Confident Spartans head race to replace Gretna

EAST of Scotland League side Spartans have been established as early favourites to be named newest members of the Scottish Football League after Gretna formally resigned from the organisation yesterday.

Gretna joint-administrator David Elliot informed the SFL of the club's inability to retain membership in the face of crippling debts.

The ailing club were relegated to the Third Division last week after failing to guarantee their ability to fulfil next season's First Division fixtures. Now Gretna have failed to stave off expulsion from the SFL.

League officials could not continue to accept Gretna's status as a club in administration. A deadline of the early part of this week was set for the club to find a buyer.

"However, with outside interest having been extinguished by the decision to relegate Gretna a further two divisions, defeat was conceded yesterday.

"The administrators (Wilson Field Ltd) have said they cannot go on any further with the club and were unable to give a commitment to playing football," said an SFL spokesman.

Gretna's resignation was accepted with immediate effect and interested clubs were invited to apply to join the SFL. A deadline of 12 June has been set for prospective new clubs to apply for membership. A vote will take place on 3 July to decide which club has been invited to join the SFL as a Third Division club with effect from the 2008-09 season.

Spartans were yesterday named odds-on favourites to take Gretna's place, followed by Cove Rangers, Annan Athletic and Preston Athletic. These clubs have all confirmed a desire to apply while there are reports that an unnamed Junior club from Ayrshire might also make a bid to join the SFL.

While ambition is a quality that will need to be displayed by those clubs eager to take a step-up the pitfalls could not be more obvious.

Gretna were the last club to be voted into the SFL and have paid a brutal price for the higher profile gained.

Businessman Brooks Mileson's attention was caught and his investment helped Gretna move through the Scottish leagues in successive seasons.

When he withdrew his money due to illness it was the beginning of the end for a club with little established infrastructure to fall back on.

Although the criteria has been described as "wide-ranging" by the SFL, proof of financial stability will need to be a central tenet of any submission. This consideration is likely to out-weigh playing standard, location and also fan-base, with the SFL desperate to avoid yet another application process in the near future.

The current one is the third since 2000, when Elgin City and Peterhead joined the SFL from the Highland League.

The SFL are looking for durability and in Spartans there is evidence that the club intends on staying around. The North Edinburgh-based side have established links to the local community via a healthily attended soccer academy. In what is a timely move Spartans will take up residency at a new £3.3million complex at Ainslie Park in August.

"We are not treating it as though we are favourites," said general manager Derek Rodier. "We don't even know who the rival bidders will be at this stage. We have been preparing tentatively for a little while now but have been hanging off doing anything until the Gretna thing came to a conclusion. Now this has happened we will be moving on.

"Obviously the facilities are a strong point in our favour but we are working on the financial side of things and also the football aspect in order to make the presentation complete," he continued.

"What the members of the SFL want to hear is what a club like Spartans, or whoever, can bring to the league. They want it to be enhanced. They will want to know about financial security and also the facilities. And then there is the football aspect – they will want to know we are competitive."

Memories of the demise of Meadowbank Thistle in 1995 might persuade some to doubt Spartans' ability to establish themselves as Edinburgh's third league club.

Severe financial problems eventually forced the club to leave Edinburgh and re-locate in Livingston, under a new name.

"The difference between us (Spartans] and Meadowbank is that Meadowbank was a stand- alone club," said Rodier. "This is a massive community project, and one of the biggest in Scotland.

"That makes a huge difference. And in a city with the population of Edinburgh it could be well argued that there is room for a third league club."

Ironically, Spartans might be forced to make Meadowbank Stadium a temporary home should their application to join the SPL prove successful.

The club are not set to move into their new stadium until the end of August, with a delay always possible. The SFL season begins on 5 August.

"We are speaking to Edinburgh Council and there is a possibility that Meadowbank stadium might be able to accommodate us in the early days," revealed Rodier. "It is pretty much SFL standard."

