Falkirk

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Falkirk are missing Filip Lissah after the defender picked up an injury against Hearts last weekend while Gary Oliver (hamstring) is still out. Ross MacIver, Tom Lang and Lewis Neilson are all pushing for involvement after recovering from injury.

Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan will be out for a few weeks after picking up an ankle knock in last weekend's Scottish Gas Scottish Cup defeat at Dunfermline. David Gray has a few concerns while Josh Campbell has been out this year with a hamstring problem.

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John McGlynn insists Falkirk are "still big underdogs" despite the impressive strength in their squad.

Key defender Filip Lissah will be absent for this weekend's trip to Hibernian due to injury but the Bairns boss says he's spoilt for choice with the options available to him.

Falkirk's squad has been boosted by the arrival of Ben Parkinson and Louie Marsh this month, with Scott Arfield and Alfredo Agyeman departing in search of regular game-time.

"We've got a lot of players back now. We only really have Ross MacIver and Gary Oliver [of the long-term absentees] out and even MacIver now could be knocking on the door to get in the squad," McGlynn said.

"But such is the strength in our squad that we can let Alfie [Agyeman] go out to St Johnstone because he can't even get on the bench now.

"Our squad is so strong that some of our good players can't even get on the bench.

"Lewis Neilson's coming back, we've got Coll Donaldson back and Tom Lang's actually been back in full training for a couple of weeks now as well.

"I'm delighted at the strength in depth that we've got in the squad. Our 11 v 11 games in training, the quality is just so good."

Falkirk are sixth in the Premiership and can narrow the gap on Hibs with victory at Easter Road on Saturday.

"We're five points behind Hibs – we could narrow that down to two," McGlynn added.

"We find ourselves five points ahead of Aberdeen and Dundee United.

"Of course, they're going to continue to put pressure on us, so it's just about managing to continuously get results and try and stay in that position that we're in.

"We're in a really good place. The boys are buzzing. We also understand that David Gray won't be happy getting knocked out the cup.

"They'll have been extra focused this week in training, I'm sure. He'll be looking for a reaction from them.

"We've got to make sure that we don't get complacent at all. We're still big underdogs."

Falkirk have held talks about striking up a potential partnership the SFA Performance School at Graeme High School in the town in the wake of the governing body's announcement the system is to undergo a phased closure in the coming years. (The Herald), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Falkirk manager John McGlynn has played down links to the vacant Aberdeen manager's job and insists he's had "no contact" from Pittodrie.

After back-to-back promotions, McGlynn's side are currently sixth in the Premiership and the 64-year-old is reportedly in the frame to replace the sacked Jimmy Thelin at Pittodrie.

"I'm purely focused on this game," McGlynn said as Falkirk prepare to host Hibernian on Saturday.

"I've had no contact and I'm not looking for that. I'm just looking to concentrate on the next game, keep the boys focused.

"The last thing I want is distractions. I've got to just focus on this game.

"I've been in the game a long time, it's not the first time. I was heavily linked with the Hearts job as well not so long ago.

"I always look upon it as a back-handed compliment for the work that's getting done. It's similar when players are doing well, they sometimes get moves on the back of it.

"I certainly don't want it becoming a distraction, that's for sure. As I say, I'm totally focused on this. I've got a good group of boys here. I've got guys like Scott Bain who's just re-signed a longer-term contract in here.

"I've been enjoying my work here. I'm just focused on that."

McGlynn, who has signed striker Ben Parkinson and playmaker Louie Marsh this month, indicated he is unlikely to add any further January recruits, saying: "I'm happy with what we've got."

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• Falkirk have had more shots following high turnovers (32) than any other side in the Scottish Premiership this season, while Hibs top the division for goals following high turnovers (seven).

• After their 3-1 win at Kilmarnock, Hibs are looking for back-to-back away league victories for the first time since December 2024.

• After only losing one of their first eight home league matches this season (W2 D5), Falkirk have since lost two of their past three (W1).

• Hibs have only lost one of their past 12 league matches against newly-promoted sides (W7 D4), going down 3-2 away to Dundee United in October 2024.

• Falkirk remain winless in 12 top-flight matches against Hibs (D5 L7) since a 2-1 victory in December 2006.

Grant Heaney
Fan writer

Toppling Hearts at Tynecastle in the Scottish Cup was arguably our finest hour of an already remarkable season - and yet it was just another example of how impressive our away form has been.

