GRETNA RESIGN FROM SFL

[Kingsmills]

Hearts, despite their huge exposure to Mr Romanov and his bank, are not Gretna. Hearts are a very substantial footballing entity with a very large fan base.

If their current "benefactor" pulled the plug Hearts would be in serious trouble and no doubt Tynecastle would be sold as a prime housing site.

However a sustainable club, albeit one that might temporarily be without a home, would emerge from administration and would soon re-establish themselves. Gretna are a different proposition altogether, they are likely to revert to eing a non league side playing  amateur football in front of crowds numbering dozens rather than hundreds and probably not at Raydale which will be sold to partially satisfy the debts which have been accrued while they were "living the dream".

[Alex MacLeod]

Hearts would not have too much problem if Romanov left. He was never a benefactor to Hearts FC. He took over and persuaded his bank to take over the debts. So long as Hearts can make the loan payments its unlikely the bank would call in the debt. Romanov has plans to invest in Tynie and will likely make money out of that investment but so far no cash has actually been put forward to Hearts FC. Not even for players. Most of them are on loan from Kaunas.

[Kingsmills]

Don't forget that the loan is secured on Tynecastle and interest alone is likely to be in the region of three million pounds a year.

Hearts were on the verge of selling Tyncastle before Romanov stepped in when the debt was about half of what it is now. I think that if Romanov lost interest Tynecastle wold have to go but Heats would undoubtedly survive.

[RiG]

Announcement expected at 2:15  :003:

[RiG]

Gretna will struggle on but might not have a team for Saturday according to the BBC news ticker.

BBC Updated Story

[Kingsmills]

David Bingham's gravy train will have come to a shuddering halt. Still, he's had a pretty good ride for his money or rather for Brook Mileson's money.

I wonder whether he'll be content to continue to turn out for Cowdenbeath for ?30 a week rather than the ?1,500 a week he was reputed to earn under his long term contract with Gretna ?

[metalgecko]

To make matters worse for them it's been reported Raydale park was broken into overnight with boots and food stolen.

Police are now looking into the claim for ?350,000 worth of Cheerios cerial along with a canoe.

[MissICT]

i was listening to mfr this morning and i think it said that if Gretna fold before the end of the season all points wan against them could be taken away!!!

[Kingsmills]

That's correct.

[Guest Spectre]

Last paragraph of latest BBC news item on Gretna...

"Should Gretna go out of business, there would be no relegation from the SPL, while it is likely that all the points from the games they were involved in would be withdrawn."

We are 4 points from mathematical safety!

[Kingsmills]

What intrigues me is the comment that Motherwell have agreed to renegotiate the rent for Fir Park. Given Gretna's situation, which was well known to anyone with any knowledge of scottish football, I  am astonished by the thought that that agreement was entered into without the obligation being personally guaranteed by Mr Mileson.

[MissICT]

Last paragraph of latest BBC news item on Gretna...

"Should Gretna go out of business, there would be no relegation from the SPL, while it is likely that all the points from the games they were involved in would be withdrawn."

We are 4 points from mathematical safety!

that's rubbish!!

Kliment will be OK and so will Dundee united because they lost again ts them!!!

what an exiting season it'll be next season no one going down there will be only 11 teams because as it stands Hamilton can't come up and Gretna will be getting relegated!!

the same old Spl!!

[Kingsmills]

Whatever happens rest assured that next season's SPL will not be played out with only 11 teams. The SPL has been guilty of some very odd self serving decisions in the past but they are not that daft.

If necessary, the constitution will be reinvented on the hoof.

[MissICT]

so how are we going to gain our 12th team??

if Hamilton aren't allowed to come up??

[Scotty]

so how are we going to gain our 12th team?? if Hamilton aren't allowed to come up??

they will just change the rules .... its not like it hasnt happened before !

[ElderBoy]

Hamilton will obviously dig up there plastic pitch and lay a new grass pitch with undersoil heating then they can gain entry 2 the spl

[Kingsmills]

Are they not also short of theminimum capacity by a few hundred seats ?

[ElderBoy]

Are they not also short of theminimum capacity by a few hundred seats ?

yes they are heres where i got it from

clicky

[RiG]

What intrigues me is the comment that Motherwell have agreed to renegotiate the rent for Fir Park.

Motherwell have the most to lose if Gretna go bust having taken 9 points from them. Dundee United would be the biggest gainers having only beaten them once  :015:

[Heilandee]

so how are we going to gain our 12th team??

if Hamilton aren't allowed to come up??

That won't even be an issue!  :004:

[Kingsmills]

Why ? Do you expect St Johnstone to come with a late run  :003: :003:

[starchief]

If Gretna survive and the takeover works, do you think Gretna will leave their town a la MK Dons?

May not be a bad investment if they can tap into another population...trouble is, I can't see where that population may be without crossing to Carlisle or Ireland (and UEFA won't accept that).

Chris

[Kingsmills]

There are few, if any, substantial population centres left in Scotland without a league club.

[Caley]

I think anybody interested in taking over Gretna is doing it only to buy their SFL membership, what they plan to do with it after that is known only to themselves. They certainly won't be hanging around Gretna for long. A quick relocation and a change of name and before you know it Clydebank, Third Lanark, Pollock or whoever are playing in the SFL.

Personally, I would love to see a team based in Argyll  to replace Gretna in the Scottish leagues.

[Kingsmills]

If central belt clubs complain about travelling up the A9 to Inverness, I'd love to hear what they'd have to say about getting to Campbletown in January !