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Scottish Sun
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Falkirk title winners spotted living it up at Wayne Lineker's Ocean Beach resort in Ibiza as KITMAN takes pride of place
BAIRN WINNERS Falkirk title winners spotted living it up at Wayne Lineker's Ocean Beach resort in Ibiza as KITMAN takes pride of place THEIR last day title rivals are still waiting to find out who they'll face in the playoffs as they bid to return to the Premiership. But true to their word, Falkirk's stars have been spotted living it up out in Ibiza as they toast incredible back-to-back promotions. Advertisement 2 Wayne Lineker parties at his Ocean Beach Ibiza resort with Jack Grealish when he was left out of England's Euros squad last summer Credit: Instagram 2 Falkirk's title winners have travelled en masse to Ibiza Credit: X/Calvin Miller Manager John McGlynn joked after Friday night's drama about how he WOULDN'T be invited to the squad's post-promotion party. But it was powerful motivation for the players going into that nerve-shredding last day shootout with Hamilton with Livingston only behind on goal difference. He had said: "The players can be here in Falkirk on Monday training for the play-offs, or they can be in Ibiza partying. "We've shown how good we are, we just have to go one more time." Advertisement Now McGlynn has masterminded back-to-back promotions and Falkirk are back in the top flight for the first time since 2010 - even if he "doesn't get a pass to Ibiza with the players". We also told you how the town's footy heroes took to their town in the immediate aftermath of their sensational Championship win to party in style. They were spotted celebrating their win in spectacular fashion in local nightclub Maniqui. Footage showed the moment the crowd erupted into song honouring midfielder and Rangers cult hero Scott Arfield. Advertisement Punters belted out the popular chant to the tune of Whigfield's hit Saturday Night. There's no sign of Arfield in the pictures, nor McGlynn and No 2 Paul Smith, but pretty much everyone else is there, though, judging by an image shared by last day goal hero Calvin Miller on X. Falkirk fans invade the pitch as promotion to the Premiership is confirmed The former Hoops kid was one of a number of key contributors in the Bairns' title win and much will be expected as he returns to the top flight next season. The image showed no fewer than 24 members of the Falkirk party, with popular kitman Chris McGill in the middle of it. Advertisement Miller shared the image with the words 'BACK TO BACK BABYYYYY' and fans of the Bairns were loving it. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
BATTLING BAIRNS! Falkirk come from behind to lift Championship title on a nail-biting final night ... and reach top flight for first time in 15 years!
John McGlynn insisted he always had faith in his Falkirk players as they sealed back-to-back promotions and returned to Scottish football's top tier for the first time in 15 years. The Bairns had wobbled in recent weeks and looked in danger of throwing it all away after losing an 11-point lead at the top, but they held their nerve when it mattered most to clinch the Championship title. Trailing by an early goal to relegated Hamilton at a tense Falkirk Stadium, they fought back with a double from Ethan Ross and a decisive third from Calvin Miller in a 3-1 victory which sparked delirious celebrations. Livingston, hoping to snatch the title on a nail-biting final night, were beaten 1-0 at home by Partick Thistle, who earned a play-off with Ayr United. After adding to last season's League One Invincibles triumph, Falkirk manager McGlynn said: 'It's an amazing feeling, absolutely different class. We've made it hard for ourselves over the last few weeks but it's all come to fruition tonight. 'We made it hard again by going behind. But the guys have shown enormous character to come back in the game and get the goals that we deserve. 'They've just been incredible, coming up from League One as Invincibles, and just continuing from there. I know that these guys have got an enormous spirit. And I'm delighted for everyone involved at the football club. 'I had plenty of belief because I knew the character of the dressing room. We've come up a level from League One. Everyone knows how difficult the Championship is and we've come out on top. It speaks volumes for the players that they could manage to step up to that level and continue to play at the standard that we've played at. 'I think we've had many, many compliments for the way that we've played. That speaks volumes for the style that we've got and the patterns of play that we have. 'We get forward really, really well at every opportunity. And we don't have a 15-to-20 goal striker, so the goals have to get shared out across the team. McGinn, who has been nominated for PFA Scotland Manager of the Year, added: 'We really did believe in ourselves. The reality is that sometimes you believe and it's false. But we stayed up there for a long time to get shot down. Fair play to Livingston, they gave us a run for our money at the end but we've come out on top.' Calvin Miller slams home the third goal that made sure Bairns were winning Championship Two-goal hero Ross revealed: 'The gaffer pulled me aside yesterday and said he wanted more from me, so I hope that's enough that I've given him tonight! 'There were question marks over our bottle after the last couple of results. Tonight, though, there was no doubt who the champions are.' Hamilton manager John Rankin admitted it had been an emotional 24 hours for him and his players after their appeal against a 15-point deduction was thrown out on Thursday evening, relegating the club back to League One before a ball was kicked on Friday night. 'I just said thank you to my players,' he said. 'I'm a bit emotional at the moment as I never slept last night but I awoke knowing they would give me everything and that's what they did. I honestly don't care about the result. I just wanted a performance and I got that.'
