Falkirk F.C.
Scottish football team.
Falkirk Football Club are a professional football club who play their domestic football in Scottish League One, the third tier of Scottish football. The club has the nickname "The Bairns," which is a Scots word meaning children or youngsters. Falkirk are based in the town of Falkirk in central Scotland. Falkirk famously play in navy blue shirts. They play home games at The Falkirk Stadium, which has been their home since 2004 and has a capacity of 7,937.
Falkirk were founded in 1876, making them one of the oldest football clubs in Scotland. They joined the Scottish Football League in 1902. Since their inception, they have won the Scottish Cup twice, in 1913 and 1957, and have been runners-up in the Scottish league's top division on two occasions. The club's first major silverware came in 1913 when they won the Scottish Cup, defeating Raith Rovers 2-0 in the final.
In European competitions, Falkirk have had limited participation, with their most notable achievement being reaching the first round proper of the UEFA Cup in 2009-10, where they were eliminated by FC Vaduz of Liechtenstein.
The most famous period in the club's history was arguably in the mid-1950s when they won their second Scottish Cup in 1957 and finished runners-up in the league in 1908 and 1910. The 1957 Scottish Cup victory, where they defeated Kilmarnock 2-1 in a replay, remains a highlight in the club's history.
Falkirk have had several spells in the top flight of Scottish football, with their most recent being from 2005 to 2010. During this period, they established themselves as a competitive force, reaching the Scottish Cup final in 2009, where they narrowly lost to Rangers.
The club has a reputation for developing young talent, with their academy producing several players who have gone on to have successful careers in Scotland and beyond. Notable academy graduates include Scott Arfield and Stephen Kingsley.
Falkirk's biggest rivals are Dunfermline Athletic, with whom they contest the Kincardine derby. They also have local rivalries with Stenhousemuir and East Stirlingshire, although these fixtures are less common due to the clubs being in different divisions.
In recent years, Falkirk have faced challenges, including relegation from the Scottish Championship in 2019.