This is a list of Falkirk Football Club seasons from 1878–79 to the present day. The list details Falkirk's record in major league and cup competitions, and the club's top league goal scorer of each season where available. Top scorers in bold were also the top scorers in Falkirk's division that season. Records of minor competitions such as the Stirlingshire Cup are not included.
The club has been runner-up of the Scottish Football League twice and won the second tier of Scottish football on seven occasions. The club has reached the final of the Scottish Cup five times, winning two, as well as winning the Scottish Challenge Cup a record four times. Falkirk has competed in a European club competition once; in 2009–10, Falkirk qualified for the inaugural season of the Europa League as runners-up of the 2008–09 Scottish Cup. Falkirk lost to FC Vaduz of Liechtenstein in the second qualifying round 2–1 on aggregate after extra time.
Season | League | Scottish Cup | League Cup | Challenge Cup | Europe | Top league goalscorer | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Name | Goals | ||||||||||||||||
1878–79 | R2 | < | -- League Cup did not start until 1946-47 --> | < | -- Challenge Cup did not start until 1990-91 --> | < | -- European club competitions did not start until 1955-56 --> | |||||||||||
1879–80 | R2 | |||||||||||||||||
1880–81 | R3 | |||||||||||||||||
1881–82 | R5 | |||||||||||||||||
1882–83 | R3 | |||||||||||||||||
1883–84 | R3 | |||||||||||||||||
1884–85 | R3 | |||||||||||||||||
1885–86 | R2 | |||||||||||||||||
1886–87 | R3 | |||||||||||||||||
1887–88 | R3 | |||||||||||||||||
1888–89 | R4 | |||||||||||||||||
1889–90 | R3 | |||||||||||||||||
1890–91 | R2 | |||||||||||||||||
Falkirk did not compete in any major national tournaments between 1891 and 1896 | ||||||||||||||||||
1896–97 | R2 | < | -- League Cup did not start until 1946-47 --> | < | -- Challenge Cup did not start until 1990-91 --> | < | -- European club competitions did not start until 1955-56 --> | |||||||||||
1897–98 | – | |||||||||||||||||
1898–99 | – | |||||||||||||||||
1899–1900 | R1 | |||||||||||||||||
1900–01 | – | |||||||||||||||||
1901–02 | QF | |||||||||||||||||
1902–03 | SSD | 7th[1] | – | |||||||||||||||
1903–04 | SSD | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 50 | 34 | 26 | 4th[2] | – | ||||||||
1904–05 | bgcolor=ccffcc align="center" | SSD | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 32 | 25 | 28 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd[3] | – | ||||||
1905–06 | SFD | 30 | 9 | 5 | 16 | 52 | 68 | 23 | 13th[4] | R1 | ||||||||
1906–07 | SFD | 34 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 73 | 58 | 41 | 5th[5] | R1 | ||||||||
1907–08 | SFD | 34 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 103 | 42 | 51 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd[6] | R1 | Jock Simpson | 33[7] | |||||
1908–09 | SFD | 34 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 58 | 56 | 33 | 9th[8] | SF | ||||||||
1909–10 | SFD | 34 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 71 | 28 | 52 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd[9] | R2 | Jock Simpson | 24 | |||||
1910–11 | SFD | 34 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 65 | 42 | 44 | 3rd[10] | R2 | ||||||||
1911–12 | SFD | 34 | 15 | 6 | 13 | 46 | 43 | 36 | 7th[11] | R2 | ||||||||
1912–13 | SFD | 34 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 56 | 38 | 40 | 5th[12] | bgcolor=gold align="center" | Winners | |||||||
