Falkirk ace Brad Spencer says home form will be key as midfielder backs himself to perform in Premiership

Falkirk midfielder Brad Spencer reckons continuing to boast a strong home record will be vital to the Bairns’ chances to this campaign as they look to ensure that they remain a Scottish Premiership club come next summer.

Since joining the club back in the summer of 2023, Spencer and his team-mates have only lost two home league matches having won back-to-back SPFL titles. And the 29-year-old - who recently signed a new two-year contract extension - is hoping that the team’s superb home form continues this Sunday against Dundee United in their top-flight opener.

Spencer: Home form key for Falkirk in Premiership

Speaking ahead of the Bairns’ Premiership return, he said: “We need to tick each box as it comes. We need to take each game at a time. It is a cliche but that is what we have to do. First and foremost we have to confirm our place in the Premiership next year as a first target and then build on from there and see where it takes us. You need to have good home form to have a good season. Away results you can pick up here and there. Home is the bread and butter. We need to make it so difficult for teams coming here.

“We’ve done well previously in the cups against Premiership teams and we know that we deserve to be at this level now. We have continuity as a group and we know how we want to play. There are no unknowns. We want to try and hit the ground running. Dundee United have played in Europe on Thursday and we need to take advantage of being a little fresher than them. We prepare for every game like we are playing Barcelona so not much has changed. It doesn’t matter if we are playing a Premiership or Lowland League team, we do the same preparation.”

Sunday will also mark Spencer’s first match in the Premiership and that will mark a significant milestone in the midfielder’s career. Having previously played under boss John McGlynn at Raith Rovers, he has worked his way up the SPFL’s divisions and finished last season with the PFA Scotland Championship player of the year prize for his second-tier showings.

Spencer backs himself against top-flight stars

“I’ve wanted to play in the Premiership for a long time,” Spencer admitted. “It is just about going out and proving yourself week in week out against the best players in the country. I’d back myself against any player in the country. I want to have another good year. To come here and have managed to do it in two years is something special. I’d be lying if I said I thought we would be here at this point when I first came through the door. I had faith in the gaffer and Smudger that I was joining a good project and to be in the Premiership already shows that I made the right choice and it’s been brilliant being at Falkirk. Long may it continue.”

On captaining Falkirk in the Premiership with Coll Donaldson crocked, he added: “It is a great achievement for myself but I feel for Coll (Donaldson). He has worked really hard to get to this point too. I’d be gutted if I was him. But all I can do is take on the role as best I can. What is great is that we have so many leaders in our group who don’t have the armband.”