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Gretna latest: Club relegated to Third Division, Airdrie and Stranraer promoted



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GRETNA have been relegated to the Third Division after a vote at the annual general meeting of the Scottish Football League.
The troubled club, which went into administration in March this year after owner Brooks Mileson stopped funding the operation, had already dropped down from the Scottish Premier league to the First Division. But at today's vote it was decided that the club should drop a further two divisions to the basement league.

The administrators, Wilson Field, have been given until next week to find a way of keeping the club in business. If no buyer can be found, the club will lose membership of the SFL and an election will take place to find a replacement club.

Gretna were elected to the Scottish Football League in 2002 and made rapid progress through the divisions, reaching the Scottish Cup final in 2006 and then winning promotion to the SPL in 2007. But just as the club reached the top flight of Scottish football, the cost of getting there caught up with owner Mileson.

All of the club's staff were made redundant earlier this month.

Airdrie United will now be promoted to the First Division from the Second Division, and Stranraer go up from the Third Division to the Second Division to make way for Gretna.

The full article contains 226 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

 
1

GrahamL,

29/05/2008 17:23:12
Now, I don't mean to be unnecessarily negative here. But is anyone going to spend a significant amount of money to take over a 3rd division club? With no staff?
If they were in the 1st division I could maybe have seen it, but I'd be very surprised if the "Gretna as 3rd division club" proposal is going to tempt anyone...
2

SouthSideHibs,

29/05/2008 17:30:30
#1 which gives Spartans the chance to join the SFL, I'd guess.

What price Hearts re-emerging via Spartans once the whole thing finally falls apart.

3

GrahamL,

29/05/2008 17:46:04
#2 A million to one?
2 reasons:
1. Spartans are a well established team, and I reckon could support a 3rd div application themselves, and to suggest otherwise is to do a great diservice to all involved at the club
2. No matter how many times you say, Hearts aren't going to the wall. Sorry.

So, well done, you've shown complete ignorance of 2 Edinburgh teams in one statement. You should get a medal or something.
4

Rosscobhoy,

Glasgow 29/05/2008 17:55:39
Serves them right. Sorry for the guys who have lost a lot of money on Brooksons promises but even the blind seen this coming. Hope it serves as a warning. Also hope Airdrie get relegated and die at some point soon too. I suppose its a bit ironic that the last team to go to the wall have benefitted from another unsustainable team probably doing the same.
5

Jock Tamson,

Scotland, Caledonia, Alba 29/05/2008 18:07:05
Ah well, so there it is.

Wonder if the epilog on The Rise & Fall Of The Gretna Empire has been written yet?
6

,

29/05/2008 18:14:58
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7

bring them on,

29/05/2008 18:15:21
So many "shames" in Scottish football this season.

Thw whole Gretna fiasco, promotions without winning a rightful place, Jimmy Calderwood's ties, the Manchester 42, to name but a few.....
8

bring them on,

29/05/2008 18:16:51
Terry Trumpton scored a lucky goal. Ball could have gone anywhere.
9

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 18:18:26
#3 I,d go for the something.
Gretna were a bit of fresh air for a while, shame it all went wrong. Still with Romanov laundering through Tynie and Petrie filling his pockets we both should be OK for a while.
Now the dark side???? thats another story
10

bring them on,

29/05/2008 18:22:21
#9

Come on gies the dark side........
11

jouster,

perth 29/05/2008 18:33:08
The situation was a farce from the start. Throw them out and give their place to someone else.
12

SouthSideHibs,

29/05/2008 18:42:49
#3 - Nonsense Graham, Gretna have proved what happens when an owner loses interest. Hearts won't die, I never said they would, but you might need to re-emerge from the ashes of Mad Vlad's demise/exit.

The last thing the Capital needs is another fitba team. You're showing your ignorance I think over-looking the case of Meadowbank Thistle.
13

bring them on,

29/05/2008 18:49:51
Give the place to a ladies side. Get attendances up.
14

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 18:52:08
#10
head west on the M8 mate and you will find it
15

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 18:54:25
#13 And hire the cheerleaders Becks was ogling
would neve see a ball kicked unless the wife was there
OOOOOh
16

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 18:55:05
slap my wrist
17

bring them on,

29/05/2008 19:02:29
Not many Rangers threads the past few days....
18

,

29/05/2008 19:47:55
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19

,

29/05/2008 19:49:53
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20

ses,

Pencaitland 29/05/2008 19:51:44
Airdrie benefit out of another team's misfortune again - they wiped out Clydebank so they could get their League place, now they are promoted because of Gretna's troubles.
21

,

29/05/2008 19:52:22
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22

ses,

Pencaitland 29/05/2008 19:57:53
Re #3

Can you really say for certain that Hearts aren't going to the wall? How big does their debt have to get?

I'm not getting at Hearts, back in 1990 if Wallace Mercer had gotten his wish and wiped out Hibs, Meadowbank Thistle would have became Meadowbank Hibs within a year, and Hibernian within two.

If a team is big enough, no one can get rid of it completely. So Spartans getting into the SFL could be a good back up plan for Hearts fans if the worst came to the worst.
23

bring them on,

29/05/2008 20:05:16
The Hearts deby balloon will burst, but inside they will be more than hot air.

Dirty deeds....

