Falkirk manager reveals season-ending injury to key defender ahead of Partick Thistle trip

The centre-back, 30, has been managing a groin issue all season long when he has been fit and he came off during the Bairns’ 3-1 loss last weekend at home to Raith Rovers.

And having assessed the defender - boss McGlynn confirmed that Donaldson would not be part of the squad for the remainder of the campaign in what is a blow heading into the penultimate matchday against Partick Thistle tonight.

“His season is finished,” he said. “He’s going to get an operation later this month. It is a groin injury he has been playing on with but it has gotten to a point he simply can’t. They’ll be a minimum of two changes to the team.”

Typical Championship, says Falkirk boss John McGlynn ahead of title run-in

On that late defeat to Raith - which saw Falkirk ship three goals in seven minutes - the boss admitted that it was a tough one to take but that the group are fully focused on the Firhill trip.

“It's a typical Championship, eh?,” he said. “It's not easy getting over the line. We obviously made it a bit more difficult for ourselves going due to ten men last week because we were in a really comfortable place in the game. You've got to embrace it now - we'd much rather have been seven points clear by now but we aren’t. I think it’s taken a couple of days off my live (the last few weeks) but it is great for the neutrals.

“We're very much focused on trying to do the job tomorrow night. We understand, of course, that Partick (Thistle) fighting for their lives as well to stay in the top four. From that point of view there is so much at stake. I think that is could be a cracking game.

“When we won League One last season, would we have taken this position back then? We certainly would have. We want to deliver for the Falkirk fans. We've had a good week's training and we're ready to go. Our goal difference took a hit last weekend - whatever happens we cannot get carried away.”

Falkirk take on Partick Thistle at 7.45pm in Glasgow with the match being shown live on BBC Scotland. The Bairns sit three points of clear of second-placed Livingston who travel to Hamilton Accies on Saturday. Falkirk hold a 12-goal lead in terms of goal difference over David Martindale’s side.