Falkirk F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Falkirk Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Bairns | ||
| Founded | 1876; 149 years ago | ||
| Ground | Falkirk Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 7,937 | ||
| Owner | Falkirk Supporters Society | ||
| CEO | Jamie Swinney | ||
| Manager | John McGlynn | ||
| League | Scottish Championship | ||
| 2015–16 | Scottish Championship, 2nd | ||
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Falkirk Football Club is a professional football team from Falkirk, Scotland. The club started in 1876 and plays in the top league of Scottish football, the Scottish Professional Football League. Falkirk was first elected to the Scottish Football League in 1902.
The team quickly moved up to the First Division. They achieved their best league finishes in 1908 and 1910, coming in second place both times. Falkirk won the Scottish Cup for the first time in 1913. They won it again in 1957.
Falkirk has been a runner-up in the Scottish Cup three more times: in 1997, 2009, and 2015. Because they reached the 2009 Scottish Cup final, the club got to play in the UEFA Europa League in 2009–10. Falkirk has won the second tier of Scottish football a record eight times. They have also won the Scottish Challenge Cup four times, which is more than any other club.
In their early years, Falkirk played at three different places. From 1885 to 2003, their home was Brockville Park. Since 2004, the club has played at the Falkirk Stadium. This is a modern stadium with seats for everyone.
Contents
Club History: How Falkirk FC Started
When Was Falkirk FC Formed?
The exact year Falkirk Football Club started is a bit unclear. Some people say 1876, while others say 1877. However, the club and its fans use 1876 as the official founding date. In 1878, the club joined the Scottish Football Association. This meant they could play in the Scottish Cup, a big knockout tournament for teams across Scotland.
In their first few years, Falkirk mostly played friendly games. They played their home matches at Hope Street, Randyford Park, and Blinkbonny Park. In 1884, they moved to Brockville Park, which was their home for 118 years. The club's nickname is "The Bairns." This is a Scottish word meaning "children," and it's given to people from the town of Falkirk.
Joining the Scottish Football League
For many years, Falkirk mostly played regional games and in the Scottish Cup. In 1902, the club joined the Scottish Football League. This was a national league for Scotland's best football clubs. The league had two levels: the First and Second Divisions.
Falkirk quickly moved up to the top division after two seasons. They finished second in the Second Division in 1905. In 1908 and 1910, Falkirk finished second in the top league. They were behind Celtic both times. Falkirk was the first Scottish club to score over 100 goals in one season. In 1913, the club won the Scottish Cup for the first time. They beat Raith Rovers 2–0 in the final.
In 1922, Falkirk made history by paying a world record transfer fee of £5,000 for player Syd Puddefoot. The next year, the club played a special game to help people affected by the Redding mine disaster. Falkirk played in the top league for 30 years in a row. They were relegated in 1935 but quickly returned to the top flight the next season.
After World War II: Ups and Downs
After World War II ended in 1945, the Scottish Football League started again. Falkirk was back in the First Division for the 1946–47 season. In 1947, a new competition called the Scottish League Cup began. Falkirk reached the final in 1947–48 but lost to East Fife.
The club won the Scottish Cup again in 1957, beating Kilmarnock in a replay. This was their first Scottish Cup win in 44 years. After this, Falkirk often moved between the first and second divisions. They were promoted and relegated seven times until 1996. During the 1970s, they even spent three seasons in the third tier of Scottish football.
In 1997, Falkirk reached the Scottish Cup final for the third time. They were the seventh club in over 100 years to reach the final while playing outside the top league. They played Kilmarnock again, but this time Falkirk lost 1–0.
The Scottish Premier League Era
The Scottish Premier League (SPL) was created in 1998 as the new top league. New rules meant Falkirk couldn't be promoted to the SPL three times. One rule said clubs needed a stadium with 10,000 seats. Falkirk's Brockville Park didn't meet this rule.
In 2003, Falkirk finished first in the First Division. They tried to share a stadium with another team to meet the SPL rules, but it was rejected. So, Falkirk started building a new stadium and left Brockville Park.
