Falkirk Football Club can confirm that our appeal against the severity of the sanction imposed by The Scottish FA following our Scottish Cup Tie with Stenhousemuir has been rejected.
In April, the club announced that following several pyrotechnic devices being used at the Stenhousemuir Scottish Gas Scottish Cup game, we had been fined £500 and given a suspended penalty whereby 25% of our stadium could be closed for a future cup match if there was a repeat before the end of the 2027/28 season.
This could see the North or Kevin McAllister Stands closed completely, or up to 50% of the Main Stand, resulting in significant financial damage for the club and the visiting team. With this in mind, we appealed the severity of the 25% reduction in capacity, and asked for the SFA’s advice on what they believe the club could reasonably have done differently to prevent the devices being used, which we are still waiting for.
Falkirk FC remains committed to working proactively with other clubs, security partners and the footballing authorities to prevent similar incidents in future. We will continue to engage with supporters’ groups and relevant authorities to ensure a safe and enjoyable matchday experience for all.
Despite our view remaining that the sanction was disproportionate and having received no clear explanation of what the club could have done differently to prevent the incident, it is clear that the football authorities are taking a stringent line on incidents like this. We therefore ask again that all supporters refrain from using pyrotechnic devices at any games to avoid further sanctions that could harm the club, as well as the obvious risk to the safety of other supporters.
We appreciate the continued backing from supporters, who have been incredible all season, and ask for their cooperation in safeguarding the club from further harm.
