Falkirk

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Falkirk manager John McGlynn reiterated that a Scottish Cup final would be his finest achievement as a manager before Saturday's semi-final against rivals Dunfermline.

McGlynn told BBC Scotland on Tuesday that it would be the "pinnacle" of his managerial career to progress to the final - against either St Mirren or Celtic - despite winning back-to-back promotions with the Bairns.

They have already sealed a top-six Scottish Premiership finish on their return to the top flight and McGlynn wants his players to seize the opportunity for further success.

"It is way beyond our wildest dreams to be sitting here, qualified for the top six, a semi-final to look forward to," McGlynn said, who revealed captain Coll Donaldson will likely miss out with a thigh injury.

"We have had an exceptional season and this would be – icing on the cake would be an understatement – to get to a final.

"It is the pinnacle of your career if you can go and get that. Players will play their careers and maybe not get the chance to get to a cup final.

"The group of players we have got have been a tight bunch. A lot of them over the last three or four years, obviously one or two loan players and other players coming in, but they have all gelled together and have a great team spirit and that will help us on Saturday as well.

"It would mean everything to the players. Some of them might not get another opportunity like this, they really have got to grasp it.

"Obviously we have to try to focus on the game and make sure we are switched on with respect to Dunfermline as a team. No more warning than you need with the fact that they beat Hibs and Aberdeen, two Premiership teams."

What a first season back in the top flight it's been for John McGlynn's Falkirk side.

Top-six secured, still in with a chance of a European place, a Scottish Cup semi-final to look forward to this weekend and plenty of impressive results and performances sprinkled on top.

Manager McGlynn has done an impressive job, but what players have been a standout?

We want to know who's been your Falkirk player of the year. Tell us here.

Falkirk are eyeing a move for Scott Tanser from fellow Scottish Cup semi-finalists St Mirren, making the 31-year-old one of their top summer targets. (Daily Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Falkirk's Scottish Cup run this season has already given Ben Parkinson the best moment of his career. Now he is hungry for more heroics when the Bairns head to Hampden.

Striker Parkinson, who joined from Newcastle in January, opened his Bairns account on his third outing when he netted the opener in the fourth round against high-flying Hearts.

A late Lawrence Shankland penalty took the tie the distance - and it was 21-year-old Parkinson who scored the decisive spot-kick in the shootout to send John McGlynn's side through.

They went on to beat Dundee United in the quarter-finals to set up a derby semi-final against Championship outfit Dunfermline on Saturday - live on BBC One Scotland.

"I think that night at Tynecastle was probably the best of my career so far," Parkinson said.

"I want to try and replicate that on Saturday and ultimately going forward, try and play in more big moments, score more big goals and stuff, because that's what you want to do, especially as a striker.

"You come in, you get brought in to score goals, so yeah, that was a good moment."

Celtic or League Cup winners St Mirren await in the final. And Parkinson, who believed earlier this year Falkirk could go all the way in the competition, is even more confident in his claim.

"I think I said at the time, a bit tongue-in-cheek, we could go all the way, but I genuinely believe that and I think there's no point in playing in a cup competition and not having that mindset," he added.

"Ultimately you've got to want to try and win and I think that's what the boys can definitely do."

Parkinson was sidelined by an ankle injury for two-and-a-half months immediately after his exploits against Hearts but has returned to the fray for the past two matches against Motherwell and Rangers.

And having made just senior appearance before moving to Falkirk, he is loving life with the Premiership upstarts.

"It's been amazing," he said. "It's been a great start, obviously a few disappointments with the injury and stuff, but now that I'm back, it's great to be back with the lads.

"When I first came in, all I wanted to do was prove myself and I think I kind of did that. Obviously then getting injured, you've got to pick yourself back up and you've got to try and prove yourself again and that's ultimately what I want to do."

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Falkirk winger Calvin Miller is refusing to be sidetracked by talk of a Scotland call-up for this summer's World Cup.

