Falkirk

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Marko Lazetic could be in the Aberdeen squad for the first time although manager Jimmy Thelin plans to ease the Serbian in gently. Defenders Kristers Tobers and Emmanuel Gyamfi are set to remain sidelined.

Falkirk will include new signing Kyrell Wilson after the winger joined on loan from Swansea but Aidan Nesbitt, who is facing three months out injured, joins Ethan Ross, Jamie Sneddon, Tom Lang, Finn Yeats, Coll Donaldson and Barney Stewart on the sidelines.

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Falkirk midfielder Aidan Nesbitt has been ruled out for about three months after tearing his plantar fascia in training.

Manager John McGlynn is already without several first-team faces, including winger Ethan Ross, and has struggled to get transfers over the line in recent weeks.

The Bairns added four new faces earlier in the summer, but there was a seven-week gap before 20-year-old winger Kyrell Wilson arrived on a season-long loan on Friday.

McGlynn admits it will be difficult to replace Nesbitt's influence.

"Aidan's torn his plantar fascia in his foot in training," McGlynn said.

"It's just something that's cropped up, I think. It's a bit like wear and tear.

"Ethan and Aidan are key players for us. They've been part of our success over the last three years.

"Aidan covers so much ground. He's a buzz bomb, he's all over the place and it's hard to replace that."

McGlynn says injuries have hastened the need for transfer activity.

"That's one of the other bigger reasons why we have to bring more players in because we're sitting with seven injured right now, with these guys added to Jamie Sneddon, Tom Lang, Finn Yeats, Coll Donaldson and Barney Stewart," he said. "It's a drain on our squad."

McGlynn is confident he will be able to recruit at least two more players, including another winger, before the window closes on Monday night.

"There's been a little bit of struggle getting to where we're at, but I think there'll be another couple on top of that."

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Falkirk have signed versatile and "hard working" Swansea winger Kyrell Wilson on a season-long loan deal.

The 20-year-old, who scored once in 15 appearances on loan at English National League side Yeovil last season, could make his debut against Aberdeen on Sunday.

Premiership newcomers Falkirk have been looking to strengthen in attacking areas since Ethan Ross was ruled out with a "serious" injury.

Manager John McGlynn said: "I'm delighted to get the signing of Kyrell Wilson over the line - he's a player that we've been tracking for some time.

"He's can play across any of the three attacking positions.

"Since meeting Kyrell I have really liked what I've seen. I like the attitude he has, he's very much up for it, and we look forward to working with him this season.

"He's a very hard-working winger who comes to give us support in a position where we are a bit short."

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• This will be the first league meeting between Aberdeen and Falkirk since the Dons won 1-0 in April 2010 under Mark McGhee.

• Aberdeen have only lost one of their past 18 home league games against newly-promoted opponents (W10 D7), and are unbeaten in their past 10 (W6 D4) since a 2-1 defeat to Ross County in February 2020.

• Aberdeen have lost their past six league games, their longest such losing run since December 2010 (seven).

• All three of Falkirk's league goals this season have had a different scorer and different assister; no team has more different players with at least one goal or assist in this season's Scottish Premiership than the Bairns (six).

• Aberdeen are the only side without a goal nor a point in the Premiership this season. The Dons last failed to score in their opening three games of a league campaign in 2011-12, last lost each of their opening three in 2003-04, and last lost and failed to score in each of their first three in 2001-02.

Grant Heaney
Fan writer

It was Friday 11 July and the eve of the Scottish League Cup group stages getting under way. That was the last time Falkirk signed a player, with Henry Cartwright joining the club on a season-long loan from Leicester City.

Fast forward almost seven weeks and the silence on the transfer front at the Falkirk Stadium has been deafening.

Other than what John McGlynn described as the "fake news" of former Celtic midfielder Ismaila Soro being on trial, there has barely even been a transfer rumour for the Bairns faithful to get excited about.

And as the transfer window clock ticks down, the clamour from supporters on social media for the much-sought-after pen emoji is understandably intensifying by the day.

Yes, McGlynn and CEO Jamie Swinney have made no secret of the club's desire to strengthen their pool of players, but it's easy to see why supporters have become increasingly frustrated with our slow approach over the summer.

Our lack of preparation in getting the squad ready prior to our return to the top flight has already left the team exposed during the early weeks of the season, and we're now facing an almighty scramble to sign new players.

