Falkirk appoint Gary Holt as Sporting Director

Bonnyloyal

Well-Known Member
Falkirk Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Gary Holt as the Club’s new Sporting Director.

Gary joins the Bairns after spending over two years as manager of Scottish Premiership side, Livingston and will be well known to Falkirk supporters having managed the Club in 2013/14.

The 47-year old also spent 16 years as a player for clubs such as Nottingham Forest, Norwich City and Kilmarnock and amassed 10 Scotland caps along the way. Gary also brings to the club significant experience of youth development and coaching from his time at Norwich City.

Gary Holt said:
“It’s great to be back at Falkirk and I’m really excited to get started. Falkirk has always held a special place in my heart for giving me my big break in management. I feel there’s a bit of unfinished business here and I’m going to devote all my energies in getting this Club back to the Scottish Premiership. I’ve learned much in my time away from the Club and I’m ready to put that into action. The Board have set out to me a compelling vision for the return of a youth and talent development pipeline and the need to develop a five-year football strategy which ensures that all departments, from recruitment to sport science and analysis, are all working in harmony. We want to squeeze every last ounce out of the resources we have here and I am confident we can be successful.
“In Lee & David we have two excellent young coaches who have got this team to the top of the league – let’s not forget that. I’m here to be additive to what they are doing and to be another experienced voice they can turn to. Let me be clear – I’m not here to be the next Falkirk manager – I’m here to make sure we have the right environment and infrastructure to ensure that Lee & David can succeed and get this Club moving forward again.”

Commenting on the appointment, Falkirk FC Chairman Gary Deans said:
“The Club’s Board of Directors have been clear since the middle of 2020 that we needed an individual in the Sporting Director role. We have high aspirations for this Club, both on and off the park, and we’ve been looking for the right individual who can take forward our vision to reintroduce a youth and talent development pipeline, to develop our off-field infrastructure and ultimately to support our management team get this Club back to the Scottish Premiership.
“We interviewed a number of very high quality candidates who all expressed the sentiment that this was a fantastic opportunity at a club with genuine ambition and enormous potential – but Gary was our unanimous choice.
“In Gary we have a candidate who ticks all the boxes in terms of youth development experience, football knowledge, recruitment contacts and all the other attributes which are required at a modern and progressive football club. Added to that we’ve seen Gary demonstrate a real desire to drive change and push for excellence in everything he does – that made him the unanimous choice of the Board and our new investors for this role.
“Finally, Gary knows this Club, knows the expectations that are here and he’s up to the challenge. He’ll work tirelessly to support Lee Miller & David McCracken finish this season strongly, and will drive change in all parts of the Club.”

Falkirk FC co-managers Lee Miller and David McCracken said:
“We’re really looking forward to working with Gary and he is someone we both know well. The Board has been completely open with us as they’ve gone through their selection process and encouraged our involvement. We recognise that there’s much we can learn from him as young coaches but also being able to tap into his extensive network of contacts.
“This is a really exciting time for Falkirk Football Club and like everyone else we’re just eager to get back playing with our eyes firmly focused on a successful end to the season.”

As soon as is practicable Gary Holt will speak exclusively to Falkirk TV about his new role and vision for the future.
 
That's a weird one, resigning from a Premiership managerial position to taking up a lesser role (so to speak) in a lesser league.
He was on Clyde a week or so ago waxing lyrical about the Falkirk board and their pitch.
 
Strange step to take.

I’m sure he could have got another managerial job at a bottom 6 Premiership team if he held out for a bit longer.
 
Surprised at that, a mate of mine knows him (to an extent). He was adamant he was going to England to be involved with Shrewsbury in some capacity.
 
Funny to think that Gary Holt is now doing a job at Falkirk similar to the one that Ross Wilson used to do for them.
 
Hopefully room for a bus in their Board Room!

Very strange, he probably knows people are on to him in regards to him not really being in charge at Livingstone, so doesn’t want to chance waiting on another managerial job.

Also, I’d have thought Falkirk be running a tight ship at the minute because of league they’re in and games being stopped for a few weeks.
 
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Gary Holt might not look like the sharpest of knives in the drawer but hes somewhat clever.

Followed a dud at Falkirk (Elvis)
Followed a dud at Livingston (Kenny Miller)
Followed duds at Falkirk (Lee Miller & David McCracken)

In each case he couldnt really fail to be better than the previous post holder.
 
Gary Holt might not look like the sharpest of knives in the drawer but hes somewhat clever.

Followed a dud at Falkirk (Elvis)
Followed a dud at Livingston (Kenny Miller)
Followed duds at Falkirk (Lee Miller & David McCracken)

In each case he couldnt really fail to be better than the previous post holder.
Harsh on Miller. He realised what the script was at Livingston and left, as he has some self respect. They weren’t doing that badly either.

Holt is a desperado who was willing to kid on he was manager whilst Martindale was really running the show and doing all the work.

Holt seems like a really sleekit pr*ck to me.
 
Thought everyone was too skint to do COVID testing and had to get bailout from Jambo fan. Waste of money.
 
He was actually using army drills at Livi and stated it himself in his Sun or Record columon (cant remember what rag) ... Imagine it, throwing away every modern training aspect such as Cruyffs Total Football or the Tik a Taka etc, to basically Andy McNab the shit out of your players.

Hiding in hills SAS style in case a guerilla attack of defenders come into your box.
Waterboarding players after dodgy results, sending them to Ayr Bay rather than Guantanamo Bay: that'll mess their heads up.
 
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