Farewell Gretna?
I think it's going to be today that most fitba folk will say that Gretna died. They have relinguished their league status - shortlived at 7 years that it was...
They'll obviously die when the company is formally wound up at court but that's it. The parrot is stone deid. RIP Gretna...
I wish the Gretna fans well. I hope that they can get something else sorted out ASAP to allow them to enjoy watching the game of a Saturday afternoon.
They'll obviously die when the company is formally wound up at court but that's it. The parrot is stone deid. RIP Gretna...
I wish the Gretna fans well. I hope that they can get something else sorted out ASAP to allow them to enjoy watching the game of a Saturday afternoon.
The team of the Gretna Supporters Society will play in next season's East of Scotland First Division, saving Selkirk from the drop. Apparently they'll be playing at the Everholm Stadium in Annan, which is only a couple of hundred yards or so from Athletic's Galabank ground! Annan, therefore will have teams playing in three of the five senior leagues, something of a record I believe!
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Surely that's only TWO leagues, albeit two different teams in different divisions of one of them. Still the same governing league though.ScottishFA wrote:Not quite a record! How about Hibs and Hearts in the early 50s, each playing in Division A, Division C and East of Scotland League.BMCCOLL wrote: Annan, therefore will have teams playing in three of the five senior leagues, something of a record I believe!
However, that said, the Gretna team has no connection at all with Annan Athletic so I fail to see the difference between say Dundee, having a team in the SPL, First divison (different leagues) and various Junior leagues currently. Falkirk have the same.
Edinburgh would presumably have had teams in FOUR different leagues in the season in which Hibs played in the first division (or was that pre-SPL?). Hearts in the SPL, Hibs in the SFL, Various junior sides and East of Scotland sides presumably. Excuse my ignorance, maybe there isn't a junior side in Edinburgh?
Going back to my original post, the emphasis should be placed on the SENIOR part.Skyline Drifter wrote:Surely that's only TWO leagues, albeit two different teams in different divisions of one of them. Still the same governing league though.ScottishFA wrote:Not quite a record! How about Hibs and Hearts in the early 50s, each playing in Division A, Division C and East of Scotland League.BMCCOLL wrote: Annan, therefore will have teams playing in three of the five senior leagues, something of a record I believe!
However, that said, the Gretna team has no connection at all with Annan Athletic so I fail to see the difference between say Dundee, having a team in the SPL, First divison (different leagues) and various Junior leagues currently. Falkirk have the same.
Edinburgh would presumably have had teams in FOUR different leagues in the season in which Hibs played in the first division (or was that pre-SPL?). Hearts in the SPL, Hibs in the SFL, Various junior sides and East of Scotland sides presumably. Excuse my ignorance, maybe there isn't a junior side in Edinburgh?
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Ah, fair point!BMCCOLL wrote:Going back to my original post, the emphasis should be placed on the SENIOR part.Skyline Drifter wrote:Surely that's only TWO leagues, albeit two different teams in different divisions of one of them. Still the same governing league though.ScottishFA wrote: Not quite a record! How about Hibs and Hearts in the early 50s, each playing in Division A, Division C and East of Scotland League.
However, that said, the Gretna team has no connection at all with Annan Athletic so I fail to see the difference between say Dundee, having a team in the SPL, First divison (different leagues) and various Junior leagues currently. Falkirk have the same.
Edinburgh would presumably have had teams in FOUR different leagues in the season in which Hibs played in the first division (or was that pre-SPL?). Hearts in the SPL, Hibs in the SFL, Various junior sides and East of Scotland sides presumably. Excuse my ignorance, maybe there isn't a junior side in Edinburgh?

The Edinburgh point when Hibs were in the SFL still stands though does it not?
News that Brooks Mileson has died -
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/brook ... n_hospital
Former Gretna Football Club owner Brooks Mileson died today.
He was taken to hospital from his home at Blackford, near Carlisle, after being found unconscious this morning.
The colourful businessman, who had been suffering from serious health problems, later died at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.
He had become one of the most high-profile figures in Cumbrian and Scottish sport in recent years after failing to buy Carlisle United and propelling Gretna to the Scottish Premier League before controversially withdrawing his backing.
No further details about the circumstances surrounding Mr Mileson’s death are yet known.
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/brook ... n_hospital
Former Gretna Football Club owner Brooks Mileson died today.
He was taken to hospital from his home at Blackford, near Carlisle, after being found unconscious this morning.
The colourful businessman, who had been suffering from serious health problems, later died at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.
He had become one of the most high-profile figures in Cumbrian and Scottish sport in recent years after failing to buy Carlisle United and propelling Gretna to the Scottish Premier League before controversially withdrawing his backing.
No further details about the circumstances surrounding Mr Mileson’s death are yet known.
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I wouldn't wish him dead and I'm sorry he has passed on. I met him once and I don't doubt he thought he was doing what he did for the best.
But he ultimately killed off a football club through sending it down a road it quite obviously couldn't sustain and failing to put any safeguards in place to cover it. To be charitable that was naive in the extreme. To be uncharitable it was borderline criminal and certainly immoral.
He was colourful and he "lived the dream" and gained enormous press and exposure for it. Good for him. But I don't think Scottish football was ultimately the better for his involvement.
He did however cause and motivate in at least some way Queens (fans and club) to get off their backsides and react to his and Gretna's presence and that was a contributory factor to getting us where we are today. For that I am thankful. He appeared fairly altruistic and I hope he rests in peace and wish the best for his family but I won't shed any crocodile tears for him.
But he ultimately killed off a football club through sending it down a road it quite obviously couldn't sustain and failing to put any safeguards in place to cover it. To be charitable that was naive in the extreme. To be uncharitable it was borderline criminal and certainly immoral.
He was colourful and he "lived the dream" and gained enormous press and exposure for it. Good for him. But I don't think Scottish football was ultimately the better for his involvement.
He did however cause and motivate in at least some way Queens (fans and club) to get off their backsides and react to his and Gretna's presence and that was a contributory factor to getting us where we are today. For that I am thankful. He appeared fairly altruistic and I hope he rests in peace and wish the best for his family but I won't shed any crocodile tears for him.
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