Firs Park

Former football stadium in Falkirk, Scotland

Firs Park was a football stadium in Falkirk, Scotland, which was the home of East Stirlingshire F. C. between 1921 and 2008. It was located on Firs Street, 0.3 miles north east of the town centre. At the time of closing the ground had a capacity of 1,800 with 200 seated.

East Stirlingshire F. C. was formed in 1880 when a group of friends from a cricket team called Bainsford Blue Bonnets formed a football team under the name Britannia. At the end of the club's first year of existence it found a home at Randyford Park in the east of Falkirk. At the time, the ground's previous tenant was a cricket team called East Stirlingshire Cricket Club and in 1881, Britannia also adopted the East Stirlingshire name, which stands to this day. The club's first ever league game at Merchiston Park was a 3–2 defeat to Airdrieonians in August 1900 in front of a crowd of 2,500. In 1920, the club was forced to move from Bainsford when a railway line was built across Merchiston Park. The first ever opposition at Firs Park was Heart of Midlothian F. C. This remained the record attendance for the club during its entire tenure at Firs Park as crowds became smaller due to crowd regulation. In 2007, a limit of 750 was set by police during a Challenge Cup tie with Greenock Morton F. C. This was due to the small number of turnstiles and there only being one main exit gate.

In 1964, the board of directors at the club controversially merged East Stirlingshire and junior club Clydebank Juniors F. C. to create East Stirlingshire Clydebank. As a result, the new club relocated to Kilbowie Park in Clydebank and Firs Park was closed.

Due to the prohibitive costs of improving facilities to meet regulations set by the Scottish Football Association, the club decided to leave Firs Park at the end of the 2007–08 season. The last league game to be played at Firs Park was a 3–1 victory for the Shire against Montrose F. C., which meant the club avoided finishing bottom of the Scottish Football League for a sixth consecutive season. East Stirlingshire did subsequently play one last game at Firs Park, a "closed doors" pre season friendly vs St Johnstone on Tuesday 15 July 2008, losing 1–3.

The club groundshared with neighbours Stenhousemuir at their Ochilview Park home. The move was originally intended be for a period of five years during which the club planned to develop a new venue in Falkirk. The racing was independent (unlicensed) and ended due to the fact that two other circuits opened at nearby Diamond Stadium (Brockville Greyhound Racecourse) and Brockville Park.