The SPL stadium rule was changed to 6,000 seats in 2004. Falkirk's new Falkirk Stadium met this rule. The club won the First Division in 2005 and was finally promoted to the SPL. After three seasons in the SPL, Falkirk qualified for the UEFA Europa League in 2009. This was the first time the club played in a European competition. In the same year, Falkirk lost to Rangers in the Scottish Cup final. The next season, Falkirk was relegated from the SPL.
Recent Years: Scottish Championship and League One
After returning to the First Division (now called the Scottish Championship), Falkirk finished third in 2011 and 2012. They won the Scottish Challenge Cup in 2012, making it a record four wins for the club. In 2013, Falkirk reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup but lost a close game to Hibernian.
In 2014, Falkirk finished third in the Scottish Championship and made it to the promotion play-offs. They won against Queen of the South but lost to Hamilton Academical. In 2015, Falkirk reached the Scottish Cup final again but lost 2–1 to Inverness.
In 2016 and 2017, Falkirk finished second in the Championship and qualified for the play-offs again. They lost to Kilmarnock in 2016 and to Dundee United in 2017. In 2019, Falkirk had a tough season and was relegated to Scottish League One, the third tier.
The 2019–20 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Falkirk finishing second. In the 2022–23 season, they finished second in League One but lost in the play-offs.
On March 30, 2024, Falkirk won the League One championship. They completed the 2023–24 season undefeated, winning 27 games and drawing 9. This was only the seventh unbeaten league season in Scottish football history!
Rise Up the Leagues
Falkirk's amazing unbeaten run finally ended on September 28, 2024, when they lost 1–0 to Raith Rovers.
In the 2024–25 Scottish Championship season, Falkirk started strong. They beat Queens Park 2–1 at home. The team signed Scott Arfield in February 2025, who had played for the club before. Arfield chose to wear number 37 in memory of a friend. He scored three goals in his first game back, helping Falkirk win 5–2 against Partick Thistle.
Falkirk had a great campaign and won the Scottish Championship on May 2, 2025, by beating Hamilton Academical 3–1. This meant they won back-to-back league titles and returned to the top flight of Scottish football for the first time in 15 years!
Team Colors and Badge
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| The first instance of the navy blue and white strip from 1882 |
Falkirk's main colors are navy blue and white. They first wore these colors in 1882. Their very first uniform, from 1876 to 1880, had thin blue and white stripes. Since then, a blue jersey and white shorts have been common. Red has also been part of the uniform, especially on the socks, since the late 1930s. For the 2017–18 season, the kit was a navy blue jersey, white shorts, and navy socks.
Falkirk's current badge shows a modern version of the Falkirk Steeple. This is a famous landmark in the town. In the 2007–08 season, the club used a special badge called "The Highlander." This was a tribute to the players who won the Scottish Cup in 1957.
Stadiums: Where Falkirk Plays
In their early days, Falkirk played at Hope Street, Randyford Park, and Blinkbonny Park. The first game at Hope Street was against Grasshoppers from Bonnybridge. They played their first competitive match at Randyford Park, winning against Campsie Glen.
From 1885 to 2003, Falkirk's home was Brockville Park. This stadium was close to the town center. It mostly had standing areas and could hold about 7,500 to 8,000 fans. On February 21, 1953, Brockville Park saw its biggest crowd ever: 23,100 people watched Falkirk play against Celtic.
When the Scottish Premier League (SPL) started in 1998, Brockville Park didn't meet the new stadium rules because it had too many standing areas. Because of this, Falkirk was not allowed to join the SPL, even when they won their league or qualified for play-offs. Falkirk played their last game at Brockville Park in 2003. The stadium was then taken down, and a supermarket was built there. The supermarket even has Falkirk FC items, like an old turnstile, to remember the club's history. For the 2003–04 season, Falkirk played at Ochilview Park while their new stadium was being built.
Since the 2004–05 season, Falkirk has played at the Falkirk Stadium. This stadium has 7,937 seats and is on the edge of Falkirk. It opened in July 2004 with a friendly match against Dundee. When it first opened, only one stand was finished. More stands were built, and by May 2005, the stadium met the SPL's seating rules. Falkirk won their league that season and moved up to the SPL. The stadium has grown even more, with the south stand opening in 2009.
