DAVID McCRACKEN is hoping a dream Scottish Cup winner's medal can crown Falkirk's season after he celebrated penning a new contract at the weekend.
The 33-year-old will lead the Bairns out at Hampden for their May 30 showpiece with Inverness Caledonian Thistle and will now do so in the knowledge his future has been secured with the Championship side.
Both the former Dundee United stopper and January signing Aaron Muirhead have agreed 12-month extensions to hand the club a huge boost as they step up their preparations with a warm-up trip south of the border this week.
And McCracken is hoping the training camp - during which Peter Houston's side will play development teams from Burnley and Swansea City - can help bring Falkirk even closer together as they bid to land the club's first Scottish Cup since 1957.
McCracken said: "Apart from not making the play-offs it's been a pretty good season. Going back to last season, it was fairly inconsistent for myself because I picked up some small injuries.
"This season's been a lot better and I've been rewarded with another contract, which is great. A cup winner's medal would be fantastic.
"We've got a few days away this week, which will be good, with a couple of tough, competitive games, which will build us up really well for the final.
"You also get that team bonding which can only be good for the team spirit. Just the fact we're around each other will definitely help."
Meanwhile, top-scorer Rory Loy will travel with the Falkirk squad this week and should be given a run-out against Swansea on Thursday as he bids to land a cup final berth. The former Rangers and Carlisle United striker has been sidelined since the quarter-final win over Queen of the South in March because of a calf injury. A trip to the FA's centre of excellence at St George's Park indicated the 27-year-old may have suffered a broken bone but the intensive treatment in Staffordshire has also speeded his recovery with Hampden in mind.
And Houston is optimistic the former Scotland under-21 cap, who has signed a pre-contract agreement to join Dundee after the cup final, will prove his fitness in time to play in the final. Houston said: "Rory's spent two weeks at St George's and he's coming with us to Swansea, and he'll probably play a part in the second game - although not a big part.
"But the thing is, mentally, he's feeling stronger, his leg's feeling better and he's got fitness levels into him. Now, we just need to let him develop over the next week or so and we'll see how he is from there.
"He's put so much work and effort into trying to get fit for the final; he's tried long and hard to be fit for every game. "He's been very frustrated and disappointed that his leg's been so sore. He just couldn't physically do it. He's not one for not wanting to play. I know he's committed to playing elsewhere [next season] but he's very committed to Falkirk Football Club.
"He's enjoyed a great rapport with the fans and scored some magnificent goals, and he didn't want that to end the way it had.
"If we hadn't won in the semi-final, his last game would have been against Queen of the South in the quarters. Hopefully it's not and the way it's looking just now it won't be."
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