FALKIRK can’t lose when Town and Sheffield United come face to face at Wembley on Saturday.
The Scottish First Division side have former players at both the League I play-off finalists, and will receive a financial windfall whichever club wins.
That’s because clauses were written into the transfers of Scott Arfield to Town and his fellow midfielder Ryan Flynn to United triggering payments on promotion to the Championship.
Arfield, 23, is back to full fitness after being forced off with an ankle injury during Town’s 2-0 semi-final first leg win at MK Dons, when his replacement was another Falkirk old boy, Kallum Higginbotham.
It means the former Scotland Under 21 and B international, who cost an initial £400,000 in the summer of 2010, is pushing for a 93rd Town appearance (he has scored eight times).
Flynn, 23, was Danny Wilson’s first signing after taking over as Blades boss last summer.
It’s a second stint South of the border for the former Scotland Under 19 cap, who left for Liverpool in a £50,000 deal in 2005.
Despite helping the Reds win successive FA Youth Cups in 2006 and 2007, when he scored the winner against Manchester City, and take the Northern Premier Reserve League title in 2008, he was unable to break into the first team.
Flynn returned to Falkirk on loan in the 2009 close-season, becoming the club’s first scorer in European competition when he netted against FC Vaduz, from Liechtenstein, in a Europa League tie in which Arfield also featured.
Within two months, the move had been made permanent, with Flynn signing a three-year deal and going on to make 79 appearances and score 13 goals before being snapped up by Sheffield for an undisclosed fee.
“You need width in a team, and Ryan will give us that,” explained Wilson at the time.
“I have tracked Ryan for a number of weeks and having had an inkling that he might be available, we moved quickly.
“He is predominantly right footed, but can also play on the left or down the middle, so he is versatile.
“I like players who can offer different things.”
