in the process. Falkirk remained in the top flight until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, when the league was suspended.

Post-war promotion and demotion

After the war ended in 1945, the Scottish Football League resumed and Falkirk regained its place in the First Division for the 1946–47 season. In 1947, a new competition, the Scottish League Cup, was inaugurated. In the 1947–48 season, Falkirk reached the final, and lost 4–1 to East Fife in the replayed final after an initial 0–0 draw.

The club competed in the final of the Scottish Cup in 1957. They defeated Kilmarnock in a replay. This was their first success in the tournament since winning it 44 years earlier. In June 1958 Alex Parker and Eddie O'Hara from the cup winning side were bought by Everton for a combined fee or £18,000.<ref name="falfer">Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> John White was signed two months later from Alloa Athletic with £3,300 of that money.<ref name="jwhof">Template:Cite web</ref>

In the years to follow, relegation and promotion between the first and second tiers occurred seven times until the 1995–96 season. The club spent eight consecutive seasons at a time in either division. As a result, Falkirk has won or finished runners-up in the second tier of Scottish football a record 14 times, the majority occurring in this period. The club also spent three seasons in the late 1970s in the newly created third tier, the lowest tier it has competed in. In 1977–78 the club finished in its lowest ranking to date, ending the season in the equivalent of 29th in Scotland following a 5th-place finish in the new Second Division.<ref name="Better_meddle_underachieving">A Brief History – Part Seven – Underachieving Bairns, bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 20 June 2012.</ref> In the 1996–97 season, the club reached the final of the Scottish Cup for the third time, and Falkirk became the seventh club in 106 years to reach the final whilst competing outside the top league of Scottish football. Falkirk's opponents were Kilmarnock, a repeat of the 1957 final,<ref name="RSSSF_Finals">Scotland – List of Cup Finals, Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.</ref> but the club could not match its 1957 success and lost 1–0.<ref name="Soccerbase_97_Final">Scottish FA Cup – 1996/97, soccerbase.com. Retrieved 29 June 2012.</ref>

Scottish Premier League

The Scottish Premier League (SPL) was founded in 1998 as the new top flight of Scottish football. The new league and its rules denied Falkirk the chance to be promoted into it on three occasions as a consequence of its formation. When the SPL was created from the old Premier Division, a play-off match that was held between the team ranked ninth in the Premier Division and the team ranked second in the First Division was abolished during the 1997–98 season. Falkirk, ranked second in the First Division, was thus denied a play-off with Motherwell. The SPL's criterion that clubs required a 10,000 capacity all-seater stadium in order to compete in the new league, which Falkirk's Brockville Park did not comply with, was introduced. When the SPL was due to expand to 12 teams at the end of the 1999–2000 season, Aberdeen, which finished bottom of the SPL, would have competed in a three-way play-off against the teams that finished second and third in the First Division, and two of these three clubs would gain SPL status for the next season. Brockville Park was still below the SPL criterion, and Falkirk applied to ground-share Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, but the proposal was rejected. The play-off was abandoned, Dunfermline Athletic was automatically promoted and Aberdeen retained its status in the top flight.

File:Falkirk FC League Performance.svg

Historic chart of table positions of Falkirk in the League.

Following four successive top three finishes in the First Division since 1997–98, the club's fortunes changed dramatically and it finished the season in ninth position, which would have qualified the club to be relegated to the third tier. However, it was spared relegation by the liquidation of fellow First Division club Airdrieonians on the last day of the season.<ref name="Better_meddle_revival">A Brief History – Part Eight – Revival, bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2012.</ref> The following season, Falkirk was again denied promotion to the SPL despite finishing top of the First Division. The club submitted another application to ground-share, this time at New Broomfield – an SPL compliant stadium and the home of Airdrie United – but was rejected in a vote by SPL chairmen. Motherwell was thus spared relegation from the First Division.<ref name="Denied_promotion_UEFA">Falkirk miss out on top flight, uefa.com. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2012.</ref> In order to meet the criterion, Falkirk started building a new stadium and left Brockville Park.

During the 2004–05 season, the SPL stadium criterion was reduced to 6,000, which the club's new Falkirk Stadium met. The club won the First Division that season, winning 1–0 to Ross County, and was promoted to the SPL. After three seasons in the SPL, including two seventh-place finishes, the club qualified for the inaugural season of the UEFA Europa League, the first time the club qualified for a European competition. The same year, Falkirk was beaten by Rangers in the final of the Scottish Cup.<ref name="Better_meddle_top_flight">A Brief History – Part Nine – Top Flight Bairns, bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2012.</ref> Despite its cup success, Falkirk finished in 10th place in the league and avoided relegation with a 1–0 win against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. The following season, the club competed in the Europa League but was relegated from the SPL to the First Division after being held to a 0–0 draw against Kilmarnock on the final day of the 2009–10 season.<ref name="Better_meddle_top_flight" />

Scottish First Division/Scottish Championship

Following its return to the First Division, Falkirk finished the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons in third position. As members of the Scottish Football League, the club was eligible to compete in the Scottish Challenge Cup, which it won 1-0 against Hamilton Academical in 2012 to win the cup for a record fourth time. In the same year Falkirk reached the semi-finals of the League Cup, but lost to Celtic. The club had defeated the reigning SPL champions Rangers 3–2 in the third round,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and also defeated another top flight club Dundee United on penalties in the quarter-finals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2012–13 Falkirk finished a distant third in the league, 25 points behind champions Partick Thistle, but had a great run in the Scottish Cup, beating local rivals Stenhousemuir as well as Hamilton Academical en route to the semi-final against Hibernian at Hampden Park. Falkirk, under the management of Gary Holt for the first time, took a 3–0 half time lead, though Hibernian made a comeback to confirm their place in the final with a 4–3 win (AET). Gary Holt left the managers post in June 2014 to join Norwich on their coaching team. He was replaced by Peter Houston.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the 2013–14 season Falkirk finished third in the Scottish Championship, narrowly missing out on the title by 3 points having still been in with a chance on the final day of the season. They qualified for the Premiership play-off, where they defeated Queen of the South 4–3 on aggregate (AET) in the quarter-final, before losing to Hamilton Academical 2–1 on aggregate in the semis.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2014–15, Falkirk missed out on the play-off places, finishing in 5th place in the championship, Falkirk went one better in the Scottish Cup than two years previously, reaching the final, avenging their loss to Hibernian in the semi-finals before being defeated by Inverness 2–1 in the final. In 2015–16 Falkirk finished second in the Championship and qualified for the promotion play-offs. They defeated Hibernian 5–4 on aggregate in the semi-final<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> before facing Kilmarnock. A 1–0 home win in the first leg put Falkirk on the verge of a return to top flight football. However, Kilmarnock won 4–0 in the second leg to retain their place in the Scottish Premiership 4–1 on aggregate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The following season, Falkirk again finished second in the league and qualified for the play-offs. They went out to Dundee United 4–3 on aggregate in the semi-finals.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Falkirk started the 2017–18 season very badly and the club found themselves in danger of relegation to League One. Manager Peter Houston was sacked in September 2017 following a 2–0 home loss to Livingston, which left the club second bottom of the league.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Paul Hartley replaced him as manager.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Hartley only won one of his first nine league games, and the club still sat in second bottom, 8 points from guaranteed safety at Christmas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A run of three wins in five games caused Falkirk to draw level on points with third bottom Dumbarton and eventually pull away to finish eighth.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Scottish League One

Falkirk had a disastrous 2018–19 season which saw the club relegated on the final day, despite running out 3–2 winners against the Champions Ross County. This led to the club's second spell in the Scottish third tier. The 2019–20 season was declared early after 28 games played, leaving Falkirk in second place, 1 point behind Raith Rovers.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

The 2020–21 season was another to forget for Falkirk fans. After starting the season on form and seeing themselves clear at the top of the table, a collapse in the second half of the season following a mid-season break due to the COVID-19 pandemic saw Falkirk fall to 5th in League One after a 2–0 defeat to Airdrieonians on the final day cost them a spot in the play-offs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In the 2022–23 season, they finished second, with Dunfermline Athletic winning the league. The Bairns entered the play-offs against Airdrieonians, only to suffer a 7–2 aggregate loss, losing 6–2 in the first leg and 1–0 in the return.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 30 March 2024, Falkirk were crowned League One champions without kicking a ball after Hamilton failed to win at home to Queen of the South. On 4 May 2024, Falkirk completed the league season undefeated with a record in the 36-game League One season of won 27, drew 9 and lost zero, achieving only the seventh unbeaten league season across the entire history of Scottish football.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rise up the leagues

Falkirk's unbeaten run finally came to an end on 28 September 2024 when they were beaten 1–0 by Raith Rovers at Stark's Park.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2024–2025 Scottish Championship

Having gone invincible in the 23–24 Scottish League One campaign, Falkirk returned to Scottish Championship action by beating Queens Park 2–1 at the Falkirk Stadium in the season curtain-raiser.

