Gretna's name in cup hat as talks go on

Published on Wednesday 28 May 2008 23:32

GRETNA'S name will be included in the hat for today's Challenge Cup draw as the Scottish Football League seeks to keep alive the prospect of the club surviving beyond this summer.

Talks took place yesterday between the SFL, the joint-administrators for Gretna and representatives from the Glasgow-based consortium currently in negotiations to the buy the club. More formal discussions will take place at the management committee meeting which will take place prior to this afternoon's SFL annual general meeting.

After this the draw for the first round of the Challenge Cup will be made. Provided Gretna, who were relegated from the Scottish Premier League, do not receive a bye the club will be expected to fulfil a fixture on the weekend of 26/27 July.

The First Division campaign kicks-off the following weekend, although Gretna's participation in either competition remains in doubt. The club's future will be at the top of the agenda at Hampden Park today, a week after the end of the SPL season.

"There is a formal process whereby promotion and relegation matters need to be ratified by the management committee," said SFL operations director David Thomson. "For the last two or three months, when Gretna have been in administration, they have been a member of the SPL."

Time is running out to an elect a new club to the SFL should Gretna fold. Administrators Wilson Field made all players and staff redundant last week, and the club are not assured of joining the Irn-Bru First Division even if a takeover is completed.

Gretna were relegated after being hit with a ten-point penalty by the Scottish Premier League but their Raydale Park ground does not currently meet First Division standards.

Taking priority at the moment is finding an interested party willing to purchase Gretna.

A consortium headed by football agent Paul Davies has expressed an interest in paying the 850,000 needed to make the club operational again but has sought talks with the SFL to clarify issues such as those with the stadium, where Gretna have not played since their promotion season in 2006-07. The administrator was also seeking clarification on various matters, including the rules for clubs in administration.

"To be fair to the SFL, it would be unfair to try and preempt what might happen during the course of the next few days or weeks," said Thomson.