We’ve invited fans of the 42 SPFL clubs (well, some of them at least) to give us a preview of their team’s upcoming season. Let’s find out what Robbie Copeland thinks is in store for Falkirk…
Last Season’s Position – 5th
This Season’s Prediction – 4th
Best Signing of the Summer So Far – Bob McHugh
At least he’s not Paul Heffernan. Joking aside, it may seem a bit uninspiring at first glance, especially considering the boots he’s being expected to fill; those of the departed Rory Loy, who became something of an icon in his two years with us, scoring 35 goals in total; but keep in mind Farid El Alagui, Lyle Taylor and Loy himself all had dismal scoring records prior to signing, and none of those turned out too badly…
Actually, McHugh has a far better strike rate than any of those did prior to Falkirk, and at the much younger age of 23. He may not be an established goalscorer at Championship level, but his the 4 goals in 3 pre season appearances are an early indicator that McHugh looks to have potential as a partner to John Baird up top, which is what we all wanted, after all.
Key Man – Craig Sibbald
This is a guy who, at his best, has a level of skill unmatched by almost anyone in the division. At 20 years old, he’s remarkably been in or around the first team for four years, making over 150 first team appearances, and has been touted as the next big thing to come out of the academy for a long time. Only last season, though, did he turn it on consistently and grab the nation’s attention, scoring in both the Scottish Cup quarter and semi finals. In May, considering the season he had, it seemed almost inevitable he’d move on to bigger things before we got the chance to see him at TFS again. However, for whatever reason, interest from south of the border has cooled and it looks as if he’ll remain a Bairn for the forseeable. If he can turn on the style and drive at defences to a level comparable to that of much of last season, there’s no doubt it won’t be long before he gets his break – but in the meantime, I’m more than happy to see him continue to turn it on in navy blue.
The Manager – Peter Houston
Peter Houston is a man who has divided opinion right from his appointment at the start of last season. Most were happy to see the cult hero back at the club, but being Falkirk, there were inevitably some who had reservations, slating him as a “football dinosaur” based almost entirely on his spell in charge of Dundee Utd. Since then, criticisms of a prehistoric variety have cooled somewhat, and have been replaced with an albeit more just discontentment of his signings as manager, with David Smith and Alex Cooper in particular failing to impress. To be fair to him, the dogged performances shown in the run to the cup final were something scarcely seen by Falkirk before him, and said cup run was undoubtedly his saving grace in an otherwise average season. If these players can turn it on in the coming season, and contribute largely to a successful attempt at making the playoffs along with new additions, Houston will have gone some way towards winning over even the most negative of supporters. If not, you can be sure the boo boys will be out in force, and with just cause.
Expectations
Last season was certainly a strange one. Thanks largely to a poor start, we struggled badly to keep up with QOTS, who had one of their best league campaigns in recent memory, and with Hearts, Hibs and Rangers to contend with, we were always going to find it hard to make the playoffs. Our usual lack of consistency frustrated many, but there were definitely some highlights. Craig Sibbald had his most consistent season yet, and Luke Leahy transformed from a nothing player (and dreadful left back) into our player of the season, almost overnight.
The cup run, though, overshone all else. The aforementioned Sibbald stood out, scoring winners in both the quarters and semis as we made the cup final – only for us to stay true to form and lose in the most gutwrenchingly painful way imaginable. However, now we’re over that (I wish) let’s get to where we are now – weeks away from the season getting underway. Now, as far as expectations go, it’d be unfair to say I expect a cup run esque of last season. However, I do think we should at least be making the playoffs. Continuity will be the key for us, having held onto all but two of the cup final squad. The team you’d expect to be our closest rivals, QOTS, cannot say the same, having lost a large number of vital first team players, including Mark Durnan, Kevin Holt, Daniel Carmichael and Gavin Reilly among others. In that respect, it’s fair to say we should be pipping them to 4th place at the very least this time around. There’s nothing to say we can’t catch Hibs or St Mirren either, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
About The Author
Robbie Copeland is a student journalist, studying for a HND at City of Glasgow College. He’s been a Falkirk fan for as long as he can remember, going to games since 2009. He loves it, really, despite how much he complains. Twitter – @MeteoraRob