While I don't doubt the club will deliver on their promise of reinforcements over the next week or so, the transfer window hasn't been quite as busy or exciting as most Bairns fans would have liked.

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The SPFL has granted Falkirk permission to use their artificial pitch next season should they stay in the Scottish Premiership at the end of this campaign.

Top-flight clubs voted in May 2024 to phase out the use of artificial pitches, but Falkirk, Kilmarnock and Livingston were allowed to keep them this season.

The league says Falkirk will lay a grass pitch for the 2027-28 campaign, and the SPFL will advance some of its fees to help the club install a new surface.

A statement said the league is "sympathetic" to Falkirk's case, having put down their current pitch in 2023 before the rule change.

"As a fan-owned and newly-promoted club, having to find such a significant sum to replace a perfectly good surface could have threatened our club's future," a Falkirk spokesperson said.

"While we still believe there is a place for high quality artificial surfaces at all levels of the game in Scotland, we also had to act responsibly in the here and now - and that meant reaching a compromise that prevented uncertainty for Scottish football and for our club.

"We hope other SPFL member clubs will be treated with similar flexibility, and thank the SPFL for their cooperation and diligence."

Kilmarnock have stated their intention to lay a grass pitch, while Livingston put down a fresh artificial surface only this summer.

Grant Heaney
Fan writer

Regardless of the rightful clamour from our fanbase for new signings before the transfer window closes, retaining the services of Keelan Adams could be one of the best bits of business the Bairns do this summer.

Even at this early stage of the season, the talented right-back has demonstrated just how influential a player he is for our team.

Playing with Cumbernauld Colts in the Lowland League only the season before last, Adams did not look out of place when making his Scottish Premiership debut against Dundee United on the opening weekend of the campaign. He played a crucial role in each of Falkirk's two goals that afternoon. He also won us the set piece that led to our goal against Livingston on matchday two.

The 23-year-old has since scored his first goal of the season in spectacular style, netting a stunning consolation strike against Celtic in the Scottish League Cup last Friday night.

It was those types of performances that had a handful of clubs reportedly keeping tabs on the Falkirk full-back when he burst on to the scene during the first half of last season, and I fear it may only be a matter of time before Adams is the subject of more transfer speculation.

Yes, there are question marks over Adams' defensive capabilities, but he is still young and can improve. Lets just hope it's in the navy blue of Falkirk for the foreseeable future.

We asked for your views on Falkirk's Premier Sports Cup defeat by Celtic.

Here are some of your comments:

John: Falkirk defending has been terrible, new players needed.

Alan: Three years ago we were mid-table League 1 and facing the possibility of part-time football. What John McGlynn and the guys have achieved is simply breathtaking. Yes, it's a huge step up this season, especially when you compare playing budgets etc. Tonight will not define our season.

Falkirk were given another insight into how tough life will be against top-flight teams as holders Celtic scored three goals in 10 second-half minutes to ease into the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals.

Read the full match report here.

Have your say here.

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Falkirk manager John McGlynn was taking positives out of his side's defeat at Celtic Park in the Premier Sports Cup second round.

"Celtic were very very good tonight," he said. "They were excellent in the way they moved the ball and the pace and intensity.

"We just couldn't live with them. We tried our best, but you see the difference.

"We have to do better. We lose the ball and we get punished.

"If we're going to come here and give ourselves a chance, we have to learn quickly and can't be giving up goals as cheaply as we did there.

"There were positives as well and of course Keelan Adams scored.

"We need reinforcements. We're all going to play 38 games, others will get a march on us by getting points on the board, but it'll all equal out and hopefully we'll get better as the games come around.

"We've targeted certain players and they're still there or thereabouts and hopefully we'll get them over the line."

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Falkirk winger Ethan Ross has suffered "quite a serious" ankle injury as manager John McGlynn endures a "frustrating" wait for new faces.

Ross, an integral part of back-to-back promotions for the Bairns, limped off in the first half of last weekend's 3-1 defeat at Livingston.

Speaking before Friday night's Premier Sports Cup tie at Celtic, McGlynn said: "Unfortunately, it's quite a serious one actually.

"He got a scan on it, there's some ligament damage and he's now going to go and see a specialist to see if they might need to do some kind of surgery on it.