Manager John McGlynn has been full of praise for the 28-year-old and suggested he should be in manager Steve Clarke's thinking for the tournament.

But Miller insists he has "not thought about it once".

He added to BBC Scotland: "I've just tried to focus on myself. If that happens it would be incredible but I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself to then be disappointed if I don't get picked."

Miller, who began his career with Celtic, joined Falkirk in 2023 and has helped the club secure back-to-back promotions and a top-six finish in the Premiership this term.

They are hoping to crown an already memorable season with Scottish Cup glory and can reach the final by defeating Dunfermline at Hampden on Saturday - live on BBC One Scotland.

Winger Miller feels he's finally coming into his own after spending much of his early career labelled as a left-back, the furthest position from what he grew up playing.

"I was surprised when I was getting labelled as a left-back because I didn't have one defensive attribute in my body," he added.

"To try and change that was a bit tough because growing up all I wanted was to score goals and take players on.

"I'm an attacking player so the first thing I want to do is go and take someone on. People say I don't pass the ball in training because I don't want to pass the ball. I want to be direct, I want to show a bit of flair."

Falkirk chief executive Jamie Swinney has insisted that the Scottish Premiership club have no need to sell striker Barney Stewart or any of their top players this summer. (Daily Record), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Captain Coll Donaldson is desperate to vanquish his semi-final hoodoo and reach the Scottish Cup final with Falkirk.

The Bairns' Hampden meeting with fierce rivals Dunfermline on Saturday - live on BBC One Scotland - is the defender's fourth attempt at going beyond the semis.

He lost out on penalties to Hibernian as a Dundee United player in 2016, missed Inverness Caledonian Thistle's defeat by Hearts three years later through suspension and then suffered a 3-0 defeat to Caley with Falkirk three years ago.

"The hardest one probably is the one I actually never played with Inverness," said Donaldson.

"We had a chance that year, I feel like, against a Hearts side which wasn't going too well in the league, to maybe get to the final with that Inverness team, and being suspended for that one was a strange sort of feeling, not being able to play.

"But as much as it's a great occasion to be involved in, it's horrific when you get beat, so I'm just looking to put that right on Saturday and hopefully get through to a final."

Donaldson and his team-mates were thumped 6-3 on Sunday by Rangers, despite leading 2-0 at the break, but Donaldson insists it has been analysed and they are ready to move on.

"We're so excited," he added.

"As soon as you win the quarter-final and the draw comes out and it sets up this tie, you're buzzing, it's in the back of your mind.

"But we've had really important league games to take care of in between that. We were obviously desperately disappointed with how Sunday transpired, but we've dealt with that and now it's just excitement."

Grant Heaney
Fan writer

Throwing away a two-goal lead and shipping six goals against Rangers were obvious frustrations, but there is another bugbear that I, and I'm sure many other Falkirk fans, will share from that defeat.

What is becoming a particularly bad habit - especially in home games - is we are conceding goals right before half-time.

That was the case again on Sunday. Had we gone in at the interval with a two-goal buffer we would have given ourselves a far better chance of avoiding the second-half collapse that followed.

In fact, Rangers' first goal was the 15th time we have conceded between the half-hour mark and half-time whistle in the Scottish Premiership this season - more than any other side in the division, and by some distance.

It was the same against Dundee United in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals last month when we came flying out the traps and raced into a two-goal lead, only to let Jim Goodwin's side back into the game just before the break. From there, it was backs to the wall for long spells in the second half.

On top of that, there's been a tendency to concede quickly after scoring. That was evident on Sunday when we pulled a goal back to make it 4-3 from the penalty spot, only to be 5-3 down less than five minutes later.

If we can iron out these inefficiencies, we'll put ourselves in a far stronger position in matches. It's certainly an area of game management John McGlynn will be keen to see improvement on between now and the end of the season.

