This has been the toughest season of my career
SAYS RAY McKINNON
ROCK bottom of the Championship at New Year, thumped 4-2 at home by bitter rivals Dunfermline just before Hogmanay, Falkirk waved a bitter goodbye to a disastrous 2018.
Just 12 months earlier, a bright future had been promised by the club’s board when the difficult decision was taken to close its admired youth academy to plough all available resources towards a return to the Premiership.
Yet in a year where almost anything that could go wrong did so for the Bairns, abysmal recruiting has left them the only senior football team in Britain still without a home league victory.
The on-field struggles, including a Scottish Cup exit to part-time local rivals Stenhousemuir, have led to fan unrest.
A year to forget also saw Falkirk found guilty by an SPFL panel of tapping up Morton boss Ray McKinnon when he was hired to succeed the sacked Paul Hartley in August.
For McKinnon, the various circumstances have all added up to make this the most challenging campaign of his managerial career to date.
Yet having already signed five players since the Bells, the former Raith Rovers and Dundee United boss has vowed to continue to act swiftly and decisively in what promises to be a huge January to get Falkirk out of their sizeable hole.
‘Yes, absolutely it’s been the toughest season of my managerial career,’ said McKinnon.
‘I’ve always been at the top end of the league fighting it out. I left Morton when they were at the top of the league. So it’s been a tough period but it’s also been a period of learning.
‘You’ve got to be resilient and be strong and make changes and big decisions — and that’s what we will do in January.
‘There are a lot of good people in the dressing room but if they are not doing what’s required, we will try to replace them because it’s important Falkirk move up the table.
‘When I took the job, I was aware where we were in the league. I knew changes were needed. There’s been something missing from the team that we needed to address.
‘The home record has also got to change. We will try to change that as soon as we can in 2019 but we are not getting hung up on it. These things happen sometimes but I’m sure if we get the right players in, it will change.
‘But the stat says that (we are the only senior team in Britain without a home league win), so we will try to change that.’
For now, the home record must wait. Ahead of tomorrow’s tough trip to second-placed Ayr United, McKinnon has signed former Dundee United and Scotland left-back Paul Dixon, ex-Partick Thistle captain Abdul Osman, Ian McShane from St Mirren and Motherwell’s Ross MacLean, just back from a loan spell at Morton.
Midfielder Mark Waddington has also joined on a six-month loan deal from Stoke City.
Prince Buaben has left Falkirk to pursue a contract in China, while Dennon Lewis, Ruben Sammut and Mark Russell all departed the club yesterday.
Further ins-and-outs are expected as McKinnon aims to help the Bairns take baby steps back towards respectability.
‘We’ve made some very good signings,’ he insisted.
‘Paul Dixon is a very good and very experienced player.
‘So is Abdul Osman, who is just back from playing in the Greek Super League (with Lamia).
‘Ian McShane has been playing in the Premiership with St Mirren and he won the Championship title last year, so he knows what this league is all about.
‘January is going to be huge for us. But we always knew it was going to be a big month for us in terms of recruitment.
‘The squad needs more balance. We need more offensive players and players who can control games. Hopefully, we can get that.
‘I’d expect six or seven to leave and six or seven to come in.’
While McKinnon focuses this month on the short-term future of the club, the longer road ahead for Falkirk will be on the agenda on Monday.
An open forum will be held in the town to discuss proposals for a move towards a fan ownership model.
The plan would see the club’s current majority shareholders group have their stake decreased from 62 per cent to 31 per cent, with a new board elected.
If there is enough support, the new fan ownership model could be in place by the summer, with all money raised — the target is £800,000 — funding a push towards the Premiership after nine years in the second tier.
Yet despite the fan unhappiness at how their club is being run, McKinnon has been delighted with the backing he has received from the Bairns rank-and-file during tough times.
‘Fan ownership is down to the fans and the club,’ he said. ‘But the supporters have been pulling behind us. There was a period when we had no points on the board but they continued to back us in numbers.
‘But hopefully the second half of the season will be good for them.’