The Benchman: Tremendous support, Falkirk takeover and Bury saga

Do you recognise the two players with Tommy Docherty

STARs of the small screen: Two ex-Bairns featured on social media last week with spectacular goals. Shayne Lavery scored what has been described as “one of the great Irish goals in Europe” for Linfield against Qarabag in a Europa League qualifier. And 42 year old Danny McBreen scored for Edgeworth in Australia and looked as sharp as ever.

A threatened species: With apologies to The Proclaimers. Saturday sports papers no more. Rattles no more.Dubbin no more. Black boots no more. What next?-Bovril no more. Pies no more. Spearmint chews no more. Macaroon bars no more. Programmes no more?

What a support: What a support! To see 1,503 Bairns supporters at Broadwood on Saturday, for what is after all a third tier match, goes to show the potential this club has. A good start to the season, a perfect day weather-wise, and a game against the team at the bottom of the league- what could possibly go wrong? What a let-down that was. Falkirk looked a sorry lot at the end- and it could have been even worse if Goodwillie’s late effort across the box had been put away by a colleague.

No easy task: It was a sharp reminder that winning this league will not be easy. Teams will want to take Falkirk’s scalp and Clyde did NOT run out of steam as many had predicted. The larger attendances will add atmosphere and games at The Falkirk Stadium will see teams sit in and have their “cup final” in front of 3,000 plus crowds.

The waiting game: By the time you read this a decision will probably have been made regarding the bid to take over the club. There have been several press articles - not to mention countless rumours, whispers and pieces of gossip. Whatever happens- the club needs to move on and focus on events ON the pitch and get behind the players.

Answers: Last week’s mystery player was Ron Yeats of Dundee United and Liverpool, who once played at Brockville for a Second Division Select team.

Bury saga: What an amazing radio interview with the outgoing Chairman Steven Dale of the beleaguered club. He openly admitted that he didn’t like football and didn’t even know that Bury had a football team. He would walk away and never go back as he didn’t have any other reason to go there anyway. You were left asking why on earth this guy bought the club. Now the Bury punters are forming a fans army to clean the stadium and the 11,640 seats. Clubs don’t belong to fly-by-night businessmen- they belong to fans and communities. By 5.00pm last Tuesday they discovered their fate and were expelled from the EFL.

Somewhere in the Benchman attic is the programme of the game played on Tuesday October 1 st 1957 when Bury beat Falkirk 2-1 at Gigg Lane.