The National
02-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Falkirk 3 Hamilton 1: John McGlynn's men seal Premiership promotion
The Falkirk supporters who made their way to the Falkirk Stadium in their thousands for their final William Hill Championship match of the season against Hamilton tonight did so, after a bruising and quite frankly unbelievable few weeks, in trepidation not expectation. They should have known, despite the draw to Ayr United and defeats to Raith Rovers and Partick Thistle last month which had delayed their coronation as second tier champions, their men never do things the easy way and that everything would work out well in the end. Their unexpected slip-ups during the run-in had opened the door for Livingston, who had come from 11 points behind with six games remaining at the end of March and drawn level with them last week, to snatch the silverware from them in dramatic fashion on the last day of the league season. Read more: They made heavy work of Hamilton, whose relegation had been confirmed the day before when they lost their appeal against the 15 point deduction they had been hit with for breaching several SPFL rules, in their final 90 minutes. But an Ethan Ross double and a Calvin Miller goal gave them, finally, the win they needed to get it over the line and clinch a return to the top flight after a 15 year absence. Falkirk fans would, given all they have endured in the past couple of decades, dearly have loved it all to have been wrapped up with the minimum of fuss weeks ago. But their late wobbles certainly made for an entertaining finale. This was a fabulous advertisement for Scottish football. The denouement of the Scottish title race in 2005 was, with both Celtic at Fir Park and Rangers at Easter Road in with a chance of coming out on top, dubbed Helicopter Sunday. There was, with just 24 miles separating Falkirk and Livingston, no need to take to the air for this one. It was labelled Fast Car Friday by one wag instead. SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster positioned himself in Linlithgow with the trophy and watched events unfold on television before setting off for Falkirk Every seat in their three stands was filled and all of those who were in attendance were in fine voice long before kick-off. When the home squad returned to the dressing room after their warm-up the roar was deafening. The rendition of Amarillo as the minutes ticked down raised the roof. The ultras in the corner of the Kevin McAllister Stand then unveiled a banner which read, 'All Or Nothing'. Just in case Brad Spencer and his team mates were in any doubt about what was at stake. But manager John McGlynn had no need to fire his charges up before they took to the park. "It's a huge occasion, there's no underestimating that,' he said when he spoke to BBC Scotland before hostilities commenced. "It doesn't get any bigger. Buzzing, the players will be buzzing for it, there is a huge crowd here, and they'll get right behind us. "We are looking forward to it. At this stage, all the work is done, the team talk is done. The guys can now go out and put their best foot forward, try and control the game and kill it off if we get the opportunity to. Like any game, you want to make a good start, the first goal is always important in any game, even more so tonight. But the Falkirk players looked nervous from the get go and fell behind in the fifth minute when they failed to clear a punt into their penalty box. Their goalkeeper Nicky Hogarth managed to get a hand to an acrobatic Ricky Lamie attempt and keep the scoreline level. But Scott Robinson was perfectly positioned to pounce on the loose ball and netted from a couple of yards out. This was not supposed to be the script. It has been a harrowing week for Hamilton fans and then some. But a couple of hundred of them still turned up and to cheer on John Rankin's men, who would have stayed up if their fate had been decided purely on their sporting exploits, in their final competitive appearance of this term. They were glad they made the journey when their skipper broke the deadlock. They revelled in ramming it right up their shellshocked counterparts next to them in the North Stand. But Falkirk were down not out. The regrouped and nearly levelled immediately when a Calvin Miller free-kick almost found Liam Henderson in the visitors' six yard box. Reghan Tumilty, though, nipped in and got his head to it. Slowly but surely, the hosts' composure and fluidity improved. Spencer claimed for a penalty after skipping past Tumilty and going to ground. Referee Steven McLean instantly dismissed his appeal and showed the midfielder a yellow card. There was absolute uproar in the stands. It was, however, the correct decision. The match official showed nerves of steel to make his call. But McLean soon produced a ruling which met with the Bairns' wholehearted approval. He felt that Robinson had barged Scott Arfield on the edge of the area and gave a free-kick. Ross stepped up and curled a delightful dead ball delivery beyond Dean Lyness and into the net. Cue complete and