Yes, it came via a penalty shootout, but before that no team had emerged from Tynecastle with any kind of victory this season.

It's the latest in a string of standout performances on the road from John McGlynn's Bairns. Notably, we're also the only side to leave Fir Park with all three points in the Scottish Premiership this season.

Even Danny Rohl's Rangers, so strong at home since appointing the German, were thwarted by Falkirk - the only team to deny the Light Blues a win at Ibrox across their past seven league games in Govan.

Add to that victories at Aberdeen, Dundee United, Kilmarnock and St Mirren, and it's clear our away record isn't just solid - it's exceptional.

This is underlined by the fact only the title-chasing trio of Hearts, Celtic and Rangers have a better record on the road than the Bairns in the Premiership this season.

For a newly-promoted side, consistently delivering results away from home while playing an attractive, confident style of football is no small feat.

McGlynn and his staff have fashioned a side that carries its identity with it, thriving no matter the postcode.

Falkirk manager John McGlynn is emerging as the leading candidate for the vacancy at Aberdeen. (Pete O'Rourke on X), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

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Falkirk forward Alfredo Agyeman will spend the remainder of the season in the Scottish Championship at promotion-chasing St Johnstone.

The 25-year-old has featured in 20 top-flight games for John McGlynn's impressive side this term, failing to score.

Starts have been hard to come by for the Ghanaian, who scored five times in the Championship last season during Falkirk's league-winning campaign.

St Johnstone currently lead the second tier by five points and have a game in hand.

Falkirk forward Alfredo Agyeman is poised to join Championship leaders St Johnstone on loan. (The Courier - subscription required), external

We asked for your views on Falkirk's win against Hearts on penalties to book their place in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.

Here's what some of you said:

Nathan: My word, what a night, what a result, what an unbelievable team this is. We went into this with what was definitely the worst possible draw but took the game to Hearts and fought them every step of the way. Incredibly, we got our name in the hat. Every player once again deserves the highest praise from me and seriously what else does John McGlynn have to do to get his statue?

Tommy: What can you say about Falkirk manager McGlynn, the guy's a genius. Treble substitution at half time, then gets Brian Graham on in extra time for penalties. Manager of the month. Would agree with Ben Parkinson we could go all the way.

David: Yet another step in the McGlynn journey this season. Back in September we were turned over by the Jambos at Tynecastle, however the vast improvement was there for all to witness. McGlynn started with a 4-4-2 diamond in the first period to counter the thrust from Hearts. A change back to wingers in the second half enabled us to get behind the Hearts back line and it worked a treat. The game was a great advert for Scottish football and both sides had chances in extra time. Great performance by Parkinson to open his Falkirk account with a good finish and then hold his composure to slot home the winning penalty. Onwards and upwards Bairns fans. Fasten up your seatbelts for the second half of the season.

Falkirk chief executive Jamie Swinney has revealed that the Premiership club have voted to share the Uefa solidarity payments with last season's second-tier counterparts even though it could end up costing them up to £100,000. (The Herald), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Falkirk ended Hearts' Scottish Cup interest at the first hurdle as Elton Kabangu's miss in the penalty shootout proved crucial.

Match report

Have your say

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Falkirk manager John McGlynn: "It feels brilliant. The boys had to work so hard. Hearts started like a train, we had to adjust, we had to make changes at half-time.

"Getting to half-time at 0-0 was a bonus and then we played well in the second half.

"We nearly did it in 90 minutes, but we lose the penalty and then in extra time we were stronger in the end.

"Delighted for everyone at the football club. We're in the draw and we look forward to that tomorrow.

"Looking for a favourable draw. It would be nice to get a home game and hopefully it gives us belief going forward."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Manager John McGlynn insists Falkirk will adopt a bold approach at Tynecastle as they bid take the Scottish Cup scalp of Premiership leaders Hearts on Saturday night.

The Bairns have already been beaten twice by Hearts in the league this season, a 3-0 defeat in Edinburgh at the end of September before losing 2-0 at the Falkirk Stadium last month.

But McGlynn is taking confidence from his side's away form.

"Whether it be a league game or a cup tie, we're going to go and attack," he said.

"That's our nature. Home and away, we've actually picked up more points away. We've picked up 16 points away and 14 at home.

"We go out to attack. We're going to go out and attack and play."

Goalkeeper Scott Bain believes Falkirk have learned their lesson from the two losses to Derek McInnes' men.

"I think we're in a better place now than we were back then," Bain said.

