A fan’s guide – the club from early doors to today
A rare recent spell in Scotland’s third tier for Falkirk FC should be seen in the context of decades of top-flight football. Rarely too far from Scotland’s elite, Falkirk came within 90 minutes of a Premiership place in 2016 – a sadly similar story to 2014. In between, the Bairns were close to a first Scottish Cup win since 1957.
Halfway between the trophy-laden giants of Glasgow and Edinburgh, Falkirk mainly kept in contention despite a smaller budget and, until 2004, an old-school ground that barred the way to promotion.
The club’s glory days came in the early 1900s. Formed in the late 1870s, the Bairns took their nickname taken from the town’s motto, warning outsiders not to ‘meddle wi’… the Bairns o’ Fa’kirk’. Competing in the Scottish Cup, winning the inaugural Stirlingshire Cup, Falkirk were first based on Hope Street, site of their later permanent home, Brockville Park, from 1885 onwards.
Entering the Scottish League in 1902, the Bairns were a free-scoring side who twice pushed Celtic close for the title, beating Rangers en route to the Scottish Cup final of 1913. Two unanswered goals, one from centre-half Tommy Logan, enabled Falkirk to beat Raith for the trophy. He and inside-forward Jimmy Croal were soon snapped up by Chelsea, appearing in the English FA Cup final two years later.
A popular figure when a guest striker at Falkirk during World War I, Syd Puddefoot was brought back to Brockville Park in 1922 from his native West Ham for a world record transfer fee of £5,000, raised from supporters’ donations. It was only enough to lift the club to fourth place on his debut season.
Goals later came from record scorer Kenny Dawson, and Falkirk finished in the top five either side of World War II, under Tully Craig. After his departure, they fell away, spending the odd season in the Second Division and, in the 1970s, the third tier.
This indifferent spell was only broken by former Millwall winger Reggie Smith, who saved Falkirk from relegation in 1957 and led them to a second Scottish Cup win. Doug Moran, later of Ipswich Town, scored the winning goal in extra-time to beat Kilmarnock under floodlights at Hampden, silverware settled on a replay.
The later third-flight stint ended satisfactorily with the 1979-80 divisional title wrested from local rivals East Stirlingshire by two late goals in the final game of the campaign.
The top flight remained elusive. The new SPL admission rules required all-seater grounds. Brockville Park comprised tatty terracing and a groundshare wasn’t permissable.
A new home was the only solution and, as Falkirk Stadium was being built by the M9 motorway near Grangemouth, the Bairns played at Ochilview Park in Stenhousemuir.
First under Alex Totten then ex-Bairns centre-back John Hughes, Falkirk always had a decent side, their midfield embellished by veteran Russell Lapaty. Hughes had revived his former Hibs team-mate – the Trinidadian international repaid him with a Player of the Year performance in 2004-05 that gained Falkirk promotion for the first time in ten years. The timing was perfect, with a new stand added to the new stadium, ready for 2005-06.
Falkirk made the Scottish Cup final of 2009, a team featuring ex-Old Firm favourites Neil McCann and Jackie McNamara failing to mark Hughes’ farewell with a major trophy. A wonder strike by Rangers’ Nacho Novo was the only goal.
A substitute that day, Steven Pressley stayed on at Falkirk Park in a coaching role, first as assistant to former Bairns midfielder Eddie May, then as manager from 2010. May had presided over the only defeat by a British side to one from Liechtenstein, Falkirk losing in extra-time to Pierre Littbarski’s Vaduz in the Europa League.
Close, but not close enough, to promotion under Pressley, Falkirk switched to Gary Holt in 2013, the Norwich legend taking the Bairns to the Premiership play-offs in 2014. Goals from Rory Loy had been enough to get them there, but no further.
In came former Falkirk striker Peter Houston, who first led the Bairns to another Scottish Cup final, a 2-1 defeat by Inverness Caledonian. Goals from experienced striker John Baird then brought Falkirk to the Premiership play-offs, a late strike from Bob McHugh before a record crowd at Falkirk Stadium taking the Bairns past Hibs in the semi-final.
A stoppage-time effort from Will Vaulks set Falkirk up for a showdown second leg play-off final at Kilmarnock, where two early Killie goals exposed Houston’s safety-first formation. The following season, it was Dundee United who had just that little more nous in the Premiership play-off, although it was a close-run thing, a late winner by Houston’s former club at Falkirk Stadium edging the tie after a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Tannadice.
