The Bairns boss spoke after Saturday’s emphatic 5-2 win in Dumbarton ( Click here for match report) and claimed next season’s budget will be similar what he’s already working with.
Last week a club statement from chief executive Craig Campbell said the board had “signed off and agreed the single largest first team playing budget seen at this club whilst in the Championship”.
But Hartley warned: “I think they got a bit ahead of themselves to be quite honest – the budget will be what it was last season.
Most Popular
-
1
We need to forget about Saturday's defeat quickly, says Falkirk midfielder Nesbitt
-
2
Boxing: Sparta's Thomas O'Reilly earns Scotland call
-
3
Green energy is the goal for Little Kerse hub after SP Energy Networks' funding
-
4
Diamonds shine as ten-man Falkirk falter in heavy defeat
-
5
'Things did conspire against us' - Boss John McGlynn on Falkirk's second-half display
“So we’ll work with the budget we have – that’s what I’ve always done and we’ll try to get the best possible squad that’s available to us for the money we can pay.”
That will, he hopes, include a proven goalscorer or strike partnership capable of firing the Bairns to the right end of the table, and to promotion.
Currently the club’s top scorers race is a four-way tie between Joe McKee, Aaron Muirhead, Alex Jakubiak and players’ player of the year Louis Longridge.
But after seeing five different scorers in Saturday’s rout, the Bairns boss added: “We split the goals between the team and the forwards and midfielders. It’s really pleasing.
“When you’re trying to go for a title or be promoted, you need two strikers who’ll get you 35-40 goals between them and we’ve not quite had that but it was nice to share it out.
“Next year we need people in the group to get us goals.”