Following the departure of winger Callumn Morrison to Linfield for an undisclosed fee, Falkirk signed Scott Arfield from Bolton Wanderers in February of 2025. Arfield had previously played for the club from 2007–2010. Falkirk agreed to un-retire the squad number 37, which Arfield chooses to wear in memory of his friend and former Falkirk teammate Craig Gowans. Arfield scored a hat-trick on his second debut in a 5–2 home win over Partick Thistle on 8 February 2025.

A strong campaign saw Falkirk create a sizeable gap over fellow league contenders Livingston, however a dip in form towards the tail-end of the season meant that Falkirk would go into their final league game level on points with Livingston, but with a far superior goal difference. Falkirk beat Hamilton Academical 3–1 on 2 May 2025 to clinch back-to-back league titles, ensuring a return to the top flight of Scottish football for the first time in 15 years.

Colours and badge

Template:Football kit box Falkirk's traditional colours are navy blue and white, which the team first wore during the 1882 season. However, the club's first strip, thin blue and white horizontal hoops on the jersey and socks, was worn between 1876 and 1880. This was replaced with a blue jersey and white shorts, which has featured predominantly since. Touches of red were introduced to the strip in the late 1930s – mostly on the socks – was worn until the early 1960s, re-introduced in the mid-1970s and has since been featured in the team's kit. For the 2017–18 season the kit consisted of a navy blue jersey, white shorts and navy socks.<ref name="Historical_kits">Falkirk – Historical Football Kits – Kit History, historicalkits.co.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2012.</ref><ref name="Scottish_grounds" />

Falkirk's current crest is a stylised version of the Falkirk Steeple, a dominant landmark of the town. During the 2007–08 season the club used a crest – known as "The Highlander" – that was worn during the club's 1957 Scottish Cup win as a 50th anniversary tribute to the players. Kit manufacturer Umbro supplied the club's kit for the 1977–78 season. Other kits have been supplied by Bukta, Patrick and Le Coq Sportif. The current supplier is O'Neill's and the club's shirt sponsor is Crunchy Carrots. Recent sponsors include Central Demolition, Budweiser Budvar, John R Weir Mercedes Group and Beazer Homes.

Stadiums

Template:Further In the club's early years, Falkirk played its home games at three different sites: Hope Street, Randyford Park and Blinkbonny Park. The first pitch used by the club was on Hope Street, the location that would become Brockville Park in 1884. The first match at Hope Street was against Grasshoppers from Bonnybridge.<ref name="Hope_Street">Falkirk Grounds – Part One – Hope Street, bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2012.</ref> After one season, Falkirk moved to Randyford Park, the home of East Stirlingshire Cricket Club during the summer months, in 1878 where the club played its first competitive match, which it won against Campsie Glen of Lennoxtown in the Scottish Cup.<ref name="Randyford_Park">Falkirk Grounds – Part Two – Randyford Park, bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2012.</ref> The ground was located near Forth Valley College, several hundred yards west of the present Falkirk Stadium. The club played at Blinkbonny Park between 1881 and 1883.<ref name="Blinkbonny_Park">Lost Football Grounds of Falkirk District – Blinkbonny Park, Falkirk-football-history.co.uk</ref>

An old turnstile from Brockville

Between 1885 and 2003, Falkirk was based at Brockville Park, which was located a quarter of a mile (0.4 km) from the town centre of Falkirk.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Brockville Park was largely terraced and had a capacity of between 7,500 and 8,000 spectators in its later years. On 21 February 1953, Falkirk's largest home attendance was recorded at the ground when 23,100 spectators watched the club play against Celtic in the third round of the Scottish Cup.<ref name="Scottish_grounds" /><ref name="Record_attendance">Scottish FA Cup 1952–1953 : Results Template:Webarchive, statto.com. Retrieved 15 June 2012.</ref>

The front façade of a stadium building

The Falkirk Stadium has been Falkirk's home since 2004.