Calvin Miller hopes the top-six run-in with Falkirk will provide him with one last stage to audition for a Scotland World Cup role. (Daily Record), external

Falkirk are to rethink their ticketing policy for the final game of the season against Rangers following complaints about visiting fans in the home stands for Sunday's meeting. (Daily Record), external

Read more: Tuesday's Scottish football gossip

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Falkirk boss John McGlynn believes his side's heavy defeat to Rangers could be the "kick up the backside" they need before of Saturday's Scottish Cup semi-final.

The Bairns are hoping to see off Dunfermline at Hampden and take a step closer to the trophy but need to pick themselves up after Sunday's bruising 6-3 home defeat.

McGlynn aims to take the positives from a game where his side held a deserved 2-0 lead until just before half-time, and emphasised that Dunfermline will be tough opposition.

"We know that we really need to be at it," he said. "We have to train well all week. All week. We need to be on it all week.

"The games that Dunfermline won against Hibs and Aberdeen tell you that they are more than capable of beating Premiership opposition.

"So we are under no illusions. The message will be getting hammered home this week. This could be the best thing that could happen to us to make sure we get it right next week.

"We've got to take positives from it. We've done so well all season. It's a bit uncharacteristic to lose goals as we did. We need to bounce back."

Falkirk suffered a 3-0 defeat by Inverness in their most recent semi-final appearance three years ago and McGlynn hopes that experience will help as he looks to book a place in the showpiece final in May.

"We're really excited," he said. "Falkirk as a town, everyone's really buzzing for it.

"We've done well to get there. When you go away from home and beat Hearts, put out Dundee United, we've done it the hard way.

"We've played big, big games. We're very much looking forward to it."

Watch highlights as Rangers fight back from two down at Falkirk by scoring six times in a nine-goal Scottish Premiership thriller.

Available in UK only

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Falkirk manager John McGlynn told BBC Sportsound: "I though we started the game really, really well and taking the game to Rangers. We scored a good goal and then Yeats gets a great strike so I felt we were well on top. I thought we had Rangers at that moment in time.

"Unfortunately, we're giving away too many free kicks and from that they get a corner and from there we fail to defend it. We're claiming for the ball to be out when we've got no idea if the ball is out of not.

"On the cameras we've got it doesn't show anything. You know from under-10 level to play to the whistle. Instead of defending, we're claiming for things. We're maybe a bit unlucky it lands at the boy's foot to score but it's a lifeline that Rangers took and changed the game.

"The second half we were too soft in challenges. We've got to win challenges and that was the story of the second half.

"We tried to play through the eye of a needle, got hit in transition, were open and we got exploited and hurt.

"We got a goal back and didn't even give ourselves a chance to build on it because we concede again. All the goal s are poor and cheap. Fair play to Rangers, they got a lifeline and took it.

"We knew they would come at us and we just didn't have enough to prevent it.

"We've done so many good things this season we're not going to let it destroy us. There's a big game next weekend against Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup semi-final and it's an entirely different game and the stakes are very, very high.

"We'll pick the boys up, be positive all week and we'll be ready to go."

Rangers remarkably recovered from going two goals down to score six times against Falkirk in a nonsensical nine-goal contest and move back within a point of Hearts in this absorbing Scottish Premiership title race.

Read the full match report here.

And have your say on a remarkable match here.

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Falkirk goalkeeper Scott Bain is relishing the "freedom" of having secured top six status.

John McGlynn's side confirmed their spot in the top half of the table with one game to spare after beating Motherwell last weekend, while Dundee United lost to Rangers.

And while Bain suggests a weight has been lifted, Falkirk can't drop the ball in their final six games as they prepare to host Rangers on Sunday.

"I've had that before at Dundee where we reached the top six and then I don't think we won a game in the top six," he said.

"It was a bit like 'we've done it' and you take a deep breath and then before you know it, you've lost every game.

"It's such an interesting season, it's such an interesting title race so for us to be a part of that, that will be a bit of a motivation for us going into these games, that we can have a big say in these games and they're not just dead rubbers.

"The gaffer has also touched on that. That's what managers like to do, move the goalposts a wee bit.