"It was a tough afternoon [at Tynecastle]. I think we learned a lot from that game. Then we played them out here, terrible conditions, and they beat us there as well. There wasn't much in the game but as a whole they're having a fantastic season.

"We know we're going to be in for a tough game but the last three games, how well we've played, if we can play to that ability and that standard then we give ourselves a great chance."

Scott Arfield has "no hard feelings" over his Falkirk departure and is relishing the "huge challenge" of trying to keep Livingston in the Premiership.

The 37-year-old midfielder returned to first club Falkirk last season and helped them win promotion to the top flight.

But after just four league starts this term, he requested to leave and joined bottom club Livingston.

"I think probably the last three months the enjoyment sort of went out of my game," Arfield said.

"It was only 20 minutes here, 30 minutes there, 10 minutes here. So it's quite hard to do that in training every week, every day, you just want something on a Saturday for you to look forward to and the team are playing brilliant.

"The manager at Falkirk [John McGlynn] just changed the system in terms of he wanted pace in behind which is working to a treat right now.

"So there wasn't any bad feeling about it, I just had to sort of get out of there. Shake hands, we've been brilliant for each other. I was brilliant for Falkirk, Falkirk were excellent for me.

"So absolutely no animosity, no hard feelings whatsoever. It was just as you're coming to the end, I want to still have the moments that I've had in my career luckily, continuously through my career and I still feel as if I've got some moments."

Arfield made his Livi debut off the bench in last weekend's draw with Kilmarnock. David Martindale's side are four points adrift with a game in hand on second-bottom Killie.

Speaking before the Scottish Cup tie with St Mirren on Saturday, Arfield said: "I've always said that as I'm getting older, I want to retire myself rather than just dwindling out.

"And then the challenge that Livingston offered is the exact same as at Falkirk, another massive challenge.

"I wouldn't have come here if I felt I couldn't contribute in some sort of way so that's exactly the reasoning."

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Vitor Matos reckons Filip Lissah will be best served staying in Scotland, for now, as the Swansea City youngster continues to impress for loan club Falkirk.

Lissah has been regarded as one of the players most likely to make the first-team breakthrough at Swansea ever since he joined as a 16-year-old after being released by Chelsea.

The defender made his one senior Swansea appearance to date in January 2024, but saw his progress stall last season thanks to a succession of injury problems.

However, Lissah is back making strides in 2025-26 having joined Falkirk on a season-long loan.

Now 21, Lissah has won praise for his performances with the Scottish Premiership club.

Lissah has so far made 16 Falkirk appearances and, despite Swansea's need for defensive reinforcements this month, Matos says there are no plans to bring the loan to a premature end.

"He needs to keep playing, getting exposure in a good level, performing like he has been," the Swansea head coach said.

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"We are happy [with the Falkirk loan], not only happy with the performance, but also happy with the things off the pitch. I think that's quite important when you speak about young players on a loan.

"So the plan is not to call him back, it's to finish the loan and that will be then a situation for the next season."

Lissah has operated in central defence at Swansea, but he has been deployed successfully at right-back by Falkirk.

He is under contract with the Swans until 2027, with the club having the option of extending the agreement by 12 months.

Matos, who has been in charge at Swansea since November, believes Lissah is a player who could eventually make a mark in his team.

"I've seen so far is a player that is performing really well, who has lot of potential for the future and he's someone that we need to see in pre-season," he said.

We asked for your thoughts after Falkirk were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Nathan: Never for the life of me thought I'd be leaving after defeat to Celtic feeling absolutely gutted. Every single player left it all on the pitch but it's the age-old tale we've seen so many times, if you don't take your chances you don't win games.

David: Another big step in our progress journey under John McGlynn. We got turned over in the two games at Celtic Park earlier in the season but for large parts of this game we had Celtic on the back foot! Ultimately we earned nothing from the game but all the Bairns fans who were there will know this team has more to offer, especially when the two new January recruits integrate into the squad.

Iain: Scott Bain was blocked for the cross that led to Celtic's goal. Isn't that what VAR is supposed to be there for?

Watch all the highlights as Martin O'Neill picked up his second victory of his second interim spell as Celtic overcame a spirited Falkirk to win 1-0 in the Scottish Premiership. (Available to UK users only)

Benjamin Nygren's 10th Scottish Premiership goal of the season gave Celtic an unconvincing - but vital - victory over Falkirk, which kept them six points behind leaders Hearts on an important night in the title race.

Have your say on Falkirk's performance.