Bairns scrap academy funding to focus on promotion

Falkirk have announced plans to scrap their academy from the end of the year as they focus on gaining promotion back to the Ladbrokes Premiership.

After eight seasons in the Championship, the Bairns have made the decision to stop funding the Forth Valley Football Academy in order to focus their resources on achieving promotion back to the top flight.

The club announced in a statement that they have made financial losses over the previous two years and expect that to continue given their current form, which sees them languishing in ninth place in the Championship.

Chairwoman Margaret Lang said in the statement: “Over the past 10 years our business model has become more and more reliant on player sales, finishing higher than top four in the Scottish Championship and a strong run in cup competitions.

“Since the successful run to the Scottish Cup final in 2015 the club has made losses over the past two years at an operational level, even after player transfer income has been taken into account.

“This is likely to continue in the current year given how we have performed in the season so far.

“Ultimately, this model is unsustainable. If we carry on doing what we have always done, we will remain as we are presently. We recognise an absolute need to change the way we do things.

“We want to be a Premiership football club, and to achieve this, our first team needs to be our absolute focus.”

The club also announced an intention to reconsider player recruitment, with Sunderland’s Tommy Robson set to join in January.