Falkirk Manager, Steven Pressley, knows well what to expect in the IRN-BRU SFL First Division Championship this season as he has already experienced the demands of trying to gain promotion in a tightly fought race when he was a player.
Pressley was with Dundee United when there was a grand battle between the Tannadice side, Dunfermline Athletic and Morton in season 1995/96 which ended with The Pars being crowned Champions and United also being promoted after a pulsating Play-Off battle with Partick Thistle.
The Bairns boss said, “I played in the First Division and I would imagine it is as competitive now as it was then. There are some big clubs in this division, who will want to return to the top flight, which means that this season is going to be extremely competitive. It was a three way fight back then and there will be that number of teams at least that fancy their chances of winning it this season.”
The first leg in the Play-Off 14 years ago had finished one apiece at Firhill, and the second meeting at Tannadice back in May, 1996, which saw Dundee United overturn a one goal deficit to win 2-1 in extra-time, remains fixed firmly in Pressley’s memories.
He explained, “I have been fortunate to play in a lot of high profile games in my career and the Partick game is up there as one of the most intense. The future of the club was dependant on going back to the Premier Division and there was a lot of pressure over those two games.”
“Funnily enough, Owen Coyle was a team-mate in that game and we played against his Bolton team on Saturday and he has been around our training base at Stirling University at the beginning of the week as well.”
Pressley was appointed to his post six months ago and he is relishing it saying, “This is my first pre-season and I am thoroughly enjoying it and the pre-planning that went in beforehand has proven to be worthwhile. The planning was a bit late as our SPL status was undecided until the last game of the season but it has worked out well.”
“We forward planned as much as we could as I believe that planning is one of the most important parts of achieving success.”
The 36-year-old added, “We have had a successful programme and getting away to the training base for six nights down at Manchester was great. We played twice down there and have played Carlisle and Bolton at home since we came back up and have remained undefeated in those games against good opposition.”
Falkirk will have some new faces this season with five new signings secured with Pressley saying, “I am delighted with how we have moved forward and the players we have brought in.”
The new Bairns this season are former Celtic duo Jason Marr and Mark Millar, well known Dr Goals – Kenny Deuchar, Kallum Higginbotham who has joined from English football, and French defender Mehdi Khalis.
Pressley talked about his new charges saying, “I was delighted to get Jason Marr signed up quickly. I was very aware of him for a long, long time, going back to when I was at Celtic.
“He is a player I have always admired and I mentioned him to Eddie May back during the January transfer window. However, for a number of reasons, a move never happened.”
“I recommended Mark Millar even longer ago when I came to play with Falkirk under John Hughes. I am surprised he never got a chance of first team football at Celtic. I always had an eye out for him so again I am delighted to have him here.”
The next new player hardly needs an introduction, after a 12 year career which started at Falkirk’s old home of Brockville and several mentions from Jeff Stelling of Sky Sports during their Soccer Saturday programme. Goalgrabber Kenny Deuchar has rejoined the club where it began for him and he is out to make his mark.
Pressley explained, “Kenny has a proven record of scoring goals and he has the right type of pedigree to have at this club. We were fortunate that his commitments as a Doctor were changing and we could bring him here. He had a very successful season in the SPL last year and I know St. Johnstone wanted to retain his services and there were other clubs after him as well.”
“His commitment to his medical career created a situation that we could accommodate and having started his career here and, also as a Falkirk supporter, he feels that there is some unfinished business after not featuring as much as he could have when he was younger.”
The signing of Kallum Higginbotham came about through Pressley’s detailed approach to things as he went to look at another player and was impressed by the 21-year-old.
“I spied on Rochdale a lot last season as we had been looking at a striker and several other of their players,” said Pressley before adding, “I looked to bring the striker on board however, that was dependant on SPL status. We then pursued Kallum as he had caught my eye and the eye of our Chief Scout.”
“He would have been the automatic replacement for the striker we were looking at down at Rochdale so he is ready for the challenges ahead. There is huge potential in the kid and the type of player that suits the way I want us to play.”
Pressley’s approach has seen the positions on the pitch broken down into detailed responsibilities and he matches those against a player’s qualities and Higginbotham ticked all the boxes.
Pressley explained his process by saying, “Players have to fit into the style of play that we have identified and we have a clear profile of what is involved in each position. We were fortunate we had seen Kallum play and could match what we had seen to what we require someone in his position to do.”
“I would never bring a player to this club that I had never seen play in a game and it all fell into place neatly for Kallum. He will excite our supporters and will get people off their seats. There is a bit of work to be done but I am sure he will do well.”
At six foot five, it is correct to say that defender Mehdi Khalis is the tallest of the summer signings with his Manager saying, “We were left a little bit short defensively having only Thomas Scobie and Brian McLean at the club, so we needed another central defender.
“I watched a few last season and our scouting was based on bringing in a player for the SPL, so we had a bit of a challenge at the end of the season. Mehdi was recommended to me along with two other players by a contact in France and it has turned out well.”
“I have watched Mehdi in training and bounce games and think we have discovered a gem. He is a bit raw and needs to work on certain aspects of his game but in saying that, if he was the finished article, he would not be here. He is quick, mobile and as you would expect, dominant in the air.”
The largest crowd in the IRN-BRU SFL Championship this weekend will undoubtedly be at The Falkirk Stadium to see Pressley’s new signings in action against promotion rivals Dunfermline Athletic. The game is all ticket and it has the Falkirk Manager excited.
He said, “It is a great opening fixture, there will be a terrific atmosphere and if you get a positive result against one of your biggest rivals, it will add to the really positive spirit that is here already.”
Pressley knew he would have no problems with the motivation of his players this season from day one, despite last season’s final day heartache.
He said, “The disappointment at relegation has been absolutely dismissed. We talked to the players at the start of pre-season about our aims and our psychology.
“To be fair to them, they had already shown to me they were ready for the challenges ahead as they came back from their holidays in great condition. That suggested to me we have players here with the right mentality.”
Pressley finished by saying, “We are aware of the challenge that lies ahead but we have good players at this club and know what we need to do to win this division.”
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