Fans and Rivalries
Falkirk's biggest recent rivalry is with Dunfermline Athletic. The two towns are only about 13 miles apart. Both clubs are similar in size and have often played in the same leagues. This rivalry has grown because they have played important games against each other for promotion or to avoid relegation.
A memorable match between Falkirk and Dunfermline happened in April 2009. They played in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup. Falkirk won 2–0 in front of over 17,000 fans, moving on to the final.
The club's older rival was East Stirlingshire, another team from Falkirk. These two teams often played against each other in local cups and league games. However, they haven't been in the same league since 1982. The last time they played a competitive game was in 2000, in the Scottish League Cup, which Falkirk won.
Current Team Players
First Team
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On Loan
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Club Staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | John McGlynn |
| Assistant manager | Paul Smith |
| First team coach | Stephen McGinn |
| Goalkeeping coach | Alex Connon |
| 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 |
Club Managers
Willie Nicol was Falkirk's first manager, starting in 1905. Before him, the club secretary handled manager duties. Nicol is the longest-serving manager in Falkirk's history. Alex Totten, who managed from 1996 to 2002 and led the team to the 1997 Scottish Cup Final, was named the club's lifetime ambassador.
Here are some of Falkirk's managers and their achievements:
- Willie Nicol (1905–1924): Won 1 Scottish Cup.
- Tully Craig (1935–1950): Won 1 Second Division championship.
- Reg Smith (1957–1959): Won 1 Scottish Cup.
- Willie Cunningham (1968–1973): Won 1 Second Division championship.
- John Prentice (1973–1975): Won 1 Second Division championship.
- John Hagart (1979–1982): Won 1 Second Division championship.
- Jim Jefferies (1990–1995): Won 2 First Division championships and 1 Scottish Challenge Cup.
- Alex Totten (1996–2002): Won 1 Scottish Challenge Cup and was a Scottish Cup runner-up.
- Owen Coyle and John Hughes (2003): Won 1 First Division championship.
- John Hughes (2003–2009): Won 1 First Division championship, 1 Scottish Challenge Cup, and was a Scottish Cup runner-up.
- Steven Pressley (2010–2013): Won 1 Scottish Challenge Cup.
Club Achievements
League Titles
- Scottish League (Top Tier)
- Second Place (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 (a record!)
- Second Place (8): 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
- Second Place (2): 2019–20, 2022–23
Cup Wins
- 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 (a record!)
Club Records
- Biggest League Win: 9–0 against Port Glasgow Athletic, 1907
- Fewest League Defeats: 0 (undefeated), 2023–24 season
- Longest Unbeaten League Run: 43 matches (April 18, 2023 – September 28, 2024)
- Biggest Cup Win: 11–1 against Tillicoultry, Scottish Cup, 1889
- Record Attendance: 23,100 fans against Celtic at Brockville Park, 1953
- Most Goals in One Season (League): 43 goals by Evelyn Morrison, 1928–29
- Most Goals for the Club: 237 goals by Kenneth Dawson (1934–1951)
- Most Appearances for the Club: 498 games by Tom Ferguson (1919–1932)
- World Record Transfer Fee Paid: £5,000 for Syd Puddefoot from West Ham United, 1922
European Football History
Since the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) started in 1960, Falkirk has played in a UEFA club competition once. In 2009, Falkirk reached the 2009 Scottish Cup Final but lost to Rangers. Usually, the Scottish Cup winner qualifies for the UEFA Europa League. But because Rangers had already qualified for the UEFA Champions League, Falkirk got the spot as the runner-up.
Falkirk was knocked out in the second qualifying round by FC Vaduz from Liechtenstein. Falkirk's only European goal was scored by Ryan Flynn in their 1–0 home win against FC Vaduz.
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate |
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| 2009–10 | UEFA Europa League | Second qualifying round |  FC Vaduz |
1–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 (a.e.t.) |
Images for kids
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Jim Jefferies, a successful Falkirk manager.
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John Lambie, who managed Falkirk in 1995-1996.
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Ian McCall, Falkirk manager in 2002-2003.
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John Hughes, who managed Falkirk from 2003 to 2009.
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Steven Pressley, Falkirk manager from 2010 to 2013.
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Gary Holt, Falkirk manager from 2013 to 2014.
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See also
In Spanish: Falkirk Football Club para niños
