Falkirk's Jamie Swinney on 'five-figure' Dundee United bids that lacked respect for club and Brad Spencer

Falkirk chief executive Jamie Swinney has slammed fellow Scottish Premiership side Dundee United for making derisory offers for one of their top talents.

The Tannadice club, who finished in the bottom six last season, made three bids for midfielder Brad Spencer last month before the summer transfer window closed.

And those offers for the ever-present 30-year-old, who has almost two years left on his contract and the option for a further 12 months, were so low that Bairns gaffer John McGlynn called them out as “embarrassing” and “miles off” the vice-skipper’s valuation.

Speaking to the Falkirk Herald, club chief Swinney backed up the boss and revealed that the first two offers from Jim Goodwin’s side were actually “five-figure” sums.

Dundee United first bid five-figure sum for Falkirk star

“I thought John (McGlynn) dealt with that situation well,” Swinney said. “He responded to the question at the time fairly. We did clearly receive interest in Brad (Spencer).

"For me, it was manufactured in certain ways… the bids that were on the table were so far below market value. Realistically, you aren’t really putting in a bid for a player if the amount on offer is so incredibly low.

"The first and second bids from United were so low that we wouldn’t have even considered selling Brad for those amounts while we were in League One.”

Swinney added: “The initial bids were five-figure bids, which for a Premiership vice-captain is embarrassing. By the time that the third bid came in, we had told United in no uncertain terms that Brad would not be going to United.

"I told them that the lack of respect that they had shown to Falkirk, and Brad, meant that there was not going to be any deal.

"United didn’t put another bid after that discussion. From our perspective, there was no likelihood of a deal at any point.”

When asked to comment on the transfer interest in Spencer last month, McGlynn said that United were simply “kidding themselves on”.

“We've continuously told them for some time now that Brad's not for sale,” the boss remarked. “Brad's a big part of Falkirk Football Club.

“I signed Brad for Raith Rovers when he was in part-time football at Forfar a good few years ago and we've worked together more or less ever since, barring one year - he didn't come here the first year that myself and Paul (Smith) came.

“He's been a huge part of it. So we've rejected these offers. I sit in the middle, I work with players every day. I'm a players’ man but obviously I work for the football club.

“The board will make these decisions and the board represent the fans - it's fan-owned.

“You wouldn't want your best player going to one of your direct opponents while they're under contract and Brad's got at least another couple of years on his contract.

“So they're kidding themselves on.”