"The aim is top six and then once you get top six, the aim is fifth so it keeps us on our toes and I think that'll help us to keep going. It's really open from six all the way up to fifth and fourth.

"We've overachieved to reach this point so we can also play with a little bit of freedom now.

"I think there were a couple of games before securing top six where we were maybe a wee bit nervous or a wee bit not right because of that leaning over us.

"So I think we'll have a little bit of freedom going into the games and anything that we do from here on out is really, really amazing."

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Falkirk continue without Louie Marsh and Ethan Williams (both thigh) but have no other selection problems.

Rangers pair Ryan Naderi and Tuur Rommens miss out, while Andreas Skov Olsen and Mikey Moore are fitness doubts.

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Falkirk can now play with freedom and zero fear as they play catch-up in the race for European qualification while relishing the chance to influence the destiny of the title itself, goalkeeper Scott Bain has warned their top-six rivals.

The Bairns entertain Rangers on Sunday in the first game since securing the final place in the top half of the table as the Scottish Premiership prepares to split for the final five games.

"I've had that before at Dundee where we reached the top six and then I don't think we won a game in the top six," Bain recalled.

"It was a bit like 'we've done it' and you take a deep breath and then before you know it, you've lost every game.

"It's such an interesting season, it's such an interesting title race, so for us to be a part of that, that will be a bit of a motivation for us going into these games, that we can have a big say in these games and they're not just dead rubbers.

"The aim is top six and then, once you get top six, the aim is fifth, so it keeps us on our toes and I think that'll help us to keep going.

"It's really open from six all the way up to fifth and fourth.

"We've overachieved to reach this point, so we can also play with a little bit of freedom now.

"I think there were a couple of games before securing top six where we were maybe a wee bit nervous or a wee bit not right because of that leaning over us.

"So I think we'll have a little bit of freedom going into the games and anything that we do from here on out is really, really amazing."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Falkirk manager John McGlynn has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for Sunday's visit of Rangers.

Here are the main points:

• McGlynn "doesn't want to lose enthusiasm" after his side secured top six last weekend and insists they are focused on catching the teams above them in the split - that's their "new challenge".

• When they meet in the split, McGlynn suggests Hibs, who are currently the team above them, will "want to try and get us back" after the Bairns won 4-1 back in January.

• The Falkirk boss says "there's still a few dangly carrots" for his team this season, admitting "we want to try and get to a Scottish Cup final" which is a "vehicle for getting into Europe".

• He adds "we're used to going right to the end, hopefully it'll be no different this time."

• And while the Bairns boss knows "we will have a say in who wins the title", he stresses "it won't be down to anything other than trying to do the best for Falkirk".

• On Danny Rohl's impact at Rangers, McGlynn notes "from the minute he came in he's managed to win games and continuously win games" but the Falkirk manager knows "there's going to be twists and turns" before the end of the season.

• McGlynn acknowledges "we're setting records all the time" but stresses "we want to pick up even more points".

• The World Cup "might come too soon" for Barney Stewart and hopes if he keeps scoring goals that could "propel him into a Scotland squad" which would be "the icing on the cake".

• Team news: no fresh injury concerns before Sunday. Louie Marsh has been back at Sheffield United and it's "unlikely he'll play again this season".

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• Rangers' Djeidi Gassama has had more shots following carries (29) than any other player in the Scottish Premiership this season, while he ranks second in the division for successful dribbles (53), behind Ibrahim Said's 57.

• Rangers have scored four goals in both of their last two league games, last doing so three games running in the league in December 2020 under Steven Gerrard.

• None of Falkirk's last eight home league games have been drawn, with the Bairns winning four and losing four since a goalless draw with Motherwell in December.

• Rangers have only lost one of their last 47 top-flight meetings with Falkirk (W38 D8), a 0-1 defeat in December 2006 under Paul Le Guen.

• Falkirk are unbeaten in their last four home league games against Rangers (W2 D2) since a 2-0 defeat in the Scottish Championship in August 2014.