utter bedlam. There was further jubilation before half-time when news filtered through that a Macaulay Tait own goal had given Partick Thistle the lead against the run of play against Livingston through at Almondvale. Further hysteria was to follow. Ross hooked into the roof of the Hamilton net following a goalmouth stramash. Punters hugged each other in the aisles, grown men jumped over the advertising hoardings, stewards questioned why they had not been promised a double time payment as they desperately tried and failed to restore order. Kyle MacDonald offered a timely reminder that it was still not over when he jinked forward and lashed a long-range effort just inches over the crossbar. But when Calvin Miller found the bottom right corner with a sweet strike with 20 minutes of regulation time remaining it was all over. The comfortable victory clinched a second consecutive promotion for McGlynn's men and surely made the veteran coach the favourite to pick up the Manager of the Year awards which will soon be handed out in the Scottish game. It is a truly remarkable achievement of which everyone involved can be rightly proud. Staying up among the likes of Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United, Hibernian and Rangers during the 2025/26 campaign will be challenging. They will, if their legal challenge fails, have to spend the thick end of £1m replacing their artificial surface at some stage in the near future. Still, they will go into next term with an awful lot of goodwill behind them, some excellent footballers in their squad and an exceptional manager in charge. But nobody in the 7,633-strong crowd was caring what happens next tonight. They were simply savouring a sweet moment which has been a long time coming. The pitch invasion which followed the final whistle showed what it meant to them.
The Herald Scotland
02-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Falkirk 3 Hamilton 1: John McGlynn's men seal Premiership promotion
They should have known, despite the draw to Ayr United and defeats to Raith Rovers and Partick Thistle last month which had delayed their coronation as second tier champions, their men never do things the easy way and that everything would work out well in the end. Their unexpected slip-ups during the run-in had opened the door for Livingston, who had come from 11 points behind with six games remaining at the end of March and drawn level with them last week, to snatch the silverware from them in dramatic fashion on the last day of the league season. Read more: They made heavy work of Hamilton, whose relegation had been confirmed the day before when they lost their appeal against the 15 point deduction they had been hit with for breaching several SPFL rules, in their final 90 minutes. But an Ethan Ross double and a Calvin Miller goal gave them, finally, the win they needed to get it over the line and clinch a return to the top flight after a 15 year absence. Falkirk fans would, given all they have endured in the past couple of decades, dearly have loved it all to have been wrapped up with the minimum of fuss weeks ago. But their late wobbles certainly made for an entertaining finale. This was a fabulous advertisement for Scottish football. The denouement of the Scottish title race in 2005 was, with both Celtic at Fir Park and Rangers at Easter Road in with a chance of coming out on top, dubbed Helicopter Sunday. There was, with just 24 miles separating Falkirk and Livingston, no need to take to the air for this one. It was labelled Fast Car Friday by one wag instead. SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster positioned himself in Linlithgow with the trophy and watched events unfold on television before setting off for Falkirk Every seat in their three stands was filled and all of those who were in attendance were in fine voice long before kick-off. When the home squad returned to the dressing room after their warm-up the roar was deafening. The rendition of Amarillo as the minutes ticked down raised the roof. The ultras in the corner of the Kevin McAllister Stand then unveiled a banner which read, 'All Or Nothing'. Just in case Brad Spencer and his team mates were in any doubt about what was at stake. But manager John McGlynn had no need to fire his charges up before they took to the park. "It's a huge occasion, there's no underestimating that,' he said when he spoke to BBC Scotland before hostilities commenced. "It doesn't get any bigger. Buzzing, the players will be buzzing for it, there is a huge crowd here, and they'll get right behind us. "We are looking forward to it. At this stage, all the work is done, the team talk is done. The guys can now go out and put their best foot forward, try and control the game and kill it off if we get the opportunity to. Like any game, you want to make a good start, the first goal is always important in any game, even more so tonight. But the Falkirk players looked nervous from the get go and fell behind in the fifth minute when they failed to clear a punt into their penalty box. Their goalkeeper Nicky Hogarth managed to get