Gretna

[Yngwie]

Who were the last team to put 5 goals past Gretna?  :004:

Although I can't imagine that our goals were anywhere near the calibre of Derry's.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Hart scored a feckin cracker.

[RiG]

Maybe they can continue to "buy the dream" by snapping up the entire Derry team before the 2nd leg?

[Johnboy]

That would be a good bit of business... They're some team... They could go a long way in the UEFA Cup....

[metalgecko]

I don't usually like to see Scottish teams humbled in Europe but last night was an exception.

I'm sick to death of the Gretna bandwagon. Last night they were brought back down to earth and shown for what they really are. An over-rated team and manager. Alexander has always had a team of players of standard at least 2 divisions higher than they were playing in. Not much of a challenge for a manager really. Last night he was shown to be tactically clueless and static in his approach to games.

They were lucky to get to Europe thanks to their cup run of playing against 1st div teams or lower. If they had won the cup then and beaten Prem. teams then ok they would deserve their place but they were hardly challenged en route to the final.  Hibs, Killie, Aberdeen and dare I even say ICT were far more deserving of a place after playing an SPL season. Gretna's performance in Europe is a real smack in the face now for Scottish football. Derry? What could have happened against a far better team? I wouldn't want to think!

Hopefully I will see a real season for Gretna this year. St J, Dundee, an improved Partick and (going against the grain) County will give them something to think about.

Rant over ! 

[Andrew Fraser]

There is no way Gretna should have been allowed to play in the UEFA Cup anyway. A runner-up doesn't deserve to participate in a cup because the winner has already qualified. I would much rather seen Hibs play last night than them.

I think the rule has changed this year that only the winners enter and if they have already qualified then it goes to the league positions.

[tm4tj]

If you noticed the goals Derry scored against Gretna, most of them were stunning strikes, the others were only brilliant goals, full marks to Derry for the quality of their goals :clapping04:

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

They could solve our striking needs!

[+Gringo]

Who were the last team to put 5 goals past Gretna?  :004:

Although I can't imagine that our goals were anywhere near the calibre of Derry's.

All ICT goals are crackers....  :001: I was there for that game - its like a home match for me  :015: :015: :004:

[Scotty]

There is no way Gretna should have been allowed to play in the UEFA Cup anyway. A runner-up doesn't deserve to participate in a cup because the winner has already qualified. I would much rather seen Hibs play last night than them.

Were we saying the same thing when we almost reached the Scottish Cup Final (twice) and would have qualified for europe without kicking a ball in the final ?

The rules in their current format - whether right or wrong - are the rules and Gretna qualified under those rules. Whether you like them or not, you cant bar them from a competition because you dont like them or because they are from a lower division. Not too many champions in the champions league either are there !!!

[buckett]

Ha!

Have they finally been found out?

Has the "fear factor" gone?

I'm sorry, but I just don't like Gretna. I was even supporting Ross County against them recently. Believe me, that really shows how much I detest them!

(Historical note: Gretna 0, Dundee 4 - today)

[Alex MacLeod]

Dont know but I'm certainly pleased by the result. Ten quid double ICT / Dundee :021:

[caleyblue]

just think its great to see them being the whipping boys for a change shows money cant win you everthing well done dundee think it might be a tighter league than people thought even st johnstone are there about

[Guest kingkojak]

still long way to go but that result will have put the sh!tters into £retna. 

[Heilandee]

wooooooohooooooooooo....how good wiz that,some double to pull off Alex , must oh got a few quid back fae that,  Dee's were 7/1 for the win ....gooooood ane  :clapping04:

[Alex MacLeod]

7/1 and 9/5

[metalgecko]

Are Gretna now being found out? 4-0 drubbing on Saturday and another defeat tonight 3-2 at County in the cup. Hopefully more of the same to come for them this season.

[Alex MacLeod]

Could someone tell me what the basis is for the anti Gretna comments.

[L_G]

Good point Alex.  Can't believe that some people are even supporting County over them.  :015: :015: That is a worry.  Just because they have a wealthy owner. (who isn't very well at the moment I might add)

[Kingsmills]

Nevertheless, I, for one, was pleased to see County progress at Gretna's expense last night.

[buckett]

I, for two, was similarly pleased!

:003:

[Alex MacLeod]

Personally I think it can only be good for Highland football if RC have some success over any lowland or central belt team and I congratulate them on that.

It seems to me however, and this is only my opinion, that the anti gretna camp are just jealous that Gretna have a sugar daddy with loads of cash to give away in, what might be, the short time he has left on this earth.

[buckett]

Most teams are all about the area they represent. It's a tribal thing, and I'm part of the Inverness Caledonian Thistle tribe.

Gretna, however, is all about Miles Brookson and his millions. The Gretna tribe, such as it is, is probably outnumbered by the team!

