As Falkirk plan to scrap their academy we look at past players and where they ended up.
After eight seasons in the Championship, the Bairns have made the decision to stop funding the Forth Valley Football Academy in order to focus their resources on achieving promotion back to the top flight.
Scott Arfield
The Scottish-born Canadian came through the Falkirk Academy making his first team debut in Falkirk’s 4–0 win win over Gretna in August 2007.
The left-midfielder had a brief spell with Huddersfield Town before finding his feet in 2013 with Lancashire club Burnley where he currently plays.
Darren Barr
Barr spent seven seasons in the Falkirk set-up, the defender now plays for Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton where he is also development squad manager.
He has also featured for for Heart of Midlothian, Forfar Athletic, Kilmarnock and Ross County.
Representing Scotland on one occasion, Barr earned his first cap in a scoreless friendly against Northern Ireland at Hampden Park in 2008. He became the first Falkirk player to play for the national side since John White in 1959.
Stephen Kingsley
Aged 16, Kingsley featured as part of a winning Falkirk team against Partick Thistle coming up from the development squad in 2011. From then he has represented Swansea, Yeovil, Crewe and Hull City. Signing for The Tigers in August, he has made five apperances this season.
Kingsley made his Scotland debut as a substitute in a 3–0 defeat against France in June 2016.
Jay Fulton
Son of Falkrik U20’s Assistant Coach Steve Fulton – Jay Fulton plays his trade at Swansea. Fulton has scored 10 goals in his playng career, nine of them in Falkirk colours.
Botti Biabi
Due to parentage and his birthplace, Biabi had a three-way decision to represent Ivory Coast, England and Scotland.
He elected to represent the country of his upbringing and earned his Scotland U19 call up in 2014.
The centre-forward plays for Hamilton Academical whilst on loan from Swansea City.
Connor McGrandles
Born and raised in Falkirk, Connor moved up the Youth Academy quite quickly. Five days after his 17th birthday he was called up for his first team debut. Scoring seven goals in 66 appearances he moved southward to Norwich City in 2014. However McGrandles was back in Falkirk colours after being loaned out by the East Anglian club.
In May he signed a two-year deal with Milton Keynes Dons.
Martyn Corrigan
Retiring from football in 2016, Corrigan’s illustrious career saw spells across Scotland with Falkirk, Motherwell, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Ross County, Partick Thistle, Stirling Albion and then manager at Stenhousemuir.
One of Corrigan’s defining achievements was winning the Finish Cup with Jokerit in 1999.
