'The signs are good' - Falkirk ace Ross MacIver returns to full training as striker is set to make Dunfermline derby

Star striker Ross MacIver is set to make a return to the Bairns’ squad for this weekend’s derby match, Falkirk assistant manager Paul Smith has revealed.

The in-form forward, who netted the opener at East End Park during his side’s 2-0 win in August, has returned to full training ahead of the Westfield showdown.

Initially, the ex-Motherwell and Ross Country ace was ruled out for a period of up to eight weeks after coming off with a hamstring issue at Celtic Park – but he has a great chance of being involved on Saturday.

Smith detailed: "Ross MacIver did a wee bit of light training with the boys on Monday and Tuesday. He then training fully with the squad today (Thursday).

“I said last week he ahead of schedule and he has done really well working with the physio (Cammy McAndrew) and Blair (Doughty, Head of Performance).

“We will see how is tomorrow (Friday). Hopefully everything is okay and that he is feeling fine. Hopefully he will come back into the squad on Saturday.

“Ross is a big player for us and if he is fine tomorrow then he will be back in the squad. He has worked really hard.

“It is around five weeks this weekend from when he was first out. A physio will always go on the side of caution and the eight week’s out was always looking like the maximum for us.

“If we have have slighted doubt and he says he isn’t feeling right – then we won’t take any chances with him. Ross knows his own body and he’ll know where he is.

“It is down to that stage of the injury now. Only Ross really knows exactly where he is and if he tells us that he isn’t right then we won’t take any chances. We won’t force it but the signs are good.

“Coll (Donaldson), Sean (Mackie), Tom (Lang), Jamie (Sneddon) and Callumn (Morrison) are all still out at the moment.”

Falkirk head into the derby as table-toppers, having amassed 23 points from just ten second tier outings, but Smith reckons the form book “goes out of the window” when it comes to a match like this.

He is expecting a tough challenge as the Bairns look to notch a Westfield win against the Pars for the first time in over seven years.

“We’ve seen many a time a team flying has has become unstuck in a derby game,” he said.

"I’ve been invovled in lots of derbies as a coach, manager, player, whatever – the form book goes out of the window.

“We’re expecting a really difficult match. James (McPake) will have his team well set up and they have a big, big squad to choose from. I think everyone for them is fit so they competition for places.

“They won’t be happy with where they are sitting in the league. They’ll come here wanting to put on a performance.

“They had a couple of chances during the last match (2-0 Falkirk win at East End Park) to make it 1-1. We only got the penalty later on to win it 2-0.”

On the sellout home crowd, Smith hailed the immense support that has been shown since he joined the club with boss John McGlynn back in the summer of 2022.

He added: “We’re used to it now. I always try to mention as does John (McGlynn). The fans have been fantastic since we came here just over two years ago. As the team has built, the fans have built with the team too.

“The ultras are absolutely fantastic and they always make a great atmosphere in the stadium. It is great to see the main stand starting to get invovled too now. It is complete sellout for the home end.

“Dunfermline will bring a support through too, it is set up nicely on and off the pitch. We’ll need to be aggressive and take care of the ball.

“I know how much it means for the fans. We haven’t beaten Dunfermline here since 2017. It would be good to put that right. We’ll have to be at it and our very best.”