Rodier's preferred route to the SFL had been via a pyramid system. The time might come when clubs are able to play their way into the SFL but, as it stands, the hard work will need to be done, not by players on the pitch, but by officials in suits and armed with overhead projectors.

Pros and cons of likely candidate clubs to fill vacant place in the league

SPARTANS FC

Pros: Excellent facilities at new Ainslie Park complex, set to open in August. The ground is SFL standard, including a 500-seater stand. Club is also reaching out to the community, with 1,500 children involved in the club's soccer academy.

Cons: Poor precedent for third team in Edinburgh. Meadowbank Thistle struggled to create a fan base and eventually moved from the city in the guise of Livingston. New stadium not set to be ready until mid-to-late August, which means club may have to find alternative venue to play first home games in season.

Guide to Ground: At City Park Spartans might have struggled to gain support, with St Mirren one recent Scottish Cup opponent who complained about the standard of facilities. There should be no such complaints at Ainslie Park, which will include a fully enclosed grass pitch as well as a floodlit synthetic pitch.

Average support: 150

ANNAN ATHLETIC

Pros: Gretna's application in 2002 was significantly helped by their geographic location, and Annan, a well-run club with good facilities, would bring the representatives from the south-west back up to three.

Cons: No floodlights in place at present and also cramped dressing room arrangement. Could also suffer by being associated with neighbours Gretna, who proved how difficult it was to attract new fans from the area to games.

Guide to Ground: Galabank has concrete terracing down one side and an impressive 426-seater stand on the other. Floodlight situation is a concern although planning permission is in place. Floodlit all-weather training facilities also.

Average crowd: 200-250.

PRESTON ATHLETIC

Pros: Catchment area in East Lothian is 100,000 and good transport links, with A1 nearby and a train station 400 yards from ground. Will place great emphasis on plan to incorporate East Lothian in the club name and move to a new arena at Meadowmill in Tranent. But current ground at Pennypit already able to host SFL games as soon as August.

Cons: Low profile might count against them. East Lothian is not renowned for being one of football's hotbeds.

Guide to Ground: Pennypit, the current home, has a capacity of 3,000, of which 360 is seated. Pennypit Centre at north end of ground has press facilities and a bar. Floodlights in place.

Average crowd: 100

COVE RANGERS

Pros: A move to new purpose built £5m facility at Calder Park in Altens, constructed in conjunction with Aberdeen council, is at an advanced planning stage. Also, as current Highland League champions, would almost certainly be a competitive outfit. Large potential fan base in Aberdeen and the surrounding environs.

Cons: This won't be ready for at least another year and would need permission from the SFL to play next season's games at current Allan Park ground. The new stadium has also yet to receive the green light from the Scottish Executive. Aberdeen FC also have plans to move to a new stadium near Cove.

Guide to ground: Poor state of Allan Park was reckoned to have cost Cove when they last applied to the SFL in 2002. Capacity is 1,400, with a 200-seater stand and a covered enclosure. Narrow pitch.

Average crowd: 200

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

• The Scottish Football League yesterday accepted the resignation of Gretna FC and have now put in place the following process to replace the club for next season.

• The Scottish Football League will create a vacancy in the Third Division and will invite interested clubs to apply to join The Scottish Football League.

• Application packs are available to all interested parties and are available on request through the League offices. Completed applications should be received at the offices of the Scottish Football League by Thursday, 12 June.

• Following a review of the applications, the Scottish Football League Management Committee will visit each applicant club by Friday 27 June.

• Applicant clubs will then be invited, following assessment, to present their business and football plans to all 29 members of the Scottish Football League at a Special General Meeting to be held at Hampden Park on Thursday, 3 July.

• The 29 SFL clubs will then vote on the day to decide which club has been invited to join the Scottish Football League as a Third Division club with effect from the 2008/2009 season and an announcement will be made immediately following the voting process.