"I don't have any timescale, I'm not really sure about that until we get the specialist to look over the scan, and decide what they want to do.

"There's still a fair amount of swelling, so it wasn't necessarily conclusive as to whether or not it was torn completely, or if it was still kind of intact, in which case they may not need to operate.

"It's a blow for him and for the team because he's a big player for us and he's been doing particularly well."

Ross' lay-off puts further emphasis on Falkirk's lack of recruitment this summer. McGlynn has only added four new signings although hopes to bring in some players on loan from English Premier League sides.

"We think we're getting a little bit close, we're hoping that because the window closes in a couple of weeks or so," he added.

"There's nothing new and nothing necessarily imminent, so I don't see us having anyone new in before the game tomorrow.

"But I would like to think maybe in a week's time that could change, not that we're in control of these, we've got to wait on clubs giving us these players.

"We've been very, very patient and we're working with the clubs to try and get these deals done."

Former Celtic midfielder Ismaila Soro, 27, is training with Falkirk after the 27-year-old Ivory Coast international left Beitar Jerusalem. (Record), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Grant Heaney
Fan writer

There may have been a feeling of deja vu for the travelling Falkirk fans at Livingston on Saturday.

We were in this movie so many times last season that we ought to have known how our latest trip to West Lothian would have ended. However, it does all feel a little different this time. Perhaps a little more alarming.

Not only were the Bairns unable to banish their curse against bogey team Livingston, it was the manner of the defeat that laid bare our lack of urgency and assertiveness in this summer's transfer market.

While John McGlynn appears largely content with the continuity of a settled squad, anxiety is growing among the Falkirk faithful amid strength in depth concerns, and with good reason.

Through no fault of their own, the current crop aren't providing the impression of a team that will be capable of carrying the momentum that has brought them this far.

There are glaring holes in the squad and a lack of top-flight quality in key areas. We now have just three weeks to get our house in order, with three or four new arrivals feeling like the bare minimum before the transfer window slams shut.

We asked for your view on Falkirk's 3-1 defeat against Livingston.

Here is what some of you said:

John: Naive defending that needs sorting. Need to be more effective in front of goal. All in all, still learning in a tougher division.

Frazer: The Bairns are going to have to wise up all over the pitch if they're going to stay in this league. Disorganised at the back, weak in the middle and hesitant up front. Here's hoping for a quick improvement.

Jim: Major concerns about the recruitment strategy this summer. This Falkirk squad have gone down in history for where they've dragged the club from, but there are too many players who are not Premiership standard. Being overly loyal will see us relegated. McGlynn has to be ruthless. Major reinforcements needed.

Nathan: A brutal watch in the end and a genuine reality check. Simply put, we need to get players through the door with Ethan [Ross] now injured and only two fit centre-halves, I fully understand that John McGlynn has his ways with signings, but time is running out, and we need reinforcements. In terms of the actual game, we needed to take one of our chances in the opening minutes, and simply put, we didn't do enough to get a result.

David: I don't think they will survive in the Premiership. Too many players not up to standard, I also think McGlynn will be first to go.

Highlights of Livingston 3-1 Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership.

Livingston earned their first Scottish Premiership win of the season with a clinical display against fellow promoted side Falkirk.

Read the full match report here.

Have your say here.

Falkirk manager John McGlynn tells BBC Scotland: "Obviously we're a little bit disappointed. I thought we started the game really, really well. The goalkeepers made a couple of good saves.

"Dylan [Tait] had a header that maybe he should have scored with. I'm not sure if he was offside or not. So in the opening 18 minutes, until Livingston scored, I thought we were the better team.

"I thought we lost our way a little bit. Our passing wasn't as good. A little bit of anxiety crept in. And then [Lewis] Smith scored a worldie right on half-time, which gave us a little bit of a mountain to climb.

"We changed things at half-time, trying to get two up top. Although that kind of worked, we still looked a little bit open. So we changed back again. I think we took a grip of the game after that.

"Scottie [Bain] makes a save from the penalty, which is great from him. We get the goal back, and we get a boost from getting the goal back. We're threatening, we're getting a lot of joy down our left-hand side, we're getting balls in the box…

"Obviously, the third goal kind of kills that off. We kind of gambled a little bit and left ourselves short at the back and got punished for it. We need to learn from that.