1913–14 | SFD | 34 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 69 | 51 | 49 | 5th[13] | R1 | ||||||||
1914–15 | SFD | 38 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 48 | 48 | 39 | 6th[14] | – | ||||||||
1915–16 | SFD | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 45 | 61 | 33 | 12th[15] | – | ||||||||
1916–17 | SFD | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 58 | 57 | 34 | 12th[16] | – | ||||||||
1917–18 | SFD | 34 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 38 | 58 | 27 | 13th[17] | – | ||||||||
1918–19 | SFD | 34 | 6 | 8 | 20 | 46 | 73 | 20 | 16th[18] | – | ||||||||
1919–20 | SFD | 42 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 45 | 74 | 31 | 20th[19] | R2 | ||||||||
1920–21 | SFD | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 54 | 72 | 34 | 18th[20] | R1 | ||||||||
1921–22 | SFD | 42 | 16 | 17 | 9 | 48 | 38 | 49 | 5th[21] | R2 | ||||||||
1922–23 | SFD | 4th[22] | R3 | |||||||||||||||
1923–24 | SFD | 38 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 46 | 53 | 32 | 15th[23] | SF | ||||||||
1924–25 | SFD | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 44 | 54 | 32 | 16th[24] | R3 | ||||||||
1925–26 | SFD | 38 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 61 | 57 | 42 | 8th[25] | R3 | ||||||||
1926–27 | SFD | 38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 77 | 60 | 42 | 6th[26] | SF | ||||||||
1927–28 | SFD | 38 | 16 | 5 | 17 | 76 | 69 | 37 | 10th[27] | R3 | ||||||||
1928–29 | SFD | 38 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 68 | 86 | 36 | 11th[28] | R3 | Evelyn Morrison | 43 | ||||||
1929–30 | SFD | 38 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 62 | 64 | 41 | 7th[29] | QF | ||||||||
1930–31 | SFD | 38 | 14 | 4 | 20 | 77 | 87 | 32 | 14th[30] | R3 | ||||||||
1931–32 | SFD | 38 | 11 | 5 | 22 | 70 | 76 | 27 | 18th[31] | R1 | ||||||||
1932–33 | SFD | 38 | 15 | 6 | 17 | 70 | 70 | 36 | 11th[32] | R2 | ||||||||
1933–34 | SFD | 38 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 73 | 68 | 38 | 10th[33] | R3 | ||||||||
1934–35 | bgcolor=ffcccc align="center" | SFD | 38 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 58 | 82 | 24 | 20th[34] | R1 | |||||||
1935–36 | bgcolor=ccffcc align="center" | SSD | 34 | 28 | 3 | 3 | 132 | 34 | 59 | bgcolor=gold align="center" | 1st[35] | SF | ||||||
1936–37 | SFD | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 98 | 66 | 44 | 7th[36] | R2 | ||||||||
1937–38 | SFD | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 82 | 52 | 47 | 4th[37] | QF | ||||||||
1938–39 | SFD | 38 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 73 | 63 | 45 | 5th[38] | R3 | ||||||||
No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1946 due to World War II | ||||||||||||||||||
1946–47 | SFD | 11th[39] | R3 | R1 | < | -- Challenge Cup did not start until 1990-91 --> | < | -- European club competitions did not start until 1955-56 and Falkirk did not qualify until 2009-10 --> | John Wardlaw | 9[40] | ||||||||
1947–48 | SFD | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 55 | 48 | 30 | 7th[41] | R2 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | Runners-up | Archie Aikman | 20[42] | ||||
1948–49 | SFD | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 70 | 54 | 32 | 5th[43] | R1 | R1 | Archie Aikman | 21[44] | |||||
1949–50 | SFD | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 48 | 72 | 24 | 14th[45] | R2 | R1 | Jimmy Inglis | 12[46] | |||||
1950–51 | bgcolor=ffcccc align="center" | SFD | 30 | 7 | 4 | 19 | 35 | 81 | 18 | 16th[47] | R1 | R1 | Angus Plumb | 8[48] | ||||
