Falkirk Football in the Community

Meet the Staff

Tom Elliott

Head of Community

Ian Dibdin

Head of Girls Football

Richard Fox

Senior Community Coach

William Hoggan

Community Coach

Community Coaches Profiles

TOM ELLIOTT - HEAD OF COMMUNITY COACHING

Firstly, let me introduce myself my name is Tom Elliott and i have been working for Falkirk FC for the past 6 years as Head of Community Coaching.

My initial remit was to introduce football to the local children through football centre, retain their interest in the game and provide a structured pathway so that everyone found their level and enjoyed coming along each week.

Since 2002 there has been a significant increase in the amount of boys and girls who now play organised football and that has been mainly down to the excellent coaches / students and club helpers that we have recruited over the last few years and the excellent backing we receive from the football club.

We now have over 3000 boys and girls involved in the community programme every week and it continues to grow. In 2007 we won the SFA Community club of the year and Forth Valley Falkirk Herald best business in the community winners, and are the only professional club in Scotland to receive the SFA "clubmark " Award in recognition of the work we do with our community football teams.

IAN DIBDIN - HEAD OF GIRLS FOOTBALL

The Falkirk FC Girls Football programme is run by Ian Dibdin. Dibs has a long association with Falkirk FC and was instrumental in the start of the Girls programme, with the F Leagues.

Within the game Ian played abroad and spent many years in the junior ranks, eventually moving to the coaching side where he had successful spells with Tulliallan Thistle and Steelend Vics. Moving into the senior ranks with Stenhousemuir FC youth initiative before finally moving to Falkirk FC.

Dibs became head coach of Falkirk Ladies FC and during his 3 year spell, achieved promotion and the 2nd Division title and establishing the team into the 1st Division, more recently he was Head Coach at Stenhousemuir FC Ladies during his 2 seasons won promotion from Division 3 as runners up and last season 08-09 finished runners up in Division 2. Other achievements include runners up in the National 5’s, Umbrokits runners up 08 and Umbrokits Plate winners 09.

RICHARD FOX - SENIOR COMMUNITY COACH

I started my playing career at Stenhousemuir where I signed as a full time professional at 17 staying with the club for 3 years. Following that, I signed for Montrose for a short term before moving to Oakley United where I played for 3 years, before leaving and going to Sauchie Juniors and then to Falkirk Amateurs with whom I have just recently finished my playing career with.

I have been involved in coaching for the last 10 years working with Scottish Football Association, Falkirk Council, Stenhousemuir Football Club and for the last 4 years have been the Senior Community Coach at Falkirk FC where the job is very challenging and involves working with a wide range of players with lots of different abilities.

Currently I hold an SFA Children's licence and have my level 4 Youth Award, I am also working my way through the SFA Youth Licence.

WILLIAM HOGGAN - COMMUNITY COACH

I played pro-youth level at under 13,14,15's with Stirling Albion then moved on to boys club, amateur and then finally junior football.

I also attended Falkirk college for two years studying sports coaching and development in sport getting my HNC and also working part time at Falkirk Football Club and Falkirk Council as a football coach. After working at Falkirk Football Club for 3 years I was lucky enough to start full-time as a community coach and pre- school officer.

My work at Falkirk FC involves:

going around all the nurseries in the area delivering football sessions.
taking after school football classes at schools and at the stadium.
coaching girls football in and out schools and also coaching on a Saturday and Sunday morning.
also working closely to Tom and Foxy in the office.