Falkirk Signs Finley Barbrook on Loan: McGlynn's 13th Addition

John McGlynn has his 13th new face through the door – and he still isn’t satisfied.

Falkirk have landed Ipswich Town midfielder Finley Barbrook on a season-long loan, with the 21-year-old checking in from the newly promoted English Premier League side as the Bairns gear up for Sunday’s trip to Motherwell.

At 6ft 2in, Barbrook brings the kind of presence McGlynn has been hunting all summer. The defensive midfielder spent last season with Colchester United in League Two, scoring once in 16 league outings and picking up the kind of senior experience that managers trust.

“Finley’s someone we’ve had on the radar for some time,” McGlynn said, pleased to finally get the deal over the line after a long courtship. He admitted he wanted the move done earlier but stressed the wait had been worth it.

Barbrook arrives as more than just a destroyer. McGlynn sees an all-rounder: a player comfortable taking the ball deep, threading passes, covering ground and imposing himself physically without sacrificing quality. That blend has been a clear theme of Falkirk’s recruitment drive.

The manager has been open about the difficulty of finding size without losing technical edge. In Barbrook, he believes he has struck that balance, describing him as “well-balanced” and exactly the profile the squad has been missing. The patience, he insisted, stemmed from one simple reason – this was the one they wanted.

And yet the rebuild is not finished.

Pressed on whether the club’s summer business might now be complete, McGlynn made it clear the door remains very much open. He is targeting as many as three more signings if the market allows and the deals fall into place, acknowledging the challenge but underlining that the club has the scope – and the appetite – to keep strengthening.

Barbrook is in. Motherwell awaits. McGlynn’s Falkirk, already reshaped, are still under construction.