And, yes, I'm a wee bit jealous of their having a sugar daddy with loads of cash to give away

[RiG]

Could someone tell me what the basis is for the anti Gretna comments.

I have an intense dislike for Gretna based on the utter tit they have in charge - think McCall with extra arrogance - and they fact they honestly think that they are 'living the dream' without spending shedloads of money to get players in.

Some quotes from another Gretna thread;

I didn't watch it but I believe this line was muttered by BM "It's not because of my money, it's all down to the gaffer getting these players in" but then he goes and says the following "I've spent a lot of money here that I'll never see a return on....some people spend millions on yachts and what have you, I spend it on a football club".

Also it turns out that they offered Canning 3 times what he was on at Coutny to sign for them and have offered a player £1,300 p/w to sign for them.

Now I don't have a problem with the amount of money because it is Milesons and he can do what he wants with it. What I am sick of hearing though is the rubbish spouted by Alexander, Mileson and anyone else who trys to claim the success is not down to money when, I am sorry, it clearly is.

Fair play to them, they are doing nothing wrong but to say their success is not down to the money being poured in just doesn't wash I'm sorry.

He is right but he is also forgetting about some of the guys the bought in that aren't in that Cup side. Bingham cost about 35k for them and not many 3rd division sides can afford that plus the wages and bonuses they are on. Canning cost about 50k I think.

When Tosh moved to Gretna they were in the 3rd Divison weren't they? That means they were able to rival an SPL contract offer when they were in the 3rd Divison - how many Div 3 sides can do that?

I don't have a problem with them spending that money but what I have a problem with is when they try and say it has nothing to do with the amount of money going into the club and that they deserve more credit when they are already getting plenty of it as it stands.

Because loads of Carlisle fans went to it as well as fans of other clubs to support them.

Incidentally Neil MacFarlane has just signed for Gretna on a deal worth £1,500 a week. That is more than what he was on at Aberdeen. But this is just another example of a player going to Gretna for Alexander and nothing to do with the money eh?  :006:

It is simply all about the money. I doubt Alexanders actual talent as a manager.

Alexander claims that what happens on the park is down solely to him and his management with no interference from Brooks. Well Rowan, you are getting utterly shagged again tonight so what is the excuse going to be? Players not listening to you like they did in the Derry game? This is the same man who wrote Derry off before the first leg thinking Gretna would cruise, got thumped and was lambasted by Tosh in the papers over the next few days. He is happy to take the praise but regularly sulks when they lose and seldom gives interviews.

Gretna would be nothing without Brooks cash but I don't mind that. So would we without the massive injections from Tulloch. What I do mind is the rubbish they spout about players coming to Raydale to work with RA which they clearly aren't and also how good a manager RA really is. Take away the cash and Greta would still be in the 3rd Division and RA would have been sacked long ago.

In fact without the cash they would have become bankrupt after 1 season in the SPL. Their success is soley based on offering ridiculous wages to players like Livi did and the way they claim that it isn't is pathetic. The fact that their wage budget in Div 2 was greater than all the teams in Div 3 and Div 2 tells its own story.

Good point Alex.  Can't believe that some people are even supporting County over them.  :015: :015: That is a worry.  Just because they have a wealthy owner. (who isn't very well at the moment I might add)

I haven't got a problem with County. I don't even consider them our 'Derby' team anymore. I will gladly support them over Gretna and hope they do well in the Cup.

As for the illness thing it's a shame BM is ill but Eddie Thomson isn't very well at the moment either. I doubt any ICT fan cared about that over the summer with all the transfer goings on.

[Scotty]

GRETNA: I dont really care about them one way or the other. Their success is all tied in with the money that BM has ploughed in and thats fine. As RiG has said, we have benefitted from Tulloch but this was more to bail us out of a tight spot and keep us on an even keel rather than offering silly money to attract players. I dont even think 'the Grocer' would have offered silly money if his side were trying to climb leagues instead of stay in the top one - but its BM's money and he can do whatever he likes with it.

Brooks Mileson: I have to admit that I quite like him. He always comes across in any interview that I have heard as being 'a punter' and a football fan ... albeit it a stonkingly rich one. He even supplied the 'Charlie's Angels' T-Shirts for LG and the crew after CB left - no strings, just a 'fair enough, here you go' deal ... kudos to LG and the others for raising some money for his favourite charity in return.

Rowan Alexander: Met him in the Palmerston Bar at the QOS ground (also met the female friend that helped end his QOS managerial career and his marriage) when he was manager at QOS. At that time he seemed like a tit and my opinion hasnt changed. If he thinks players are coming to Gretna for any other reason than money then he is quite clearly disillusioned. He is however finding out that the higher up he gets in the league, the more difficult it becomes as some of the other teams already have players just as good as those he has overpaid for .... not only that, but the arrogance of both the players and management seem to be showing through - I wish him nothing like success  :004: