Leon McCann aims to regain Falkirk starting spot after scoring KRC Genk winner

Leon McCann was one of Falkirk’s top performers last season in the Scottish Premiership - but the full-back has a battle on his hands to earn a starting spot this campaign.

The Bairns are gearing up for their second season back in the top flight with the Premier Sports Cup group stage after last term’s top-six finish. And so far, summer signing Scott Tanser has started both of Falkirk’s competitive outings.

One of those was a surprise 1-0 loss to the Honest Men last Tuesday after the 5-0 win at Edinburgh City, but ex-St Mirren ace Tanser was one of the better players on the night and you could argue that he’s been the Bairns’ most consistent player so far.

Manager John McGlynn singled him out for praise after both games and that leaves left-back McCann chasing a starting spot despite not really putting a foot wrong last season. The 26-year-old got his chance during Saturday’s friendly against KRC Genk - and he made his case, scoring the winner.

Leon McCann not happy playing second fiddle

“I’ve never been one to want to sit on the bench or be happy to miss out,” McCann admitted. “And that isn’t going to change now, especially after last season. It is hard when you aren’t playing - I want to play all the time. Sitting on the bench doesn’t sit nicely with me.

“I just have to keep doing my best in training and in matches to try and impress. Hopefully I can get myself back in there as soon as possible, today was good popping up with a goal, that makes it feel better.

“Scott (Tanser) is a great guy, he’s been brilliant since he came in. It is never personal. He’s had a good career and he is a top professional. There is one position and we are both trying to go for it.”

When asked if he felt last season’s showings would help his case, he added: “I would hope so. I felt like I impressed and showed what I was really capable of last season. My career felt like it was on upward trajectory.

“My plan is to keep that keeping. I don’t things to fizzle out, to be known as a ‘one season wonder’. People forget about you quickly. With how I played last season, that can only bring me confidence that I can do it again and that I do it in the top league.”

McCann slammed home from close range after getting himself to the back post area against Belgium side Genk last Saturday and the left-back was pleased to have contributed to a 1-0 victory in Falkirk’s 150th anniversary challenge match.

“It was a great test,” he told the Falkirk Herald. “These boys are top, top players. The younger guys - some of them will probably be sold in 18 months time for millions.

“It was good to see the level that we are at compared to them, and to learn from them too.

“The way they play is good to see, they keep possession and are so good on the ball. They tried to drag us out of position and they showed some fancy flicks and stuff like that.

“It was a positive for us to win the match against a top team. We didn’t get broken down much either until later on when we eventually tired.

“We need to improve on that, losing cheap chances late on, but it was a good win and a clean sheet. They had one shot on target in the first half which is a good statistic for us.”

Falkirk face tough task to win group

The Bairns now travel to the Indodrill tomorrow night to take on Andy Graham’s Alloa in Group G needing to pick up three points in order to have any chance of winning the section.

McGlynn’s men sit on three points after two outings and will be hoping to reach six come close of play. That would then see them able to match Ayr United’s current total nine on Saturday, although they’d need a massive favour from the Wasps at Somerset Park to keep it that way.

In all likelihood, Falkirk are playing for second spot and they’ll want nine points and a strong goal difference to make sure that they reach the lucrative second round as one of the best runners-up.

Looking ahead to the final two group games, McCann simply said: “We need to win both games. That’s it. There isn’t any other option. We we see where we are after that.”