John McGlynn announced as new Falkirk manager
McGlynn left Raith Rovers after four years on Tuesday
Last updated 4th May 2022
Falkirk have announced John McGlynn as their new manager, one month after Martin Rennie stepped down.
He's joined by long-time assistant Paul Smith.
Kenny Miller was in charge for the few games of the season, with the team finishing in 6th place in League One.
The Bairns are desperate to return to the Championship and have chosen the experienced McGlynn, hoping he can replicated the job he did at Starks Park, after pitching him a five year plan for the club.
A Falkirk statement read:
"Falkirk Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of John McGlynn as First Team Manager.
"The 60-year-old joins on a two-year deal that will see him manage Falkirk until the end of the 2023/24 season.
"The Club would like to thank Raith Rovers for their assistance in allowing John to take immediate charge of The Bairns to prepare for the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign."
McGlynn, who had a six-year spell as Rovers boss between 2006 and 2012, returned to Kirkcaldy in September 2018 and led the club to the League One title in 2020 as well as the Challenge Cup last month.
However, Rovers missed out on a place in the play-offs this term in the wake of a controversial January move to sign David Goodwillie, who was found guilty of rape in a civil case in 2017. McGlynn subsequently apologised for his part in the transfer and admitted it was an "enormous mistake".
John McGlynn said on joining Falkirk Football Club:
“I’m delighted to be here. It’s been out in the public domain for a little while so it’s not exactly breaking news, but we’re delighted to be at Falkirk.
"We appreciate the task in hand, as it’s a big job and a big football club, but we’re excited at the prospect of trying to get it back where we think it should belong.”
Paul Smith added:
“I had a short spell as a player here 30 years ago, so I know how big a football club this is. It’s up to John and myself to push on and try to get the team back up there.”