Craig Sibbald 'buzzing' for Falkirk homecoming after perfect Premier Sports Cup start
Craig Sibbald set for Falkirk homecoming against Ayr United.
Some things are worth the wait. And it’s been a long time coming for hometown hero Craig Sibbald to relive his boyhood dream all over again.
The midfielder, 31, already got to experience playing for his boyhood Bairns in front of the Falkirk Stadium home crowd during his first spell with the club.
On Tuesday night, he’ll get to do that again when he likely makes his second home debut for Falkirk - nearly 3,000 days after his last Westfield appearance in Navy Blue.
John McGlynn’s side welcome Scottish Championship side Ayr United in their second Premier Sports Cup Group G outing hoping to make it six points from six.
Craig Sibbald ‘buzzing’ for Falkirk homecoming
"I am buzzing for it,” Sibbald said. “To be back home, playing at the stadium will be amazing. Hopefully the Falkirk fans turn out like they always do. I am looking forward to it.
“But it is all about myself and the team staying focused and doing our job on the pitch. We want to start fast again like we did against Edinburgh and be ruthless like the gaffer wants.
"There are few familiar faces, people who were here previously. The stadium is still the same!
“But is a different style of play here now and the football side of things is different - the standards are much higher now and the intensity is a different level, it is so high in training, everyday.
“I need to keep driving that standard and keep going everyday. The second season can be so hard - we need to be right at it. The gaffer drives standards but we need to do that too as players. We have to do the basics well.”
Falkirk’s five-star start against City
Sibbald marked his Falkirk return last Saturday by helping the Bairns get off to the perfect start in their competitive opener. The Bairns racked up a 5-0 win away to Edinburgh City and the midfielder says his team-mates need to carry on in that fashion against the Honest Men.
"It was great,” Sibbald said. “We made a good start to the game and getting the opening goal really helped and settled us. We all know how hard it can be these sort of matches.
“Getting that early goal was brilliant we and we continued on from that point. We scored four goals in the first half which was a real positive for us to take considering it was the first game.
“I would have happily taken that at the start of the day before the match (for my second debut). We just need to build on this win now.”
Former Dundee United ace Sibbald played 24 times in the Scottish Premiership last season for the Terrors and was enjoying a successful spell at Tannadice - but he admitted that the lure of returning “home” was simply too good to turn down.
He explained: "It was an easy decision in the end. It was a chance to come back home. The gaffer was a big part to play in my decision. I wanted to be a part of his team and the style of play.
“I can continue to build relationships going forward and keep trying to get better in this team each week. The boys in general have been brand new. The quality is there - you see it everyday in training. Hopefully it will continue to work well and we will all tie in together.
“You can see the standards, even from the two weeks that I have been in. The standards are so high and intense.”