Falkirk

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Brian Graham knows he has to "earn the right" to start for back-to-back title winners Falkirk after signing a one-year deal.

The veteran striker scored 21 goals in all competitions last season for Partick Thistle and was so impressed by the eventual league-winners, he wanted to be a part of it.

"I'm looking forward to getting in and playing with the players that are already in the building because, obviously, playing against them, I can see how well coached they are and how well they play together as a team," the 37-year-old told club media.

"You don't get any big egos. They're a team that are hard-working and look after each other and it's something I want to be involved in."

Graham is no stranger to working with John McGlynn - the manager signed him at Raith Rovers - but he is aware is experience doesn't mean a start is a given.

"I've got to come in there and earn the right," he added. "It's not just because I'm older and inexperienced that it means I'm going to walk in and be in the team.

"I know through experience that I'm going to need to come in here, hit the ground running and really work hard to get in this Falkirk side because they've been excellent over the last two years.

"That's why they've got back-to-back promotions and it's up to me now to work hard, get my head down and get myself in the team."

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Falkirk have signed "one of the hardest working strikers" in Brian Graham, as the veteran forward joins on a one-year deal.

The 37-year-old scored 21 goals in all competitions last season for Scottish Championship side Partick Thistle and has over 220 goals in his 18-year career.

This is the second time John McGlynn has signed Graham, having previously done so in 2011 with Raith Rovers, and Graham said he "couldn't say no" to working with the manager again.

"Brian's had an amazing career and it's a credit to him and the way he's look after himself that he's still one of the hardest working strikers going about," McGlynn told club media.

"He has the natural instincts of a top striker, he's in the right place at the right time, he knows the position inside out and with the number of crosses we put in the box, I'm sure there's plenty more goals to come.

"Brian is a winner, he is very determined individual and his experience at this level will be important to the team.

"I've said we needed Premiership experience and physicality, and Brian brings both of those in abundance."

The former Hibernian forward has 25 goals in 96 top-flight appearances with Dundee United, St Johnstone and Ross County.

"The opportunity to work with John McGlynn again was one I couldn't say no to," the former Partick Thistle women's manager said.

"You can see how well the players and staff have done here over the last two years with back-to-back promotions, and it's a chance for myself to get back and play in the Premiership as well.

"It's up to me now to work hard, get the head down, and get myself in the team. With the wide players here, I know for a fact I'm going to get chances to score goals and I'm really looking forward to getting started."

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The SPFL confirmed attendances have risen for a third consecutive season and thanked fans for their "incredible support".

Crowds across all leagues, cups and play-off matches totalled more than 5.3 million, a rise of nearly 185,000 from the 2023-24 season.

"We will be having further meetings with key stakeholders over the summer to review the most recent season and look ahead to 2025-26," the SPFL statement ends.

"We remain committed to ensuring a safe and enjoyable matchday experience for players and supporters - they are the lifeblood of our game and deserve nothing less."

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Falkirk fans, we have got you covered following your club's promotion back to the Scottish Premiership.

Right here, you will find your side's very own bespoke BBC Sport page, a one-stop shop for the latest news, highlights, expert analysis, fan views, stats and gossip.

If you are viewing this on the BBC Sport app, tap the bell icon at the top and sign up for news alerts to make sure you do not miss a beat.

And if signed in on a browser, hit 'Follow' and you will start seeing more content about your club on your BBC Sport homepage.

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Premiership newcomers Falkirk have signed Scott Bain on a one-year deal following the goalkeeper's Celtic exit.

The 33-year-old - the Bairns' first signing for their top-flight return - won 14 major honours in his seven-year Celtic spell and previously made over 100 appearances for Dundee.

Bain, who has three Scotland caps, chose Falkirk over "various other offers both north and south of the border," according to Falkirk assistant Paul Smith.

"He comes to the club with a wealth of experience," Smith added. "He is really good with the ball at his feet, and he perfectly suits the play style and ethos that we have at Falkirk."

Bain said: "It's great to be here. The club is very well run and it's a really great set-up. It's full of good people, and that's a part of the reason I wanted to come here.

"The boys have done an incredible job over the last two years and hopefully I can help this season to be another successful one for the club and the fans."

Hearts are keeping close tabs on Falkirk midfielder Brad Spencer, with the 29-year-old entering the last year of his contract with the newly-promoted Scottish Premiership club. (Daily Record), external

Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish gossip.

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Falkirk will begin the 2025-26 season with a trip to Highland League Brechin City in Premier Sports Cup Group A.

John McGlynn's side return north to face Cove Rangers before home matches against Queen's Park and The Spartans.

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Stephen McGinn has left his role as St Mirren Under-18s coach to take up a first-team coaching position at Falkirk.

McGinn made over 200 appearances for St Mirren prior to his return in the youth set-up, and was part of the Bairns' 2023-24 invincible League 1 winning campaign as a player.

Craig McLeish, currently St Mirren's head of technical performance, steps up to replace 36-year-old McGinn in a new U-19 set-up.

Academy director Allan McManus said: "We're sad to lose Stephen, but we're also delighted for him as he continues on his journey."

McGinn's return to Falkirk comes as they prepare for a first top-flight campaign in 15 years following their Championship title win.

Bairns manager John McGlynn: "Stephen's appointment will go down well with everyone at the club, no more so than the dressing room, where he was someone his fellow players looked up to."

Falkirk will make a shock bid to take 37-year-old Brian Graham to the Premiership as a player after he rejected the chance to become Partick Thistle manager. (Scottish Sun), external

Read the rest of Friday's Scottish gossip.

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Falkirk teenagers Rhys Walker and Owen Hayward have signed one-year contract extensions while eight players are departing the newly-promoted Premiership club.

Goalkeeper Hayward was a regular on the Bairns bench last season while fellow 19-year-old Walker, a forward, scored nine goals in 30 Lowland League games on loan at Cowdenbeath.

Out-of-contract players Ross Munro, Jordan Allan, Logan Sinclair and Scott Honeyman are leaving John McGlynn's Championship title winners.

And loanees Luke Graham, Miller Thomson, Darragh O'Connor, and Eamonn Brophy return to their parent clubs.

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Recently-promoted Falkirk have been drawn alongside Queen's Park, Cove Rangers, The Spartans and Brechin City in Group A of the 2025-26 Premier Sports Cup.

The opening group fixtures will take place on 12-13 July, with further matchdays on 15-16 July, 19-20 July, 22-23 July and 26-27 July.

The eight group winners and three best runners-up will join Scotland's five European entrants - Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibernian and Dundee United - in the last 16 on the weekend of 16-17 August.

Falkirk, who will return to the top flight next season after winning the 2024-25 Scottish Championship, are aiming for their first League Cup triumph.

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 on Friday, 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, and a major moment 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 had 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 said that, although it was "a big job", he and 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 2023-24 title with five games to spare.

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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 said.

"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'

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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 first 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 following the tragic death of former team-mate Craig Gowans, Arfield marked his magical return with a hat-trick against Partick Thistle.

It proved to be the start 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 checked out and the T-shirts sent to the printer. Back-to-back titles started to seem a matter of when, not if.

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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 stoppage-time 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.

Almost unbelievably, it happened again against 10-man Thistle the following Friday at Firhill. Terry Ablade's incredible winner in the seventh minute of stoppage time 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 around Linlithgow, ready to head to Livingston, if necessary.

For a while, that was perhaps the destination being 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.

McGlynn’s men did it the hard way, but for scenes such as those at full-time on Friday, 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.