Three bids. All rejected. And now a very public dressing-down from the manager doing the rejecting.

Falkirk boss John McGlynn has labelled Dundee United's attempts to sign midfielder Brad Spencer as "embarrassing", revealing that the Scottish Premiership rivals have submitted three separate offers for the 30-year-old — all of which have been turned away by the Bairns.

The bids have been reported to be in six-figure territory, but McGlynn was unambiguous in his assessment: they are nowhere near sufficient.

"We have continuously told them for some time now that Brad's not for sale," McGlynn said. "I don't think it would matter if Dundee United came back — they are miles off, embarrassing. I know the guy who wrote them and he must have been embarrassed when he was writing these offers."

Under contract with room to spare

The central point of McGlynn's argument rests on Spencer's contractual situation. The midfielder has almost two years remaining on his current deal, with the option of a further 12 months on top of that — meaning Falkirk hold considerable leverage in any negotiation.

McGlynn was direct about the logic of selling a key player to a direct competitor while he remains firmly under contract.

"You wouldn't want your best player going to one of your direct opponents while they're under contract," he said. "Brad's got at least another couple of years on his contract, so they are kidding themselves on basically."

That framing matters. Both clubs compete in the Scottish Premiership, which makes any potential deal a politically charged one — not merely a commercial transaction. Strengthening a rival in the same division is a difficult sell to supporters at the best of times, and McGlynn made clear that the board share his position.

Board backing the manager

McGlynn indicated that this is not solely his stance — the Falkirk board are aligned with him on the valuation, offering little prospect of Dundee United succeeding even if they return with an improved offer.

"From a football point of view we're saying that Brad will be here, he's under contract, unless the board accept it — and they are not going to accept their offer," he added.

The public nature of McGlynn's comments is notable. Managers occasionally express frustration at rival clubs' transfer approaches in private, but choosing to call an offer "embarrassing" in front of the media sends an unambiguous signal: Falkirk have no interest in entertaining further dialogue at anything close to the current figures being tabled.

What this means for Dundee United

Dundee United now face a straightforward choice — either return with a substantially improved offer that meets Falkirk's valuation, or walk away from the pursuit entirely. With Spencer contracted into 2027 (and potentially beyond), there is no pressure on Falkirk to move.

The market will be watching to see whether United blink. McGlynn, for his part, appears content to let the impasse run — and is not shy about saying so.

Frequently asked

How many bids has Dundee United made for Brad Spencer?
Dundee United have made three bids for the Falkirk midfielder, according to manager John McGlynn. All three have been rejected.
How long is Brad Spencer's contract at Falkirk?
Brad Spencer has almost two years remaining on his current Falkirk contract, with an option for a further 12 months beyond that.
Why is Falkirk refusing to sell Spencer to Dundee United?
Falkirk manager John McGlynn says the bids are far too low and that he has no desire to sell a key player to a direct Scottish Premiership rival while the player remains under contract.