When the SPL was created in 1998, Brockville Park fell short of the SPL's stadium criteria, mainly because of the terraced stands. As a result, the club was denied entry to the league, despite winning the First Division or qualifying for a promotion play-off, on three occasions. Falkirk remained at the stadium until the last day of the 2002–03 football season, and in late 2003 Brockville was demolished and the site sold to supermarket chain Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To commemorate the club's time at the stadium, the supermarket displays Falkirk F.C. memorabilia, including a turnstile.<ref name="Facts">50 Fascinating Falkirk Facts Template:Webarchive, stforum.co.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2012.</ref> For the 2003–04 season, Falkirk entered an agreement with Stenhousemuir to ground-share Ochilview Park stadium for one season while the club's new stadium was under construction.

Since the beginning of the 2004–05 season, the club has been based at Falkirk Stadium, an 7,937 capacity all-seater stadium built on the eastern outskirts of Falkirk.<ref name="Scottish_grounds" /> The stadium was opened in July 2004 with a friendly match against Dundee.<ref name="Scottish_grounds">What's The Ground Like? Template:Webarchive, Scottish Football Grounds Guide. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2012.</ref><ref name="firstmatch">News Template:Webarchive, The Falkirk Stadium. 25 July 2004. Retrieved 11 January 2012.</ref> When it opened, only the 4,200 capacity west stand was completed. The 2,000 capacity north stand was constructed during the opening season and was completed in May 2005, taking the stadium above the SPL's reduced 6,000 seating criterion.<ref name="firstmatch" /> Falkirk became champions of the First Division that season and was promoted to the SPL. The stadium has since been further expanded; the south stand<ref name="third stand construction">Work on third stand gets underway, BBC News. 3 December 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2012.</ref> officially opened in a match against Royal Antwerp of Belgium in August 2009.<ref name="new south stand">Club debut for new stadium stand, BBC News. 30 July 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2012</ref>

Supporters and rivalries

Template:See also Falkirk's strongest recent rivalry is contested with Dunfermline Athletic. Dunfermline and Falkirk are roughly 13 miles apart, separated by the River Forth. Both clubs are a similar size and have regularly competed at the same level in the SPL and First Division but the origin of the rivalry is unclear, as former Falkirk manager John Hughes said in an interview in 2005.<ref name="Dunfermline_Falkirk_ESPN">Dunfermline v Falkirk: Preview, ESPN Soccernet. 15 October 2005. Retrieved 26 June 2012. </ref> The two clubs have played important promotion and relegation encounters against each other over the past thirty years which has only increased the animosity between the two sets of fans.<ref name="Falkirk_v_Dunfermline">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2009 the Falkirk Herald recalled Super Tuesday: "More than 20 years ago a previously postponed league fixture took place at Brockville. The then mighty Dunfermline had come to town expecting victory as they looked to continue their push for promotion from the B&Q First Division. But, for over half of the 9200 supporters that packed the terraces on 7 March 1989, little did they know they would witness a match which would eventually become part of Falkirk folklore. Goals from Derek McWilliams, Paul Rutherford, Sammy McGivern and Stuart Burgess without reply brought the Pars back down to earth with an almighty bang."<ref name="Super_Tuesday">Template:Cite web</ref>

A significant match between Falkirk and Dunfermline took place in April 2009, when they met at the semi-final stage of the 2008–09 Scottish Cup at Hampden Park; the Bairns won 2–0 in front of over 17,000 fans to progress to the final.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The club's traditional rival was East Stirlingshire, a club that was also based in Falkirk. The two teams regularly competed against each other in their early existences in the Stirlingshire Cup, as well as in league football following Falkirk's election to the Scottish Football League in 1902–03, two seasons after East Stirlingshire. The last time the clubs played each other in a competitive league fixture was in April 1982, which East Stirlingshire won 3–0, when both clubs were in the First Division.<ref name="H2H_East_Stirlingshire">Falkirk : Head-to-Head vs East Stirlingshire Template:Webarchive, statto.com. Retrieved 26 June 2012.</ref> Following East Stirlingshire's relegation that season, the two clubs have not competed in the same league; Falkirk predominantly in the First Division and East Stirlingshire in the Third Division. In 1999–00 the clubs were drawn against each other in the second round of the Scottish League Cup, which Falkirk won 2–0 after extra time was played, the last competitive fixture between the clubs excluding the Stirlingshire Cup.<ref name="H2H_East_Stirlingshire" />

