Watch how Falkirk sealed promotion on dramatic night
Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland
Finally, 15 years of hurt have ended for Falkirk. The Bairns are back where they believe they belong – the Scottish Premiership.
But, goodness, did they do it the hard way in a dramatic final-day decider after a few wobbles in recent weeks.
Following their 3-1 win over Hamilton Academical, John McGlynn’s side are, at long last, champions of the Championship.
It is a second successive title and promotion under the stewardship of the man with the cap for the side who dropped down into League 1 six years ago.
The “Champions 25” t-shirts have been ironed for a few weeks, while the champagne has been on ice too, but it would not have been Falkirk if there had not been one final twist in a tale that seemed storied weeks ago.
It has been an extensive, and at times arduous, break from the big time, but just how have the Bairns got back there?
From invincibles to near-bottlers, BBC Scotland takes a look at Falkirk’s fantastic couple of seasons following years of carrying the unfortunate label of Scotland’s sleeping giant.
‘Favourite moment as a Falkirk fan’
When McGlynn was unveiled as the new manager of Falkirk in May 2022 – just one day after leaving Raith Rovers – the club had just slumped to a sixth-place finish in their third season in the third tier.
That was after being relegated to League 1 – on goal difference – nine years after their demotion from the top flight.
John McInally, from the Falkirk Daft podcast, told BBC Scotland: “I was just so dumbfounded that Falkirk found themselves in that position and then tumbled into League 1 with a whimper.
“It was just a sad, sad day for the club. That was the real low moment.
“It was a downward spiral in League 1 until we got McGlynn. He came in and completely revamped the side.”
As ever, the former Hearts boss pulled no punches on his arrival and admitted, although it was “a big job”, he and his trusty assistant, Paul Smith, were “excited at the prospect of trying to get it back where we think it should belong”.
Their first attempt fell flat.
While they finished second only to runaway league winners – and local rivals – Dunfermline Athletic, they were demolished 7-2 by Airdrieonians over the two-legged play-off semi-final.
A furious fifth season in League 1 was set to be endured. But fury soon turned to thrill.
McGlynn worked his magic in the summer, scooping up free agents Brad Spencer, Calvin Miller, Ross MacIver and Nicky Hogarth, among others.
Along with shrewd acquisitions from the season prior – the likes of Stephen McGinn, Liam Henderson, Coll Donaldson and Gary Oliver – the Bairns stormed to the title with five games to spare.
They secured it in fashion with a 7-1 mauling of Montrose, but they were not heading for the sun loungers yet. The Championship was calling, but an invincible league campaign was on the cards.
In the 84th minute of their last game in League 1 against Alloa Athletic, it appeared the Bairns were going to fall agonisingly short. Then Spencer put away a penalty to etch the team’s name into the history books.
“To eventually get out of League 1 and do it as invincibles was one of my favourite moments as a Falkirk supporter,” McInally revealed.
“Sometimes you reflect and go, was it worth that moment? And sometimes you think, maybe it was.”
‘Complete and utter Roy of the Rovers stuff’
Bringing Scott Arfield back to Falkirk proved a masterstroke by John McGlynn
After five years of rage and ridicule, the Bairns could be forgiven for making the most of their Championship opener on a Friday night back in August.
From disco lights to fireworks, they pulled out all the stops – and did not stop there.
Kicking off the campaign with a five-game winning run – which included the fist win at Dunfermline’s East End Park in five years – they made a seamless transition back to the second tier.
Landmarks in the season – international breaks, first round of games, festive fixture – came and went with little fuss on the pitch but plenty excitement off it as the team remained at the top of the tree throughout.
That exhilaration was taken up yet another notch on 3 February when homegrown hero Scott Arfield, the former Rangers, Burnley and Canada midfielder, made a stunning return, 15 years after his exit.
“It was complete and utter Roy of the Rovers stuff,” McInally said of the academy product’s re-signing.
“There had been murmurings, then I got a couple of messages from people who know Scott saying ‘this is happening’.
“I was like, shut up, no way. Then it happened and it was such a buzz.”
With the number 37 on his back – a number that had been, and will be again – retired since the tragic passing of former team-mate Craig Gowans, Arfield marked his magical return with a hat-trick against Partick Thistle.
It proved to be the first of an eight-game unbeaten run that had the Bairns heading into the final six games with an 11-point advantage.
Get the fancy champagne looked out and the t-shirts sent to the printer. Back-to-back titles started to seem a matter of when, not if.
Such goods no doubt made the journey down to Somerset Park, where a win over Ayr United in the fourth last game of the season would all-but secure the title.
However, a 93rd-minute equaliser from Ethan Walker put the champagne on ice. No need to panic, though. Another chance would come.
It came and went in similar style against Rovers, who stunned the league leaders with three goals from the 88th-minute onwards. Veering towards the panic station.
Almost unbelievably, it happened again against 10-man Thistle the following Friday at Firhill. Terry Ablade’s incredible 97th-minute winner had the panic button being well and truly battered.
A matter of weeks ago, a final-day decider appeared impossible. Now, the Championship trophy was lingering midway Linlithgow, ready to head to Livingston, if necessary.
For a bit, that was the destination punched into the satnav. For the first time this season, Livingston topped the pile.
They were soon displaced, though, when an Ethan Ross free-kick not only sent Falkirk Stadium into a frenzy but set the Bairns on their way to something of a comfortable win.
McGlynns men did it the hard way, but for scenes such as those at full-time, they will tell you it was worth it.
The man with the cap delivered on his promise. Now, he says, the sky is the limit.
