Everythiiing.com Exclusive – For many, moving house ranks among life’s most significant stressors. Yet, for Falkirk FC manager John McGlynn, relocating three miles down the road from his lifelong home in Wallyford after 63 years was comparatively tranquil. The real turbulence, he suggests, lies in the dugout of Scottish football.
McGlynn, a seasoned figure in the SPFL landscape, recently navigated a significant personal change—moving residence in June. “We only moved in June this year,” he reflects. “When you’ve never moved house before in your life it’s a bit of a change, for sure, but it went fairly smoothly all considered. You hear all the horror stories about flitting and you do fear the worst...”
The Unseen Toll of Football Management
While the logistics of unpacking might induce mild anxiety, McGlynn implies that the daily grind of managing a professional club dwarfs such domestic concerns. The relentless pressure, the public scrutiny, and the sheer emotional investment required to navigate the competitive tiers of Scottish football exact a heavy toll.
It was this pervasive occupational hazard that prompted McGlynn, who turned 64 in December, to take a sober look at his own well-being. The recent, tragic passing of former Hearts colleague and Dunfermline head scout, Gary Kirk, in November, served as a stark, unavoidable wake-up call. Kirk collapsed after a match and never recovered.
Recent Health Scares Prompt Reflection
“I was close to Gary Kirk and when I saw what happened to a pal like that it did give me a bit of worry,” McGlynn admits candidly. The shadow of mortality loomed larger following another near-miss within the football community:
Early last year, McGlynn’s own assistant manager, Paul Smith, suffered a serious heart attack following a game. These incidents—compounded by the memory of legendary manager Jock Stein’s death in the technical area in his early sixties—forced McGlynn to confront his “hopeless addiction to football.”
“So much so that I recently went and got myself a wee health MOT,” he confirms from his desk at the Falkirk Stadium. “I had an ECG and bloods taken and I was given a wee machine to check my blood pressure every day for five days and take all the readings and send them in. I did that after Gary passed away in November because it did get me thinking.”
While awaiting his blood results, McGlynn reported positive preliminary findings. “I thought I better have a wee check and so far, so good,” he notes. However, he remains acutely aware that even thorough medical checks offer no absolute guarantee against the high-stakes environment he inhabits.
Sacrifices Beyond the Touchline
The physical stress is only one dimension of the sacrifice. McGlynn acknowledges that the demands of the job inevitably pull focus away from personal life. The relentless schedule—from Tuesday and Thursday night youth coaching sessions to full-day Saturday fixtures—means family time is often curtailed.
He recalls the harrowing experience of Paul Smith’s health crisis twelve months prior, following a Scottish Cup fifth-round defeat to Raith Rovers. Smith, 62, required three stents. “Paul had the attack after the game and had to have three stents inserted. He is brand new now and the doctor told him that once the stents were in he’d be as healthy as he’d ever been,” McGlynn notes, relieved.
“The fact is that you make sacrifices in this job. You don’t spend as much time with your family as you should,” he states plainly. This commitment, however draining, is intrinsically linked to his desire to remain grounded in his origins, a core principle that seems to sustain him through the inevitable highs and lows of the SPFL.
Sticking to His Roots
While the article notes that McGlynn is now managing in the competitive environment of Falkirk FC, the underlying theme is his steadfast connection to his community and upbringing, which serves as an anchor against the managerial whirlwinds. This grounding is crucial for longevity in a profession notorious for chewing up and spitting out managers.
The recent reflections underscore a shift in perspective for McGlynn. While the passion for football remains undimmed—evident in his continued dedication to the Bairns—there is a newfound, pragmatic respect for the fragility of life outside the 90 minutes. For a manager who has successfully navigated decades in the sport, this balance between fierce ambition and self-preservation is perhaps the toughest challenge yet.
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