Falkirk FC: Manager John McGlynn hails the Falkirk Stadium's newly introduced singing section for fans and hopes it remains

Following a consultation with Bairns supporters, the innovation was introduced in Section E of the KM Stand in midweek and is also scheduled to be there for this Saturday’s home Group B finale against Peterhead as well as the first League One game against Annan Athletic a week later.

"I think the singing section was good,” McGlynn said. “I think the club had a meeting with a group of fans before it was introduced and it was great.

"Hopefully that can continue for the whole season and bring an atmosphere to the stadium.

"Obviously it was a televised game but on Tuesday night we were by far and away the biggest crowd attending a game (in the Viaplay Cup). And that was a game that was on television as well so I was delighted with the response from the fans in the singing section and long may that continue.

"You hope that it can roar us on to a few more points in the league this year but we’ve got to do our job regardless.

"Atmosphere or no atmosphere, somebody in the stadium or not in the stadium, obviously you do want fans in the stadium of course. We want to have a big, big push for promotion.

"Fans are the lifeblood of the football club. But we have gone over periods where there’s been Covid, there’s not been fans in and you’ve just got to get on with it.”

The midweek defeat to the Tangerines leaves Falkirk fourth in their group on five points ahead of the Peterhead match, with second-placed Partick Thistle and third-placed Spartans (both on six points) playing each other at Firhill this weekend as the battle hots up to qualify at the expense of current leaders Dundee United who have finished on six points from four group fixtures and can’t qualify.

With only the eight group winners and the three best runners-up reaching the second round, qualification looks like a big ask for McGlynn’s team.

“The best case scenario for us would be a draw between Partick and Spartans,” he added. “It would then depend on what the draw was because qualification could come down to goals scored if you were on the same goal difference.

"So if it was 5-5 we would need to score seven or eight goals. But if it was 0-0 and we were to win then 2-0 or 3-0 would probably be enough for us.

"I’m looking at our own table. But then, because there were some games last night and you look at Kilmarnock and Raith Rovers, with the greatest respect to Annan and Albion Rovers, it looks very much that Kilmarnock and Raith Rovers will win to get 10 points and nine points and that would put them through.

"So there’s not too many second positions left and I don’t think eight points will be enough.”

McGlynn said that a scan result has confirmed that crocked defender Sean Mackie will be out for around eight weeks with a hamstring injury sustained just seven minutes into the game at Partick Thistle on July 22, with Aidan Nesbitt and Nicky Hogarth still missing for the Peterhead game. But Brad Spencer is back from suspension.