Last updated 17:06, Thursday, 12 June 2008

Former Gretna boss Davie Irons today echoed former midfielder Steve Tosh’s claims that Mick Wadsworth’s arrival triggered the club’s downfall.

Davie Irons

The highly-respected ex-head coach accused Wadsworth of ripping the heart and soul out of the club he helped guide to three successive championships, the Scottish Cup Final and qualification for the UEFA Cup.

Gretna became Wadsworth’s 14th club in 15 years when he joined them in July 2006.

Within a season, Gretna were on the skids and Irons watched in horror as a successful side was broken up and the team spirit crushed.

By the time owner Brooks Mileson pulled the plug on the club following an illness, there was turmoil and deep divisions behind the scenes which overshadowed their first season in the SPL.

Irons accused Wadsworth of getting embroiled in a power struggle which led to manager Rowan Alexander being ousted, undermining him on the training pitch and creating dressing room unrest.

Irons’ criticism comes days after fans’ favourite Tosh slammed Wadsworth’s impact on the club.

Irons, who resigned in February just before Gretna went into administration leaving Wadsworth in sole charge, said: “The writing was on the wall the minute Mick Wadsworth walked into Gretna Football Club.

“The club was killed by that man because the whole situation turned the day he walked into the club.

“The success we had came from our philosophy of getting players from Scotland who knew the leagues – and we were successful to the extreme.

“When Mick arrived he decided that wasn’t the way to go. What he said was the rule - and he took over the whole running of the club.

“The foundation that Gretna’s success was built on was a group of experienced players who knew the leagues. There was a really good work ethic. He totally ripped it apart.

“During pre-season when he arrived, he said he didn’t know anything about the Scottish League – but that the SPL was rubbish. It went down like a lead balloon with everyone.

“When he arrived, we had just had our most successful season.”

Wadsworth oversaw a mass clear-out of top players and got rid of youth coaches in savage cuts.

But Irons disputes claims that Wadsworth reduced the players’ wage bill and claims some of the director of football’s signings were among Gretna’s highest-paid performers.

Irons said: “I spent hours looking at players but was never allowed to bring any of them in. Mick was allowed to bring his players in. He brought in guys like Paul Murray and Henry Makinwa and nobody was consulted.

“He was told to cut costs but he didn’t do anything other people couldn’t already see needed to be done. But he brought in players on higher money and was paying extortionate agents’ fees.

“I’m sure Mick Wadsworth spent more money than Rowan Alexander.

“The Scottish Cup run brought in nearly £1million to Gretna so that paid for the team we had. Then winning the Division One title brought in at least £1million, and again contributed towards the team we had.

“We didn’t need a director of football. Rangers don’t have one and it never worked at Celtic. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting top managers like Walter Smith and Sir Alex Ferguson on my UEFA Pro Licence course and they would never work with a director of football.

“Why would a wee club like Gretna need a director of football?

“To be a director of football, you need to have a relationship with your football staff. He had a good relationship with the owner and they closed ranks and killed what happened in the past. I saw it first hand.

“He created a divide between players and undermined everything the coaching staff did. He forced the Toshers and the Degsys [Derek Townsley] out of the club.

“He had a policy of divide and conquer and it’s disgusting the way the whole thing went.”

Irons, due to fly out to the Euro Championships in Austria to complete the final part of his UEFA Pro Licence – football’s highest coaching qualification – said he was constantly undermined by Wadsworth when he took over the hot-seat following Alexander’s shock departure.

He said: “I did that job with my hands tied behind my back.

“I would take a session and he would go round criticising me and make remarks about me. The players would come and tell me. I get very angry when I think about what he did.”