"You're not going to do that in the Premiership and get away with it. I felt we were on the ascendancy as it was. Going up there, we could have got a goal back at 2-1 to make it two each rather than having to go and gamble like that. It wasn't something that was instructed. It was something that was taken off his own back. We ended up with a hole in our defence, which led to their third goal.

"There's going to be bumps in the road for us. We have to stick together and we have to understand that. Not many teams are going to find it easy coming here to Livingston. Fair play to them. They deserved to win. They've got the goals.

On the penalty incident: "I've not seen it, but I think by all accounts, the guys are telling me it was a penalty. No complaints. Scotty [Bain] saved it. One of these things, [Liam Henderson's] arms were a little bit outstretched, which would then mean that it's making his body bigger.

"It wasn't intentional. It's just one of these things that they do fairly naturally. However, I suppose it had to be in a natural position for them to give the penalty.

"We don't have any qualms with it.

"We're not going to crucify ourselves over one game. We understand there's going to be bumps in the road."

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Livingston pair Connor McLennan and Cristian Montano are pushing for involvement but Aidan Denholm (hamstring) and Cammy Kerr are out long term.

Sean Mackie returns to the Falkirk squad after recovering from a calf problem. Finn Yeats, Barney Stewart (both foot), Coll Donaldson (pelvis), Jamie Sneddon (hernia) and Tom Lang remain out.

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Midfielder Scott Arfield wants to delay a move into management for as long as possible as he continues to relish life on the pitch at Falkirk.

The 36-year-old started his career at the Bairns and played for Huddersfield, Burnley and Rangers among others before returning to John McGlynn's side in February and helping them to Championship title success.

Before Saturday's Premiership trip to face Livingston, the former Canada international said: "I'm on my B licence now but the move into management is getting further away if anything.

"When I was 16 I told myself I was going to play until I'm 40. That's all I've ever said and I'm 37 this year.

"Now I'm getting closer to 40, it's not so much that I'm desperate to play until I'm 40. I'm just desperate to keep having fun.

"I still love the thought of being a football player and everything that comes with it.

"I just love being on a football pitch, trying to give people moments and rewarding myself for all the hard work through the years. When that feeling dies, I'm out of here."

• This will be the first season in which Livingston and Falkirk meet in the top fight since 2005-06 – the Bairns won three of the four league meetings that term (D1).

• This is the first time two newly-promoted sides have faced each other in the Scottish Premiership since Dundee and Hearts in 2021-22. The away side has won three of the past four matches between two newly-promoted clubs in the competition (D1), including Livingston suffering a 3-1 defeat to St Mirren in April 2019.

• Livingston have failed to win their opening home game in each of their past seven Scottish top-fight seasons (D3 L4) since beating Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3-0 to open up the 2004-05 campaign.

• Falkirk and Livingston both drew 2-2 on matchday one. The last promoted team to win either of their opening two fixtures in a Scottish Premiership season were Hearts in 2021-22 (W2).

• Livingston's Scott Pittman will be aiming to score in back-to-back Premiership appearances for the first time since March 2022 (vs Dundee and Dundee United) – the 33-year-old has scored against 10 of the 13 opponents he has faced in the top fight, with the exceptions being Celtic, Rangers and Hearts.

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John McGlynn is excited for Falkirk to play on Livingston's new "proper pitch" on Saturday as he looks to finally get the better of David Martindale's side.

The Bairns failed to beat Livingston in four Championship meetings last season, losing three and drawing the other, but edged a close title race before the West Lothian side joined them in the top flight via the play-offs.

McGlynn doesn't believe there was much to separate the sides and hopes the "fine margins" swing Falkirk's way when they meet on Livi's new artificial surface.

The Bairns boss said: "They got the better of us [last season] obviously. There is no denying that.

"Every game against them had fine margins. I don't expect it to be any different this weekend.

"We need to try and get those margins on our side. There was nothing in the games at all. A wee break there and a decision there, and things could have been different.

"We can't do much worse than we did last year against them. We can only do better there than last season.

"They have a new pitch now. It is going to be a benefit to everyone, Livingston included in that, and it will be nice to play on a proper pitch.

"They are decent, they played well down at Rugby Park [2-2 draw last weekend] and if I am David Martindale at half-time, I am mystified as to how my team are two goals down."