Annan clinch SFL place as Spartans and City lose out

Published on Thursday 3 July 2008 13:26

ANNAN ATHLETIC have been admitted to the Scottish Football League after winning a vote to replace Gretna.

At a meeting at Hampden this afternoon, the 29 SFL clubs voted in favour of the East of Scotland League team being invited to join the Irn-Bru Third Division.

Spartans, Edinburgh City, Preston Athletic and Cove Rangers had also applied to take the place left vacant by Gretna, who went out of business after being relegated from the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

SFA chief executive Gordon Smith said: "It was a pity that, because of the demise of Gretna, this position had come up regarding the vacancy in the league.

"However, there were five very strong candidates to take their place and there was a very competitive race between them to win entry into the league.

"I feel sorry for the four of them who were unsuccessful, but congratulate Annan Athletic on getting the position in the league and would like to wish them all the very best for the future.

"To the other four clubs, I would say that they should continue the work that they are doing and that sometime in the future there maybe a system in place that allows them to get entry into the Scottish League."