Gretna FC - Demoted to Division Three

[DavidMc]

Gretna 0-3 Celtic

Scott McDonald netted his 20th SPL goal of the season as Celtic ended a run of four games without a victory.

With half-time approaching, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's flick was converted from close range by McDonald.

Soon after, Vennegoor of Hesselink missed with a close range header but made amends when he nodded home Aiden McGeady's 69th-minute delivery.

Georgios Samaras completed the scoring late in the game, steering home another excellent cross from McGeady.

Celtic trail table-toppers Rangers by three points and have played a game more than their Glasgow rivals, who they meet next Saturday lunchtime.

The match was switched to Livingston's Almondvale due to the poor playing surface at Fir Park, where Gretna have been tenants this season.

However, a poor crowd of 3,561 will not have done much to alleviate the ailing club's financial problems.

With Gretna scrapping for every ball, Celtic found it difficult to establish any rhythm in the early stages.

The visitors took 20 minutes to pose their first serious threat but defender Danny Hall was well positioned on the goal-line to nod away Scott Brown's clumsy close-range effort.

McGeady then cut in from the left flank and let fly from 20 yards only to see Greg Fleming claw his strike away from the top corner.

Shunsuke Nakamura's free-kick was easily gathered by Fleming but the keeper needed to look livelier to beat away a stinging long-range drive from Barry Robson.

Frustration got the better of Brown when his miscontrol led to him lunging at Ryan Baldacchino and the resultant yellow card earns him a three-game ban, although he will be available for the forthcoming Old Firm clash.

Gretna's stubborn resistance was broken three minutes before the interval and in the most straightforward of fashions.

A long punt from goalkeeper Artur Boruc reached Vennegoor of Hesselink on the edge of the penalty area and his header was volleyed home by McDonald from six yards.

Vennegoor of Hesselink should have extended the advantage a few moments later but he skewed a header wide from Nakamura's floated free-kick.

With 58 minutes gone, Nicky Deverdics squandered a great chance for Gretna when he scuffed wide from six yards after running on to Brendan McGill's low cross.

Celtic responded with their best passing move of the game, which culminated with McDonald's powerful strike being well saved by Fleming.

With 20 minutes remaining, Vennegoor of Hesselink got the goal that his industry merited.

The Dutch international striker popped up at the far post to head McGeady's deep cross past Fleming.

Gretna ran out of steam towards the end and Celtic added to their tally when substitute Samaras smartly stroked home McGeady's whipped delivery.

Vennegoor of Hesselink was denied a second goal when Fleming did well to block his strong downward header.



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Gretna: Fleming, Naughton, Hall, Meynell, Skelton, McGill (Griffiths 82), Murray, Osman, Baldacchino, Deverdics (Barr 66), Wilkinson (Makinwa 72). Subs Not Used: Krysiak, Hogg, Schultz-Eklund, Taylor.

Booked: Osman, Skelton.

Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Scott Brown (Hartley 72), Robson (Sno 80), McGeady, McDonald (Samaras 63), Vennegoor of Hesselink. Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Riordan, O'Dea, Killen. Booked: Scott Brown.

Goals: McDonald 42, Vennegoor of Hesselink 70, Samaras 88.

Att: 3,561

[DavidMc]

Gretna v Inverness CT
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 5th April 08

Gretna have no injury worries and will again pick from a 20-man squad, with the rest of the club's playing staff having been made redundant.

Mick Wadsworth returns to take charge, having missed last weekend's game at St Mirren when relegation was confirmed.

Inverness are without the suspended duo of Grant Munro and Russell Duncan.

Ian Black is unlikely to feature after a comment made at a team meeting, but Barry Wilson returns from his loan spell at St Johnstone.



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Inverness CT: (from) Fraser, McGuire, Tokely, Hastings, Proctor, Watt, McBain, Cowie, Hart, Imrie, Paatelainen, Bayne, Niculae, Wyness, Gillespie, McAllister, Vigurs, Kerr, Wilson, Malkowski.

Gretna: (from) Fleming, Naughton, Skelton, Meynell, McGill, Hall, Baldacchino, Osman, Murray, Deverdics, Wilkinson, Krysiak, Hogg, Shultz-Eklund, Griffiths, Barr, Taylor, Kissock.

