Falkirk tell Dundee United to be "embarrassed" over cut-price Brad Spencer bids

Falkirk have rejected three offers from Dundee United for midfielder Brad Spencer, and manager John McGlynn did not mince his words about the money on the table.

McGlynn said Dundee United should be "embarrassed" by the bids, which were reported to be worth six figures — a phrase that in transfer terms means at least £100,000 but tells you nothing about how close it got to a serious threshold. Falkirk, for their part, have told United repeatedly and clearly that Spencer is not for sale (BBC Sport).

Spencer is a 30-year-old midfielder with almost two years left on his Falkirk contract, plus an option for a further 12 months. That long deal puts Falkirk in a position of strength: they have no deadline pressure, no expiring contract to worry about, and no reason to accept a fee they consider beneath the player's value.

Dundee United's interest in Spencer was first reported in late August 2026, during the summer transfer window (Daily Record). United manager Jim Goodwin is said to want Spencer at Tannadice, and he has form when it comes to raiding Falkirk — Goodwin previously signed former Falkirk player Dylan Tait (The Scottish Sun).

But Falkirk's message has been consistent and firm. Three bids came in. Three bids went back. McGlynn's frustration was palpable, and his choice of the word "embarrassed" tells you everything about how the offers were received behind the scenes — not as a starting negotiation, but as something closer to an insult.

For fans who do not follow Scottish football's lower tiers closely, the dynamic here is straightforward. Dundee United, a Premiership side, are trying to pull a player up a division. Falkirk, chasing their own ambitions in the Championship, see no reason to help. Spencer is under contract, settled, and valued highly by a club that has no intention of letting him go cheaply.

The transfer window's closing pressure can do funny things to valuations. Clubs that hold firm early sometimes blink late. But McGlynn's public stance suggests Falkirk are ready to dig in, and the contract length means they can afford to.