I've got a duty to take Falkirk back to the Premiership, says returning Scott Arfield

Scott Arfield (Photo: Ian Sneddon)Scott Arfield (Photo: Ian Sneddon)
Scott Arfield (Photo: Ian Sneddon)
Scott Arfield believes he has a ‘duty to take Falkirk back to the Premiership’ after previously suffering relegation from the top-flight with his beloved Bairns in what turned out to be his final season in Navy Blue before moving down south.

The midfielder, 36, sealed a stunning return to Falkirk on transfer deadline day from Bolton Wanderers nearly 15 years on from when he first departed for Huddersfield Town.

And ex-Rangers and Burnley ace Arfield – who came through Falkirk’s famed academy and went on to make 130 appearances – is immediately targeting a William Hill Championship winners’ medal.

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"I'm ecstatic to be back here,” he said. “I feel as if I was due to come back here and it was an amazing opportunity. The ambition has been always to get this club back to where it was.

Scott Arfield is back at Falkirk (Photo: Ian Sneddon)Scott Arfield is back at Falkirk (Photo: Ian Sneddon)
Scott Arfield is back at Falkirk (Photo: Ian Sneddon)

"I was part of the club when we went down so I think I've got a duty to bring them back up. Nothing is as special and exciting as this is it?

"I've still got the enthusiasm and energy that I did when I was 15 here when I first came in, and as soon as that leaves me that's the day that I close it.

"In some capacity I wanted to come back to Falkirk; whether that was as a player, as a coach, as a manager. I have a special bond with this club.

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"This club has given me a hell of a lot. It was where I started my journey and it is a great opportunity.”

Arfield trained with his new team-mates for the first time on Wednesday, and he admitted being back at the Bairns was a real “whirlwind” experience.

“I've really enjoyed it today obviously,” he said. “I got a call (about signing) and then put my little girls to bed and shot up the road about half past eight so I never got into the back at midnight.

"Training was brilliant as you'd expect, that real energy was there. The pitch moves, it is different to me, and that is obviously something I will need to get used to.

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"I've played on artificial surfaces throughout my career but certainly this one is probably the best that I have played on.

"The pitch moves so for the way that we want to play that is fantastic.

"With the manager here (John McGlynn) it's a no-brainer for me to come back and in terms of the stadium nothing's changed, everything.

“It feels a bit nostalgic and that's the way I like it, it's a club that should be in the top division and that's my duty now.”

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Falkirk host Kris Doolan’s Partick Thistle this Saturday in a rearranged Championship fixture that could see the Bairns climb back to the top of table with a win.

And ahead of that clash, Arfield admitted that you “couldn’t have picked a better game” to begin his second spell at Falkirk.

The midfielder has penned a contract until the end of the season – with an extra-year option available.

"Obviously with a home game you couldn't have picked a better fixture,” he said. “A home game coming up in four or five days' time is amazing.

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"I know they're so well supported, they're selling out. The boys have done incredible the last two years to get them into a situation. I think the fans are very symbolic of the team.

“I'm really looking forward to seeing them again.”

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