Club staff

Position<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Name
Manager	John McGlynn
Assistant manager	Paul Smith
First team coach	Stephen McGinn
Goalkeeping coach	Robbie Thomson
Chief scout	Allan Fraser
Head of youth development	Tony Begg
Head of physical performance	Blair Doughty
Physiotherapist	Cammy McAndrew
Sports scientist	Lewis Collison
Head of analysis	Matthew Rowan
Performance analyst	Andy Tannahill
Kitmen	Chris McGill Jack Cunningham

Managers

Template:Further The club's first manager was Willie Nicol, who was appointed in 1905, before which all manager appointments were assigned to the club secretary. Nicol was first appointed club secretary in 1900, then secretary/manager and finally manager. Nicol is the longest serving manager in Falkirk's history. Alex Totten, manager from 1996 to 2002 who led the side to the 1997 Scottish Cup final, was named the clubs lifetime ambassador ahead of his retirement from football in 2021.

This list does not include caretaker managers or those who managed in a temporary capacity.

Only competitive matches are counted

Picture	Name	Nationality	From	To	Matches	Won	Drawn	Lost	Win%<ref>Win% is rounded to two decimal places</ref>	Honours	Notes
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 Scottish Cup, 2 Division One runners-up, 1 Division Two runners-up	1924|Nicol Willie Nicol - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1928|Reid David Reid - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1932|Richardson John Richardson - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1935|Orr Willie Orr - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 Division Two championship, 1 Scottish League Cup runners-up	1950|Craig Tom Craig (Tully) - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 Division Two runners-up	1957|Shankly Bob Shankly - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:ENG	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 Scottish Cup	1959|Smith Reggie Smith - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1960|Younger Tommy Younger - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 Division Two runners-up	1965|McCrae Alex McCrae - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1967|Kean Sammy Kean - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1969|Prentice John Prentice - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:NIR	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 Division Two championship	1973|Cunningham Willie Cunningham - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 Division Two championship	1976|Prentice John Prentice - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1977|Miller George Miller - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1979|Little Billy Little - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 Second Division championship	1983|Hagart John Hagart - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1984|Totten Alex Totten - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1984|Abel Gregor Abel - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 First Division runners-up	1987|Lamont Billy Lamont - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1989|Clarke Dave Clarke - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 First Division runners-up	1990|Duffy Jim Duffy - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1990|Lamont Billy Lamont - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	2 First Division championships, 1 Scottish Challenge Cup	1996|Jefferies Jim Jefferies - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
File:John lambie.jpg	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1996|Lambie John Lambie - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	1997|Bannon Eamonn Bannon - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 Scottish Cup runners-up, 1 Scottish Challenge Cup, 2 First Division runners-up	2002|Totten Alex Totten - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
File:Ian McCall (football manager).jpg	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	2003|McCall Ian McCall - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname and Template:Sortname	Template:IRL Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 First Division championship	2003|Coyle Owen Coyle - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
File:John Hughes 020809.JPG	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 First Division championship, 1 Scottish Challenge Cup, 1 Scottish Cup runners-up	2009|Hughes John Hughes (Yogi) - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	2010|May Eddie May - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	1 Scottish Challenge Cup	2999|Pressley Steven Pressley (Elvis) - Managerial Period & Record], bettermeddle.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref>
File:GaryHoltCapitalCanariesPotSApril2002.jpg	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Template:Sortname & Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Template:SCO	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	–	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Note

Honours

League

• Scottish League (first tier)
  • Runners-up (2): 1907–08, 1909–10
• Scottish First Division / Championship (second tier)
  • Winners (8): 1935–36, 1969–70, 1974–75, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2024–25 (record)
  • Runners-up (9): 1904–05, 1951–52, 1960–61, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2015–16, 2016–17
• Scottish Second Division / Scottish League One (third tier)
  • Winners (2): 1979–80, 2023–24
  • Runners-up (2): 2019–20†, 2022–23

Cup

• Scottish Cup
  • Winners (2): 1913, 1957
  • Runners-up (3): 1997, 2009, 2015
• Scottish League Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 1947–48
• Scottish Challenge Cup
  • Winners (4): 1993, 1997, 2004, 2012 (record)