[DavidMc]

Kilmarnock v Gretna
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 26th April 08
Rugby Park, Kilmarnock

Kilmarnock will be in similar lines to last week with the Rugby Park injury list remaining as it was.

Allan Johnston, Martyn Corrigan and Mehdi Taouil are out along with longer term absentees Alan Morgan, Frazer Wright, Craig Bryson and Willie Gibson.

Artur Krysiak will be given a chance to impress in Gretna's goal, with Greg Fleming being rested.

Ryan Baldacchino, Danny Hall and Steven Hogg also replace Brendan McGill, Rhys Meynell and Abdul Osman.



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Kilmarnock (from): Combe, Clancy, O'Leary, Lilley, Hay, Fernandez, Di Giacomo, Fowler, Locke, Hamill, Flannigan, Wales, Dalglish, Invincibile, Rascle, Ford, Murray, McInnes.

Gretna (from): Fleming, Griffiths, Skelton, Barr, Meynell, Osman, McGill, Wilkinson, Naughton, Kissock, Baldacchino, Krysiak, Deverdics, Hall, Hogg, Sharples, Shultz-Eklund, Taylor.

[DavidMc]

Inverness CT v Gretna
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 3rd May 08
Caledonia Stadium

Inverness will once again be without their first choice central defenders for Saturday's visit by Gretna.

Grant Munro and Phil McGuire are both ruled out with groin injuries, while midfielder Markus Paatelainen is also rated very doubtful.

Gretna midfielder Paul Murray is still missing after suffering a cracked rib.

But coach Andy Smith has no other worries and may make changes despite holding out for draws in their last three outings.



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Inverness (from): Fraser, Tokely, Hastings, Munro, Proctor, Watt, McBain, Cowie, Hart, Duncan, Black, Imrie, Bayne, Niculae, Wyness, Gillespie, McAllister, Vigurs, Kerr, Wilson, Malkowski.

Gretna (from): Fleming, Griffiths, Skelton, Barr, Meynell, Osman, McGill, Wilkinson, Naughton, Kissock, Fisher, Krysiak, Deverdics, Hall, Hogg, Sharples, Shultz-Eklund, Taylor.

[DavidMc]

St Mirren 0-0 Gretna
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 10th May 08
Love Street Stadium

Gretna held their own with some classy defending against St Mirren in a goalless stalemate in Paisley.

Brendan McGill's volley hit the home side's bar early on and that was as close as either side got in the first half at St Mirren Park.

The second period was much better, with Craig Dargo and Andy Dorman lively for St Mirren and both going close.

However, Gretna goalkeeper Greg Fleming and a deep-lying Kyle Naughton kept the home side at bay for a good point.

Relegated Gretna arrived with only pride to play for aafter last week's 6-1 humbling by Inverness.

Brendan McGill had the tiny band of visiting fans on their feet when his 20-yard volley flew past Mark Howard, only for it cannon off the bar.


Franco Miranda should have put St Mirren ahead in the 22nd minute when he raced into the Gretna penalty area, but he got under his shot from seven yards and it flew over the bar.

But Gretna were playing the more attractive football, with the home team enduring some comical lapses in defence and with goalkeeper Mark Howard looking particularly unconvincing.

Gretna again threatened in the 36th minute when Nicky Deverdics found space in the box and his right-foot drive looked goal-bound but for a last-gasp challenge from John Potter.

St Mirren began to pressure Gretna with a series of corners, but a resilient Gretna held firm until the half-time whistle.

Craig Dargo carved out a chance for St Mirren after the break, but Mark Howard saved comfortably.


St Mirren raised their gameas Dargo again forced a save from Howard with his legs.

Then, a couple of minutes later, Andy Dorman rounded the goalkeeper but saw his shot cleared off the line by Naughton.

Suddenly, the game was end-to-end, with first Gretna's McGill having his shot blocked and then St Mirren's McGinn denied superbly by Fleming.

St Mirren were growing increasingly desperate into the final five minutes, but their attacks came to nothing as the game ended scoreless.



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St Mirren: Howard, Barron, Haining, Potter, Miranda, Dorman, Mason, McCay (McGinn 62), Dargo (Kean 84), Mehmet, Hamilton (O'Donnell 62).
Subs Not Used: Smith, Brady, Molloy, McAusland.

Booked: Hamilton.