Mark my words.
24

,

29/05/2008 20:26:12
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25

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 20:27:51
#23
Would do but they do not seem to make a lot of sense

The Hearts deby balloon will burst, but inside they will be more than hot air.????????????????
26

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 20:36:14
#24
How are you Victor was speaking to hobo harry a couple of days ago and he dont post much now. rekons you've lost your sense of humour
Still dont blame you with the cretins we tend to get on this post
27

,

29/05/2008 20:43:46
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28

bring them on,

29/05/2008 20:44:15
A wee song for hearts fans


(bass drum intro)

dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb


I'll work on the rest later
29

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 20:48:34
#28
Dont bother I think you have overreached your level already.

The wasp is back BEWARE
30

bring them on,

29/05/2008 20:52:20
#29

BTO!!!
31

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 20:53:58
#27
Not too bad Victor. Been a bit busy last few months doing a bit in the flooded houses round here.
Time for a wee rest now as Im getting too old for it
32

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 20:56:08
#29
:0) )))))))))
33

bring them on,

29/05/2008 21:08:54
Will Gretna's ground pass fit for third division football, or are there no regulations?

Anyone
34

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 21:19:07
#22
Good comment but hope it never comes to that.
We need two strong teams in Edinburgh and a few other real Scots teams to challenge the bigot brothers
But as you say we are too big to die and will always rebuild if the worst happens which in my opinion wont happen.
35

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 21:30:15
#33
Ask the SFA.I dont know
And to tell the truth dont really want to
36

bring them on,

29/05/2008 21:35:28
#35

Good post
37

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 21:39:28
#36
Thank you
By the way are you a football fan or a windup merchant
Slainte
38

bring them on,

29/05/2008 21:42:48
#37

I have a genuine interest in the game, with the occassional wind up to remind me that there is always next season.

And you?
39

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 21:54:27
#37
Me? I just love life (and HOMFC) and the w (SHUT UP WASPY YOU WILL BORE THEM TO DEATH)
Wifes words in capitals not mine.
was going to delete but what the heck she's probably right
40

bring them on,

29/05/2008 21:58:20
Today, and for all time, eh

The wife, I mean.
41

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 22:08:35
Probably
Too many red macs tonight time for bed
Night all
42

Waspy100,

29/05/2008 22:10:37
slainte
43

Way Out West,

29/05/2008 22:28:42
All I can say is thank God that Gretna don't sell ladies' knickers in the club shop.

Like the club itself, they'd be hopeless at staying up.

Aythankyow!

44

Alba Abú,

Dunedin 29/05/2008 22:50:07
More anti- Catholic bigotry moving in the direction of the SPL via Airdrie. Away with all the bigots! Lets just love our game of football.
45

bring them on,

29/05/2008 22:58:43
Thank you
46

,

29/05/2008 23:17:46
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47

bring them on,

29/05/2008 23:22:26
#46

Which wall would that be?
48

bring them on,

29/05/2008 23:23:59
#46

Which wall would that be?
49

,

29/05/2008 23:31:07
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50

bring them on,

29/05/2008 23:35:29
The old Hearts wall....Yes, the old Hearts wal....

Could be a hard one.

51

,

29/05/2008 23:48:59
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52

Der Kaiser,

29/05/2008 23:57:54
#51
Flicking through the stories on the website and all your posts seem exactly the same.
"Hearts are a diddy team....Hearts this, Hearts that"
If you like I'll buy you the Hearts top you quite clearly want. Admit it...you love us!
53

bring them on,

30/05/2008 00:04:26
Hearts of old.....
54

,

30/05/2008 00:07:08
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55

Der Kaiser,

30/05/2008 00:10:54
Aye ya dae.
Seriously. Do you want the Home or Away one?
56

,

30/05/2008 00:12:14
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57

bring them on,

30/05/2008 00:13:20
The away one has no class.
58

Der Kaiser,

30/05/2008 00:19:05
#56
Was a bad day to be a Jambo. I'm sure you were very upset like myself. Of course we put four past the "mighty" Rangers in the game before that at Tynie. You will have enjoyed that.
59

,

30/05/2008 00:23:43
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60

Der Kaiser,

30/05/2008 00:31:22
#59
Wait, wait, wait wait, wait.
" I wouldnt start casting back to past results "
I damn well so. Remember, I support a diddy team (your words) so we can (and should) revel in the rare victories over the "mighty" Rangers.
I thought your favourite game would have been the 1998 Scottish Cup Final. Oh wait, not meant to cast back to past results. Sorry.
61

,

30/05/2008 00:35:21
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62

bring them on,

30/05/2008 00:40:30
Which one was the 1978 final?
63

Der Kaiser,

30/05/2008 00:41:35
#61 There's no need of you to apologise. It was me that was to avoid casting back to past results remember.

Get your list off Wikipedia statto?

Well (incoming childish comment), we won it in 1891, won it before you did so that makes us the best.....nahnahnahnahnah.
64

,

30/05/2008 00:51:28
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65

Der Kaiser,

30/05/2008 01:05:47
#64
Right...my last post was clearly tongue in cheek. It was there, quite clearly in brackets. You know, the "(incoming childish comment)" bit?

This has obviously passed you by and I'm guessing that this sort of post could go back and forward all night. I tire of your badinage (you could look that up on Wikipedia) so I'll leave you with another childish comment simply to rile you.

My team is named after a work of art. Therefore we are "simply the best".

I'll leave that with you to work out.

Night.
66

,

30/05/2008 01:11:17
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