Falkirk club chiefs address Scottish Cup semi-final exit and issue rallying call ahead of final five
Falkirk club chiefs issue rallying call for final five league outings after Scottish Cup semi final exit.
Falkirk’s board of directors have issued a rallying call to get behind John McGlynn’s team for the final five Scottish Premiership fixtures after suffering “bitter disappointment” in the Scottish Cup semi final.
The Bairns blew their hopes of reaching the final against second-tier rivals Dunfermline on Saturday - losing out on penalties after a 0-0 stalemate at Hampden. Falkirk - who had previously secured their spot in the top six with a game to spare - were favourites to progress but they fell way short against Neil Lennon’s side.
Falkirk enjoyed long spells with the ball but they didn’t show their usual attacking verve, and it was a performance lacking character and quality. The shoot-out was shocker with Brad Spencer and Liam Henderson both failing to find the back of the net.
Falkirk club chiefs address Scottish Cup semi final exit
And that final four exit at the hands of the Pars has taken away the shine from what has been a superb return season to the top flight after a 15-year absence. The club’s board - which consists of Stuart Adam, Keith Gourlay, Mark Whittet, Nigel Serafini, Bob Leishman and Tom Angus - highlighted on Monday in a message to supporters that this campaign has been the Bairns’ best in decades.
A statement read: “Everyone at the club wants to acknowledge the hurt and disappointment we all feel after the semi final. The fans put so much into the occasion. Financially and emotionally, the tifo and subsequent tidy-up, and impeccable behaviour at the stadium. As ever, you gave your all for your team and everyone at the club thanks you for backing them in such numbers, and with such noise and colour.As John said, we weren’t at our best and the result is a bitter disappointment. We have to own that as a whole club. We stand together and fall together, from the boardroom to the dressing room. Fair play to Dunfermline who fought for everything.
“The rivalry and occasion makes a defeat like that tougher to take, but we have to process it, learn, and emerge stronger. We’ve learned the hard way that success isn’t a straight line but a series of peaks and troughs, so we will remember this feeling and use it to spur us on. The focus now is doing our utmost in the final five league games to finish as high as we can and have a say in the title.It might not feel like it after Saturday, but this will still be Falkirk FC’s best season in decades, one upon which we intend to build.With you behind us, we will recover and improve.”