Gretna: Fleming, Skelton, Meynell, Hall, Murray (Hogg 74), Barr, Naughton, Deverdics, Wilkinson (Griffiths 59), McGill, Osman.
Subs Not Used: Krysiak, Sharples, Taylor, Robinson, Schultz-Eklund.

Booked: Osman.

[kenny hoggan]

Offer for Gretna being examined

Gretna's players were paid off after relegation was confirmed
Gretna's hopes of surviving as a Scottish Football League club still hang in the balance despite an offer being received to buy the club.

There was no confirmation that it is from Glasgow businessman Paul Davies, who is the one party known to still be interested in Gretna.

But administrator David Elliot said: "I received an offer through a solicitor acting as a purchaser.

"We're waiting for them to supply me with a three-year business plan."

Gretna made the club's remaining 40 staff redundant on Monday after administrator Wilson Field Ltd's weekend deadline passed for a deal to be completed.

But there remains an outside chance that the club, relegated from the Scottish Premier League this season, could be resurrected with new players and new owners.

"We're in a situation where we're still a member of the SPL but we don't have any staff," said Elliot.

We are waiting for the administrator to tell us whether Gretna are a going concern

Scottish Football League chief executive David Longmuir

"There's an automatic right for Gretna to enter into the SFL but at what level is open to debate.

"I haven't got a specific deadline. Yes, I can give some hope."

Wilson Field will have to be satisfied that the prospective purchaser has sufficient funds - and a viable plan to improve the club's Raydale Park stadium.

"I'll review that," said Elliot. "If I think it's workable, I'll contact the SFL.

"That's the plan at the moment and that's what we're working on."

Gretna were plunged into crisis in February when Brooks Mileson, who had bankrolled the club's rise from the Third Division to the SPL to the tune of about £8m, withdrew his funding after falling ill.

The club went into administration on 12 March and 28 employees, including nine first-team players, were made redundant two weeks later.

Gretna survived until the end of the season after being given cash advances by the SPL.

But the money ran out at the end of the season, when it emerged that they had debts of about £4m.

Prospective buyer Davies said he was unable to comment about any offer because of a confidentiality clause with the administrator.

However, the administrator is hopeful of receiving a firm business plan within a matter of days, with the SFL annual meeting looming on 29 May.

SFL chief executive David Longmuir pointed out that there were plans in place for both scenarios - Gretna's survival or the club going out of business.

"Unfortunately, we can't put a deadline on it," he said.

"We are waiting for the administrator to tell us whether Gretna are a going concern.

"But I really think there's an awful lot that the administrator needs to take into consideration."

Should Gretna go out of business, promotion play-off losers Airdrie United would take their place in Division One, with Stranraer moving up to Division Two.

Applications would then be invited for a new club to join Division Three.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Gretna | Offer for Gretna being examined

[LAF]

Gretna is a lost cause. I can't see anybody buying it, their is just too many problems.

They have no staff, the ground is barely up to league standards and they have no fans.

[LAF]

Gretna will play in Scottish Division Three next season, if they still exist then, after the Scottish Football League relegated them two divisions.

The team were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season after going into administration and have since laid off all staff.

At the League's AGM, administrator David Elliot could not guarantee they will fulfil their fixtures next season.

As a result, they have now been sent down an additional two levels.


606: DEBATE
Your views on Gretna's plight

Consequently, Airdrie United will step up to Division One and Stranraer get a place in Division Two.

Gretna now has less than a week to escape expulsion from the League altogether as officials will not accept the continuing status as a club in administration.

The SFL wants any takeover to be completed by the early part of next week or they will invite applicants to replace the stricken club.

A consortium is known to be interested in the club, but it is not expected to complete a deal in time.

"That remains to be seen," said SFL chief executive David Longmuir.

"But we and the SFL had to make sure we protected the integrity of our league."

Gretna only entered the Scottish League structure in 2002 and completed a hat-trick of title victories in 2007 to complete an astonishing rise to the Premier League, but since then things have gone horribly wrong for the club.

Airdrie and Stranraer lost out in their respective play-off finals but have now been promoted.

"I have sympathy with the people at Gretna, the players, the staff and the fans," said Airdrie United boss Kenny Black. "But the SFL gave them as long as they could.

"Somebody up there likes us. We haven't had much luck recently so I'm delighted.

"We would like to have gone up as champions but we were fortunate enough to take advantage of this situation."

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Gretna | Gretna demoted to Division Three