Deflated and under a change of manager from October, a disjointed Falkirk limped through 2017-18 and didn’t perk up until it was too late. A 3-2 win over Ross County, immediately reversing a 1-2 scoreline on the last day of the season, wasn’t enough to save the Bairns from relegation in 2019.
It took several managers and two pandemic-hit seasons but the arrival of former Hearts manager John McGlynn in 2022 relit Falkirk’s fire. Tonked by Airdrieonians in the Championship play-off after a solid run in the regular season, the Bairns rolled up their sleeves to steamroller League One in 2023-24.
After just breaking into double figures the previous campaign, prolific young forward Callumn Morrison thrived in partnership with incoming striker Ross MacIver to put the unbeaten Bairns way ahead in the title race. Keeping hold of either player may be as big a challenge as adjusting to the Championship in 2024-25.
Ground Guide
The field of dreams – and the story behind it
The three-sided Falkirk Stadium is one of the most impressive grounds in the Scottish game outside of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Opened in 2004, it replaced the age-old Brockville Park, unsuitable for modern-day needs.
The only downside, apart from the missing stand, is its location, way out towards Grangemouth, a fair walk from town.
The stadium was developed gradually, starting with the main West Stand, twice the size of its later-built counterparts at either end of the ground. Away fans are allocated the North Stand. Overall capacity is an all-seated 8,000. As it’s a new-build, leg room and sight lines are decent.
Whether the empty space will ever be filled by an East Stand is open to question. Falkirk’s average gates are between 4,000 and 5,000, although a return to the Premiership would up this figure. On the other hand, given groundshare neighbours East Stirlingshire’s stubborn presence in the Lowland League, the current capacity need not be expanded on their behalf.
getting here
Going to the ground – tips and timings
Falkirk Stadium is a fair walk from Grahamston station – roughly 30 minutes.
As it’s on the main road to Grangemouth, there is a regular bus service. Near the station, on Park Street just before the junction with Weir Street, McGill’s buses 2, 2A, 3 and 4 run to Stadium Road End, just after Westfield Roundabout, journey time 6mins.
Each is on a 15-30min schedule so one should come along pretty quickly. It also passes close to Falkirk bus station at the stop for Gala Bingo.
The sat nav code for the Falkirk Stadium is FK2 9EE. The stadium car park is for permit-holders only on match days. On Grangemouth Road, Forth Valley College (FK2 9AD) has two car parks open on match days, at the Middlefield Block and Main Building behind the college and signposted.
Tickets & Shop
How to get in and what to buy
The ticket office & shop (Mon, Wed- Fri 9.30am-4pm, Tue 11am-4p, match-day Sat 9am-kick off, match-day midweek 9.30am-kick off) are in the same outlet behind the Main Stand. There are also online sales.
Advance and match-day ticket sales are by cash or credit card – there are no turnstiles, all admission is by bar-coded ticket.
A seat behind the goals in the North (away) and South Stands is £20, over-65s and students charged £15, under-18s £10.
Prime seats over the halfway line in the Main Stand are £23, £18 and £13, all other ones £21, £16 and £11. It’s free for under-12s everywhere.
The current home shirt is navy with a red collar and sleeves, a blue flame effect extending over the shoulder. For 2023-24, the sponsor’s logo is a bizarrely shaped object which turns out to be a carrot. The carrot centrepieces the rather stylish change strip, white with a thick blue stripe down the middle, tramlined by sky blue.
Charmingly, the club still produces autograph books, as well as towels, dog leads and umbrellas, all bearing the striking badge of Falkirk Steeple rising up through an old-school football.
Where to Drink
Pre-match beers for fans and casual visitors
Just off Grangemouth Road at 2 Thornhill Road, the Mill Inn is a standard, Tennent’s-serving boozer with its own football team. Given the closure of top sports bar Pennies nearby, this is pretty much the only choice walking to the stadium from town.
Behind the home end, Bairns fans gather in the modest Brockville Bar, while daytimes during the week, The Westfield offers hot drinks, snacks and breakfasts (no booze) if you’ve just popped into the club shop or ticket office.
