Exclusive: Falkirk Foundation and Falkirk FC relationship reaches breaking point - all you need to know

A charity has claimed a local football club’s board has ‘stalled plans’ to build a community hub, with the project now at risk amid a wide-ranging dispute including concerns over the ability to fulfil a fourth stand ambition.

And the relationship between both parties is now at a point of no return - with Falkirk FC having cut all ties with the Falkirk Foundation.

Previously the club’s official charity partner until earlier this year, the foundation was informed that it was no longer part of the Falkirk FC family.

In a statement, the charity expressed frustration over what it sees as a “barrier” put in place to stop the construction of a modular building that supports its wide-ranging projects and football teams.

A 25-year long community benefit lease was granted by Falkirk Council over two years ago for an area of land at the Falkirk Stadium next to the community pitch and club-owned Kevin McAllister Stand.

720k community hub at middle of dispute

And external funding of £720,000 was secured to make the project happen - with the council officers stating in a report that the building would be a “valuable resource to the community including those considered most vulnerable.”

“The Hope Street hub has not yet been built because a particular barrier has made it incredibly difficult to progress things,” a foundation statement read.

“The project was never simply about maintaining our community pitch. It was also intended to provide services such as matchday health checks for Falkirk supporters and the wider community, as well as support for our dementia group, mother-and-toddler groups, Down's Syndrome group and the other groups we work with.

“The foundation had secured £720,000 of external funding to invest directly in the Hope Street hub, so it is deeply disappointing that the project is now at risk.

“That disappointment is about the services supporters, and the community could miss out on, including the matchday health checks that could ultimately help save lives.”

Speaking on Falkirk FC’s official podcast back in July 2025, club director Keith Gourlay spoke about the east side of the stadium - and how the fourth stand ambition was being affected by several “obvious blockers”.

“We’ve been working in the background for a while (on the fourth stand). The primary driver for that being that it is simply long overdue and that we need to finish the stadium.

“Whatever we construct needs to be used 365 days a year. It has to be self-funding. We’ve been working with a developer and a feasibility study has shown us the most likely thing (stand) to get funding.

“We’re in discussions with Falkirk Council as they clearly have their own plans for the east side. What we do has to be compatible with the council and anything that we may not know about that may impact the feasibility study.

“The land from our current lease from the council is insufficient to meet the development. The development encroaches onto the foundation’s pitch. That will have to go if this happens.

“The foundation’s temporary building that they are planning is in the way. We weren’t fully consulted on that when they put their applications in. We need to remove the obvious blockers.”

The foundation also details how they have had to “minimise disruption” after departing the Kevin McAllister Stand. The Blind Club now meets elsewhere, with other education programmes having also moved.

They say that they were asked to leave having previously secured nearly £400,000 to make the mezzanine level a “usable space”.

The Falkirk Herald understands that the club did offer the foundation continued use of the stand but the exact details of exactly what was on the table is disputed.

“We had an agreement with the football club and the grant funders that allowed the space to be used for community benefit by the foundation while also supporting the club through matchday hospitality and providing a well-equipped gym for the players to use,” a statement read.

“We delivered the foundation blind club there, alongside our community education programmes, including groups supporting people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

“The football club’s board subsequently decided that the foundation could no longer access the facility. This directly affected the programmes we delivered there and the people who relied on them.

“As a result, we worked to minimise disruption while relocating our blind club and other affected groups, including our dementia group and Bairns blether, to alternative venues so they could continue receiving our support.”

The foundation also recently revealed new strips for the organisation’s various teams - that include around 650 young people - after they were notified that they could no longer wear the Falkirk FC men and women’s first team O’Neills kit.

“A decision was made to stop that which was not our decision,” a statement continued.

“We tried to find a way for foundation teams to continue wearing the Falkirk FC strip, but unfortunately the club’s board of directors decided that this would no longer be possible and our 42 community teams could not wear the first team strip.

“That left us having to develop our own strip very quickly. The most important thing was to give our players a strip they could identify with and feel proud to wear.

“That sense of belonging was one of the reasons we had always valued representing the football club across the Central Belt area.”

The foundation’s badge, which was filed with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in July 2024, has also been challenged by the club, who are the cancellation applicant.

The cancellation status on the IPO website states: “Defence filed/Evidence period”.

The foundation was established in September 2010 to act as the community arm of Falkirk FC.

An OSCR-regulated charity, the organisation reported in its 2025 end of year report that it had delivered nearly 400,000 hours of community work and supported over 6,000 individuals.

“For the past 16 years, the foundation has supported Falkirk fans and the wider community, delivering a wide range of services of which they can be proud,” a spokesperson continued.

“We are regulated by OSCR, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, and operate under the requirements that apply to registered charities.

“Our trustees must retain independent responsibility for the charity’s decisions, including in our relationship with the football club’s board.

“We are proud of how we have maintained that independence while delivering for the community.

“Our participation figures, annual reports and social return on investment demonstrate the breadth of that work. It extends well beyond football into education, employability, mental health and wellbeing, and first aid training.

“Everything we deliver is geared towards the needs of Falkirk supporters and the wider community.

“It was therefore a major disappointment when the club board recently advised us that it intended to notify the SFA and SPFL Trust that the foundation was no longer affiliated with Falkirk FC or could be called their official charity partner.

“Both the SFA and the SPFL Trust have since confirmed directly to me that they received correspondence from the club board stating this, ending its longstanding position as the club’s official charity partner, with us also recently removed from the club website.

“Actions taken by the current club directors have made it difficult to maintain the strong relationship that we have always valued.”

Falkirk FC end relationship with Falkirk Foundation

In a club statement, it was confirmed that Falkirk FC had ended its relationship with the foundation.

It read: “We regret that this step is necessary. We know it may worry people who use Foundation programmes and their families. We value the time, care and hard work of its staff and volunteers.

“We want to explain that the Club felt compelled to act because it has been trying for more than four years to resolve issues with FFCF, including in relation to the community pitch, the proposed Hub project, financial and contractual arrangements, FFCF’s use of the club’s copyright and image, and communication between the two organisations.

“Proposals made by Falkirk FC for binding arbitration were rejected by FFCF.

“Falkirk FC remains committed to supporting our community. We will now seek new partners to deliver community programmes linked to the club.

“This decision was not taken lightly. It was needed to protect Falkirk FC and potential future investment, our supporters, and our ability to develop the stadium.

“FFCF is completely separate from Falkirk FC. The club does not own or control it, and it cannot speak or act for us. FFCF can of course continue its activities but without any formal connection to Falkirk FC.

“The club will be unable to make further comment while legal and regulatory processes continue.”