1951–52 | bgcolor=ccffcc align="center" | SSD | 30 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 80 | 34 | 43 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd[49] | QF | QF | Angus Plumb | 25[50] | |||
1952–53 | SFD | 30 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 53 | 63 | 26 | 13th[51] | R3 | R1 | Jimmy Delaney | 13[52] | |||||
1953–54 | SFD | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 47 | 61 | 25 | 13th[53] | R2 | R1 | Alex McCrae Angus Plumb | 11[54] | |||||
1954–55 | SFD | 30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 42 | 54 | 24 | 12th[55] | QF | R1 | John Davidson | 12[56] | |||||
1955–56 | SFD | 34 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 58 | 75 | 28 | 14th[57] | R5 | R1 | Alex McCrae | 11[58] | |||||
1956–57 | SFD | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 51 | 70 | 28 | 14th[59] | bgcolor=gold align="center" | Winners | R1 | George Merchant | 14[60] | ||||
1957–58 | SFD | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 64 | 82 | 31 | 10th[61] | QF | R1 | John McCole | 14[62] | |||||
1958–59 | bgcolor=ffcccc align="center" | SFD | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 58 | 79 | 27 | 17th[63] | R2 | R1 | Doug Moran | 16[64] | ||||
1959–60 | SSD | 36 | 15 | 9 | 12 | 77 | 43 | 39 | 8th[65] | R2 | QF | Doug Moran | 17[66] | |||||
1960–61 | bgcolor=ccffcc align="center" | SSD | 36 | 24 | 6 | 6 | 100 | 40 | 54 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd[67] | R1 | R1 | Doug Moran | 30[68] | |||
1961–62 | SFD | 34 | 11 | 4 | 19 | 45 | 68 | 26 | 14th[69] | R1 | R1 | Alex Duchart | 9[70] | |||||
1962–63 | SFD | 34 | 12 | 3 | 19 | 54 | 69 | 27 | 13th[71] | R1 | R1 | Hugh Maxwell | 12[72] | |||||
1963–64 | SFD | 34 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 54 | 84 | 28 | 14th[73] | QF | R1 | Hugh Maxwell | 17[74] | |||||
1964–65 | SFD | 34 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 43 | 85 | 21 | 16th[75] | R1 | R1 | Hugh Maxwell Sammy Wilson | 7[76] | |||||
1965–66 | SFD | 34 | 15 | 1 | 18 | 48 | 72 | 31 | 10th[77] | R1 | R1 | Johnny Graham | 17[78] | |||||
1966–67 | SFD | 14th[79] | R2 | R1 | Johnny Graham | 12[80] | ||||||||||||
1967–68 | SFD | 34 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 36 | 50 | 26 | 15th[81] | R1 | R1 | Johnny Graham | 13[82] | |||||
1968–69 | bgcolor=ffcccc align="center" | SFD | 34 | 5 | 8 | 21 | 33 | 69 | 18 | 17th[83] | R1 | R1 | Johnny Graham | 7[84] | ||||
1969–70 | bgcolor=ccffcc align="center" | SSD | 36 | 25 | 6 | 5 | 94 | 34 | 56 | bgcolor=gold align="center" | 1st[85] | QF | QF | Tom Young | 19[86] | |||
1970–71 | SFD | 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 46 | 53 | 35 | 7th[87] | R3 | QF | Alex Ferguson | 14[88] | |||||
1971–72 | SFD | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 44 | 60 | 27 | 14th[89] | R3 | SF | Alex Ferguson | 9[90] | |||||
1972–73 | SFD | 34 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 38 | 56 | 26 | 14th[91] | R4 | R2 | Jim Scott | 7[92] | |||||
1973–74 | bgcolor=ffcccc align="center" | SFD | 34 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 33 | 58 | 22 | 18th[93] | R3 | R1 | Kirkie Lawson | 8[94] | ||||
1974–75 | bgcolor=ccffcc align="center" | SSD | 38 | 26 | 2 | 10 | 76 | 29 | 54 | bgcolor=gold align="center" | 1st[95] | R4 | SF | John Whiteford | 24[96] | |||
1975–76 | SFL 1 | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 38 | 35 | 25 | 8th[97] | R4 | R1 | John Whiteford | 17[98] | |||||
