Gretna to fold by 17 May

Reluctant Hero · Gretna to fold by 17 May

Gretna deadline at season's end

Gretna will fold on 17 May unless a buyer can be found

Administrators have confirmed Gretna FC will fold at the end of the season if a buyer is not found for the club.

The Scottish Premier League team went into administration in March with debts of about £4m.

After a creditors meeting in the town administrators said it had been decided to let the side continue to play its remaining fixtures.

However, if no deal can be done to take over the club by a 17 May deadline then it will go out of business.

David Elliot of administrators Wilson Field Ltd said there were still four potential buyers.

'Remain hopeful'

"The proposal is that we continue to trade and allow the club to continue to play football until the end of the season while we seek a buyer," he said.

"We have got four interested parties and I would like to remain hopeful that one will come through before the end of the season."

Gretna's final league match is on 13 May, but Mr Elliot said they would remain "in funds" until four days after that.

"At that point, to be quite frank with you, we stop," he said.

He added that if no buyer could be found then the remaining 40 staff at the club would be made redundant.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7388156.stm

William_Cleland

Looks like a racing certainty at this point. Will be interesting to see who gets into the third division to replace them. Probably Spartans I suspect.

Cymro

Abieuan

Queen of the South needs as big a fan base as it can can get, how far south can you go ?
It is a stable club and Dumfrieshire needs only one team.

There are too many wee teams in senior Scottish football without having a replacement for Gretna.

kevin04

I think it'll be Spartans as well. Welcome if it is them! They've showed on a few occasions in the Scottish Cup they can compete against our league sides.

Reluctant Hero

Looks like Gretna have officially bit the dust. Feel sorry for the true fans who have supported them long before they joined the SFL.

Someone has got a lot to answer for.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7430745.stm

William_Cleland

Hopefully the local council will make sure that Raydale Park remains a football ground and a reformed club will be able to join the East of Scotland league like Annan and Dalbeattie Star or will be able to get back into the English non-league pyramid given they are right on the border and probably still have a choice in that regard.

kevin04

Sad stuff indeed William, one thing I cannot understand is Where is Mileson in all of this? I know that he was unwell but I'm sure the latest press reportings were that he was fighting fit and getting stronger and better everytime. Does he not have as much money as we first thought?

I feel mostly for the Gretna fans before the Mileson rollercoaster.

Interesting to see who will get the vote and when the league will meet to open the discussions. Spartans are certainly a good shout but I'm sure some of the Highland teams will be in with a chance as well.

William_Cleland

My personal pet theory is that he pulled the plug when faced with the prospect of handing over 800k to Rowan Alexander for breach of contract but no way to be sure obviously.

None of the senior teams that are applying would add much to the third division so a dark horse from the juniors could maybe still emerge to claim the spot. Irvine Meadow would maybe be the prime candidate for that as they have not a bad ground, are located in a large new town and have some solid financial backing.

http://www.medda.co.uk/pix/meadowpan.jpg

azzuri

I was born in Irvine (like most of the folk in Ayrshire) and remember going to watch the meadow with my grandfather when I was wee. Can't see it to be honest, the Ayrshire junior teams are far too proud of their junior status and the whole 'big fish in a small pond' effect. I reckon it'll be Spartans...

Cymro

I want Oban Saints to put in a bid!

kevin04

Maybe a Western Isles side? I know there are many sides on the Islands but the Western Isles 'National' team came 3rd or so in a island games tournament last year, they love football up that way and might also get some of the locals to stop supporting Rangers and Celtic.

Reluctant Hero

Interesting piece in the Sunday Herald. It claims 8 clubs have asked for an application pack, although they haven't received any in return yet.

http://www.sundayherald.com/sport...tball/display.var.2326467.0.0.php

William_Cleland

No hope for Clydebank given their lack of a viable ground, unfortunately, but there are quite a few other junior clubs that could put together a much better case than Cove, Spartans, Annan and Preston Athletic. They probably won't though as they don't see the third division as a step up from where they are and are realistic enough to know that the first division or the SPL probably wouldn't form part of their future.

William_Cleland

Third Lanark? Smile

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_div_1/7445698.stm

darkside

Reluctant Hero

Looks like it is between Annan Athletic, Edinburgh City, Preston Athletic, Spartans and Cove Rangers

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7454887.stm

Reluctant Hero

Decision is due this Thursday as to who gets in

http://www.sundayherald.com/sport...tball/display.var.2369464.0.0.php