Gretna looking doomed
Last updated 05:33, Friday, 06 June 2008
GRETNA’S future again looks bleak after a source close to the club told The Cumberland News that relegation to the Scottish Third Division was almost certain.
A move to relegate the club to the bottom rung of Scottish football would effectively kill off any chance of a new buyer coming to their rescue.
The Scottish Football League yesterday considered the drastic decision, which would hammer the final nail into the stricken club’s coffin, at their management committee meeting at Hampden Park.
The Borderers would be unlikely to be able to attract a buyer prepared to invest around £2 million in a club that would be playing in Division Three against teams like East Fife, East Stirling and Arbroath.
Gretna were relegated from the Scottish Premier League last season after being docked 10 points as a penalty for going into administration when owner Brooks Mileson withdrew his financial backing following an illness, leaving crippling debts.
A successful takeover bid will depend on them dropping into the First Division, where games against the likes of Queen of the South, Partick Thistle, Morton and Dundee could have ensured good attendances to generate money through the turnstiles.
A Glasgow-based consortium led by agent Paul Davies last week had a bid to buy the club accepted by the administrators but any move to relegate them to Division Three would almost certainly wreck the deal.
Joint administrator David Elliot, who last week axed the remaining 40 coaches, players and staff, attended a meeting with SFL chiefs on Wednesday, along with Davies.
East of Scotland League club Annan Athletic are already lobbying SFL clubs to try to win their vote to join the set-up next season if Gretna fail to survive.
If Gretna fold it is likely that Airdrie United would be promoted to the First Division and Stranraer would climb into the Second Division.
That would give the SFL the opportunity to seek another cub from outside its ranks to join the Third Division.