1976–77 | bgcolor=ffcccc align="center" | SFL 1 | 39 | 6 | 8 | 25 | 36 | 85 | 20 | 14th[99] | R3 | QF | Donald Ford | 5[100] | ||||
1977–78 | SFL 2 | 39 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 51 | 46 | 44 | 5th[101] | R1 | R2 | Ally McRoberts | 13[102] | |||||
1978–79 | SFL 2 | 39 | 19 | 12 | 8 | 66 | 37 | 50 | 3rd[103] | R3 | R3 | Ally McRoberts | 12[104] | |||||
1979–80 | bgcolor=ccffcc align="center" | SFL 2 | 39 | 19 | 12 | 8 | 65 | 35 | 50 | bgcolor=gold align="center" | 1st[105] | R1 | R2 | Paul Leetion | 13[106] | |||
1980–81 | SFL 1 | 39 | 13 | 8 | 18 | 39 | 52 | 34 | 9th[107] | R4 | R1 | Brian Brown Colin Spence | 5[108] | |||||
1981–82 | SFL 1 | 39 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 49 | 52 | 36 | 9th[109] | R3 | R1 | Willie Herd | 10[110] | |||||
1982–83 | SFL 1 | 39 | 15 | 6 | 18 | 45 | 55 | 36 | 8th[111] | R3 | R1 | Peter Houston | 8[112] | |||||
1983–84 | SFL 1 | 39 | 16 | 6 | 17 | 46 | 54 | 38 | 7th[113] | R3 | PR | Kevin McAllister | 11[114] | |||||
1984–85 | SFL 1 | 39 | 19 | 7 | 13 | 65 | 54 | 45 | 3rd[115] | R4 | R2 | Gerry McCoy | 23[116] | |||||
1985–86 | bgcolor=ccffcc align="center" | SFL 1 | 39 | 17 | 11 | 11 | 57 | 39 | 45 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd[117] | R4 | R2 | Jimmy Gilmour | 15[118] | |||
1986–87 | SPD | 10th[119] | R3 | R2 | Ken Eadie | 6 | ||||||||||||
1987–88 | bgcolor=ffcccc align="center" | SPD | 44 | 10 | 11 | 23 | 41 | 75 | 31 | 10th[120] | R3 | R2 | Crawford Baptie | 9 | ||||
1988–89 | SFL 1 | 39 | 22 | 8 | 9 | 71 | 37 | 52 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd[121] | R3 | R3 | Alex Rae | 12 | ||||
1989–90 | SFL 1 | 39 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 74 | 64 | 22 | 4th[122] | R3 | R3 | Derek McWilliams | 17 | |||||
1990–91 | bgcolor=ccffcc align="center" | SFL 1 | 39 | 21 | 12 | 6 | 70 | 35 | 54 | bgcolor=gold align="center" | 1st[123] | R4 | R2 | R1 | Simon Stainrod | 17[124] | ||
1991–92 | SPD | 44 | 12 | 11 | 21 | 54 | 73 | 35 | 9th[125] | QF | R3 | < | -- Ineligible to compete in the Challenge Cup due to competing in the Premier Division between 1991-93 --> | Eddie May Kevin McAllister | 9 | |||
1992–93 | bgcolor=ffcccc align="center" | SPD | 44 | 11 | 7 | 26 | 60 | 86 | 29 | 11th[126] | QF | QF | Richard Cadette | 8 | ||||
1993–94 | bgcolor=ccffcc align="center" | SFL 1 | 44 | 26 | 14 | 4 | 81 | 32 | 66 | bgcolor=gold align="center" | 1st[127] | R3 | QF | bgcolor=gold align="center" | Winners | Richard Cadette | 18 | |
1994–95 | SPD | 36 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 48 | 47 | 48 | 5th[128] | R3 | QF | < | -- Ineligible to compete in the Challenge Cup due to competing in the Premier Division between 1994-96 --> | Colin McDonald | 9 | |||
1995–96 | bgcolor=ffcccc align="center" | SPD | 36 | 6 | 6 | 24 | 31 | 60 | 24 | 10th[129] | R3 | R3 | Paul McGrillen | 6 | ||||
1996–97 | SFL 1 | 36 | 15 | 9 | 12 | 42 | 39 | 54 | 5th[130] | bgcolor=silver align="center" | Runners-up | R2 | R2 | Mark McGraw | 8[131] | |||
1997–98 | SFL 1 | 36 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 56 | 41 | 65 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd[132] | SF | R3 | bgcolor=gold align="center" | Winners | David Moss | 12 | ||
1998–99 | SFL 1 | 36 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 60 | 38 | 66 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd[133] | QF | R3 | Marino Keith | 17[134] | ||||
1999–2000 | SFL 1 | 36 | 20 | 8 | 8 | 67 | 40 | 68 | 3rd[135] | QF | R3 | R1 | Scott Crabbe | 14[136] | ||||
