BAIRNS NO BARR TO HONOURS

Barr - Scotland call-up.

Falkirk youngster Scott Arfield believes Darren Barr's call-up to the Scotland squad has boosted the international hopes of every other player at the club.

Barr was this week named in George Burley's squad for Wednesday's friendly against Northern Ireland, meaning he could be the first Bairn since John White in the 1950s to represent the national team.

Arfield has already been involved with the Under-21s and now has renewed hope that he, too, can make the step up one day without having to seek club football elsewhere to gain international recognition.

"Darren's call-up is brilliant and fully deserved," Arfield said.

"He was brilliant last season and did well last week as well. The whole of pre-season, he has been fantastic.

"It just shows you how far the gaffer has taken the club, from the First Division to an established SPL team.

"You used to look at the squads and think you would never see a Falkirk player in there. Darren has broke that and that can only be a good thing for the boys here."

Arfield insists most of the credit for putting Falkirk back on the map has to go to manager John Hughes for transforming the club during his time at the helm.

He added: "Five years ago, we were playing Celtic and Rangers hoping not to get a doing - now we don't fear them and can pass them off the park.

"We are still peeved we didn't get the goal against Rangers last week.

"The gaffer has got his beliefs and his philosophy on how he wants to play football.

"We just have to abide by that and do what he wants us to do.

"We did that on Saturday and we just didn't get the goal we wanted."

Falkirk dominated for spells against Rangers and saw Michael Higdon's penalty saved, before the Ibrox club snatched the winner through Andrius Velicka.

"We gave them a wee fright and I don't think they were expecting it," said Arfield.

"We came out the traps quickly and passed the ball well, it was just down to a lack of cutting edge.

"If we had got a goal, that would have been us home. But it wasn't to be and you know Rangers always have the ability to score and they got the goal they wanted."

Falkirk now prepare to face another club in 'crisis' when they travel to Hibernian this weekend - but the young midfielder insists Mixu Paatelainen's men will be no pushovers.

He said: "Hibs are always a tough challenge. People are saying they have had a bad pre-season, which they have, and they haven't scored many goals.

"But you always know what you are going to get from Hibs and it will be a hard game. They always work hard and have tremendous ability.

"Steven Fletcher can change a game on his own so you always have to be wary of the talent they have."