†The 2019–20 Scottish League One season was declared early after 28 games played due to the COVID-19 outbreak.<ref name=":0" />

Club records

• League victory: 9–0 v Port Glasgow Athletic, Division One, 21 September 1907<ref name="statto_records">Falkirk : Records Template:Webarchive, statto.com. Retrieved 17 June 2012.</ref>
• League defeat: 1–11 v Airdrieonians, Division One, 28 April 1951<ref name="statto_records" />
• Fewest league defeats: 0 (unbeaten, 2023–24)
• Longest run of league matches without losing: 43 (18 April 2023 – 28 September 2024)
• Cup victory: 11–1 v Tillicoultry, Scottish Cup, 7 September 1889; and 10–0 (twice) v Aberfeldy Breadalbane, Scottish Cup, 13 January 1923 and 23 January 1926<ref name="statto_records" />
• Cup defeat: 1–9 v Motherwell, League Cup, 11 August 1962; 0–8 v Aberdeen, League Cup, 20 September 1972<ref name="statto_records" />
• Record attendance: 23,100 v Celtic, Scottish Cup, Brockville Park, 21 February 1953<ref name="scot_prem">Falkirk Football Club – Team Profile & History Template:Webarchive, Scottish Premier League. Retrieved 17 June 2012.</ref>
• Most international caps: 14, Alex Parker for Scotland (1955–58);<ref name="Historian_caps">Falkirk FC Players – International Appearances , Falkirk FC Historian. Retrieved 17 June 2012.</ref> Russell Latapy for Trinidad and Tobago (2003–09)
• Most league goals in one season: 43, Evelyn Morrison, (1928–29)<ref name="Historian_goals">Falkirk FC – Most Senior Goals in a Season, Falkirk FC Historian. 27 May 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2012.</ref>
• Most goals in one season: 45, Evelyn Morrison, (1928–29)<ref name="Historian_goals" />
• Most league goals: 129, Kenneth Dawson, (1934–35 to 1950–51)<ref name="John Meffen">Template:Cite web</ref>
• Most senior goals: 237, Kenneth Dawson, (1934–35 to 1950–51)<ref name="John Meffen"/>
• Most top division goals: 115, Jock Simpson, (1905–06 to 1921–22)
• Most Scottish Cup goals: 12, Robert Keyes, (1934–35 to 1938–39)<ref name="Bobby_Keyes">Falkirk FC 100 Club – Bobby Keyes Template:Webarchive, Falkirk FC Historian. 6 October 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2012.</ref>
• Most League Cup goals: 25, Angus Plumb, (1949–50 to 1954–55)
• Most league appearances: 451, Tom Ferguson, (1919–20 to 1931–32)<ref name="T_Ferguson">Thomas Ferguson = Falkirk FC Template:Webarchive, Falkirk FC Historian. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2012.</ref>
• Most senior appearances: 498, Tom Ferguson, (1919–20 to 1931–32)<ref name="T_Ferguson" />
• Most Scottish Cup appearances: 47, Tom Ferguson, (1919–20 to 1931–32)<ref name="T_Ferguson" />
• Most League Cup appearances: 68, John Markie, (1964–65 to 1975–76)
• World transfer record fee paid: £5,000 for Syd Puddefoot from West Ham United, (1922)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

European record

Since the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) was formed in 1960, Falkirk has qualified for a UEFA club competition on one occasion.<ref name="UEFA_record">Falkirk – History, uefa.com. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref> In 2009, Falkirk reached the final of the Scottish Cup, which it lost to Rangers. The winner of the Scottish Cup would normally qualify for the UEFA Europa League, but because Rangers had already qualified for the UEFA Champions League through their league ranking in the SPL, the place was passed to Falkirk as runners-up. Falkirk was eliminated in the second qualifying round by FC Vaduz of Liechtenstein in a two-legged tie.<ref name="FC_Vaduz_09/10">UEFA Europa League 2009/10 – Matches, uefa.com. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2012.</ref> The club's only European goal was scored by Ryan Flynn in the 1–0 first leg home victory against FC Vaduz.

Season	Competition	Round	Opponent	Home	Away	Aggregate
2009–10	UEFA Europa League	Second qualifying round	Template:Flagicon FC Vaduz	1–0	0–2	1–2 (a.e.t.)

See also

• McCrae's Battalion

External links

• Template:Official website