2000–01 | SFL 1 | 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 57 | 59 | 56 | 3rd[137] | R3 | R3 | R1 | Gareth Hutchison | 11[138] | ||||
2001–02 | SFL 1 | 36 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 49 | 73 | 39 | 9th[139] | R3 | R2 | R2 | Lee Miller | 11[140] | ||||
2002–03 | SFL 1 | 36 | 25 | 6 | 5 | 80 | 32 | 81 | bgcolor=gold align="center" | 1st[141] | QF | R3 | QF | Owen Coyle | 20 | |||
2003–04 | SFL 1 | 36 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 43 | 37 | 55 | 4th[142] | R4 | R3 | R1 | Jason Lee | 8 | ||||
2004–05 | bgcolor=ccffcc align="center" | SFL 1 | 36 | 22 | 9 | 5 | 66 | 30 | 75 | bgcolor=gold align="center" | 1st[143] | R3 | R3 | bgcolor=gold align="center" | Winners | Darryl Duffy | 17 | |
2005–06 | SPL | 38 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 35 | 64 | 33 | 10th[144] | QF | R3 | < | -- Ineligible to compete in the Challenge Cup due to competing in the Premier League between 2005-10 --> | Darryl Duffy | 9 | |||
2006–07 | SPL | 7th[145] | R4 | SF | Anthony Stokes | 14 | ||||||||||||
2007–08 | SPL | 38 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 45 | 49 | 49 | 7th[146] | R4 | R3 | Pedro Moutinho Michael Higdon | 8 | |||||
2008–09 | SPL | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 37 | 52 | 38 | 10th[147] | bgcolor=silver align="center" | Runners-up | SF | Steve Lovell | 8 | ||||
2009–10 | bgcolor=ffcccc align="center" | SPL | 38 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 31 | 57 | 31 | 12th[148] | R4 | R3 | Europa League, QR2 | Pedro Moutinho | 6 | |||
2010–11 | SFL 1 | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 57 | 41 | 58 | 3rd[149] | R4 | QF | R1 | Mark Stewart | 15 | ||||
2011–12 | SFL 1 | 36 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 53 | 48 | 52 | 3rd[150] | R5 | SF | bgcolor=gold align="center" | Winners | Farid El Alagui | 18[151] | |||
2012–13 | SFL 1 | 36 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 52 | 48 | 53 | 3rd[152] | SF | R2 | R2 | Lyle Taylor | 24 | ||||
2013–14 | SC | 36 | 19 | 9 | 13 | 59 | 33 | 66 | 3rd | R4 | R3 | QF | Rory Loy | 20 | ||||
2014–15 | SC | 36 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 48 | 48 | 53 | 5th | bgcolor=silver align="center" | Runners-up | R3 | QF | 9 | ||||
2015–16 | SC | 36 | 19 | 13 | 4 | 61 | 34 | 70 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd | R4 | R3 | R2 | John Baird | 17 | |||
2016–17 | SC | 36 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 58 | 40 | 60 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd | R4 | GS | R4 | Craig Sibbald | 10 | |||
2017–18 | SC | 36 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 45 | 49 | 47 | 8th | QF | R2 | QF | Louis Longridge | 7 | ||||
2018–19 | bgcolor=ffcccc align="center" | SC | 36 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 37 | 49 | 38 | 10th | R3 | GS | R2 | Zak Rudden | 12 | |||
2019–20 | League One | 28 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 54 | 18 | 52 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd | R5 | GS | R3 | Declan McManus | 19 | |||
2020–21 | League One | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 29 | 26 | 32 | 5th | R3 | R2 | Callumn Morrison | 7 | |||||
2021–22 | League One | 36 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 49 | 55 | 44 | 6th | R3 | GS | R2 | Anton Dowds | 8 | ||||
2022–23 | League One | 36 | 19 | 10 | 7 | 70 | 39 | 67 | bgcolor=silver align="center" | 2nd | SF | R2 | R4 | Callumn Morrison | 12 | |||
Champions | Runners-up | Promoted | Relegated |