a hand to an acrobatic Ricky Lamie attempt and keep the scoreline level. But Scott Robinson was perfectly positioned to pounce on the loose ball and netted from a couple of yards out. This was not supposed to be the script. It has been a harrowing week for Hamilton fans and then some. But a couple of hundred of them still turned up and to cheer on John Rankin's men, who would have stayed up if their fate had been decided purely on their sporting exploits, in their final competitive appearance of this term. They were glad they made the journey when their skipper broke the deadlock. They revelled in ramming it right up their shellshocked counterparts next to them in the North Stand. But Falkirk were down not out. The regrouped and nearly levelled immediately when a Calvin Miller free-kick almost found Liam Henderson in the visitors' six yard box. Reghan Tumilty, though, nipped in and got his head to it. Slowly but surely, the hosts' composure and fluidity improved. Spencer claimed for a penalty after skipping past Tumilty and going to ground. Referee Steven McLean instantly dismissed his appeal and showed the midfielder a yellow card. There was absolute uproar in the stands. It was, however, the correct decision. The match official showed nerves of steel to make his call. But McLean soon produced a ruling which met with the Bairns' wholehearted approval. He felt that Robinson had barged Scott Arfield on the edge of the area and gave a free-kick. Ross stepped up and curled a delightful dead ball delivery beyond Dean Lyness and into the net. Cue complete and utter bedlam. There was further jubilation before half-time when news filtered through that a Macaulay Tait own goal had given Partick Thistle the lead against the run of play against Livingston through at Almondvale. Further hysteria was to follow. Ross hooked into the roof of the Hamilton net following a goalmouth stramash. Punters hugged each other in the aisles, grown men jumped over the advertising hoardings, stewards questioned why they had not been promised a double time payment as they desperately tried and failed to restore order. Kyle MacDonald offered a timely reminder that it was still not over when he jinked forward and lashed a long-range effort just inches over the crossbar. But when Calvin Miller found the bottom right corner with a sweet strike with 20 minutes of regulation time remaining it was all over. The comfortable victory clinched a second consecutive promotion for McGlynn's men and surely made the veteran coach the favourite to pick up the Manager of the Year awards which will soon be handed out in the Scottish game. It is a truly remarkable achievement of which everyone involved can be rightly proud. Staying up among the likes of Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United, Hibernian and Rangers during the 2025/26 campaign will be challenging. They will, if their legal challenge fails, have to spend the thick end of £1m replacing their artificial surface at some stage in the near future. Still, they will go into next term with an awful lot of goodwill behind them, some excellent footballers in their squad and an exceptional manager in charge. But nobody in the 7,633-strong crowd was caring what happens next tonight. They were simply savouring a sweet moment which has been a long time coming. The pitch invasion which followed the final whistle showed what it meant to them.
STV News
24-04-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Miller hoping Falkirk can replicate Ipswich with successive promotions
Calvin Miller is looking for Falkirk to write their own history by replicating Ipswich's double promotion feat. John McGlynn led the Bairns out of League One last season and has guided them to the cusp of promotion to the William Hill Premiership, sitting top of the table, three points ahead of Livingston ahead of Friday's trip to Partick Thistle. Miller referenced the Tractor Boys who achieved successive promotions to get to the Premier League in 2024, albeit they may be going back to Championship next season, as he looked to help Falkirk back to the top flight for the first time since 2010. Falkirk have stuttered in recent matches with one win in four but the 27-year-old utility player, who joined the Bairns from Morton in 2023, said of promotion: 'It would be incredible, taking the team I joined in League One and who got promoted, to go and do it again would be like an Ipswich scenario, a double promotion. 'I think that would be very historic and personally, it would be an unbelievable achievement and it would be for everyone in that changing room. 'Last season, with the invincible situation (unbeaten in league), you are thinking that is an amazing achievement and now there is the chance to do back-to-back promotions and get to the Premiership. 'We have not been there for so long, we have the chance as players and staff to create another piece of history, that's why it is so important that we get it over the line. 'It's not done until it's done and we need to do a job on Friday.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
