Club statement:
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Chairman Ron MacGregor has applauded the Scottish Premier League for safeguarding the immediate future of the club.
With increasing financial difficulties due to owner Brooks Mileson’s ill health, Gretna have been granted an advance on their share of television and prize money, which is normally presented at the end of the season.
This ensures the Black and Whites will fulfil all remaining fixtures, although insolvency experts Wilson Field Ltd are expected to take control of the club on Wednesday.
“We have had tremendous support in terms of advice and loan money from the Scottish Premier League,” he said.
“Considering we are their newest member, and probably their short-lived member for the moment, they have been very good with us.”
“They are making available a loan. It is a loan against money that would have been due to us at the end of April anyway.”
“But making this loan money available will enable the staff and players to be paid this week. Then after that, it’s into the administrators’ hands.”
Following the club’s announcement of their intention to appoint an administrator, the SPL confirmed the sporting sanctions which would apply in the event of such an appointment.
An SPL spokesman said: “If an SPL club is the subject of an insolvency event, a ten point deduction would apply immediately. The club would also be embargoed from signing any new players.”
“The notice of the intention to appoint an administrator alone does not trigger the sporting sanctions - it is the actual appointment of an administrator which does.”
“If an administrator is indeed appointed we will seek an early meeting with him or her to discuss the plans for Gretna FC going forward and how we can best support these.”
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The Scotsman:
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THE postponement of last night's Scottish Premier League fixture with St Mirren was described as a blessing by Gretna chairman Ron MacGregor as the club prepared to welcome administrators through its front door this morning.
David Elliot and Lisa Hogg, from the Sheffield-based insolvency practitioners Wilson Field, have been handed the responsibility of keeping the ailing club in business. One of their first chores will be to examine the players' salary roll, and decide who are the biggest burdens to the club in terms of wages.
Also present in the tray marked 'important' is the issue of a loan from the SPL. Iain Blair, the SPL secretary, will meet the administrators this morning in an effort to gain some assurances with regard to the loan, which is related to fees the club is still to receive from the league. The money was said to be going through the banking system on Monday, but is still not available to help pay the players this week.
"We haven't been able to apply it yet," revealed MacGregor. "I hope it can be moved along and hope there are no hiccups. He (Blair] has to look at it in the context of whether there is any difference in the situation now the club is in administration. He has to satisfy the SPL board. And I hope he will."
With the club now effectively relegated – the 10 point deduction triggered by administration leaves Gretna 21 points behind 11th placed St Mirren – there is no desperate need to retain the best players, but the first-team squad was last night spared being expected to fulfil a fixture while futures remained in limbo. Gretna's match with St Mirren was called off yesterday morning due to a waterlogged pitch and the players were not required to attend Raydale Park. They will return to the ground this morning and face another harrowing day.
"If we were a couple of weeks further back we would be very frustrated at not getting a chance to have a go at St Mirren," said MacGregor. "But with all that has happened this week it is probably a good thing for the players. We have a long haul up to Aberdeen on Saturday, and there's no question of us playing St Mirren next week because they have their cup replay with St Johnstone.
"After the Aberdeen trip the decks are cleared ahead of our game with Celtic the following Sunday. I think we are all looking forward to that because it will be our final game with one or other of the Old Firm teams, and should provide us with a memory if we don't come this way again."
But before this pair of fixtures Gretna must brace themselves for swingeing cut-backs and the inevitable termination of staff contracts. Director of Football Development is likely to be regarded as a dispensable position, although this is complicated by Mick Wadsworth's recent move into the caretaker manager seat.
No contact has been made with owner Brooks Mileson since the club's fall into administration was confirmed on Monday, with his director son, Craig, described as "worn out" by recent events.
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The Daily Record:
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SANDWICH chain Subway will pull the plug on Gretna at the end of the season.
The US-owned outfit, who ploughed cash into the crippled SPL club at the start of the season, will continue their sponsorship until summer then quit.
And as administrators prepare to take over the running of the club this morning, the entire first-team squad could be axed, forcing Gretna to field their youth team.
Subway had planned to extend their backing into next season, even if the club had been relegated but now managing director Brooks Mileson has revealed he will no longer inject cash into the hard-up club, the sandwich giants appear to have had their fill of Gretna.
Mileson pulled off a major coup by getting Subway on board. It was the club's biggest sponsorship deal and at the time the owner pledged to invest in the squad to cope with the demands of the SPL.
Now, however, they are dangerously close to extinction, having received a crisis loan from the SPL to help them see out their league fixtures.
Today every member of the first-team squad could be axed if they refuse to take massive pay cuts.
Administrators Wilson Field will announce redundancies and Record Sport understands those players who remain will have to see out the season without bonus payments.
Caretaker manager and director of football Mick Wadsworth is waiting to learn his own fate but, if he remains in charge, he may only have youth players left to choose from.
Last night he said: "If the administrators are that draconian then being left with young lads would be the natural conclusion.
"I don't know what my own situation will be and I could well be out of a job.
"This has been tortuous for myself and the club and this administration could be unprecedented.
"Other clubs who face administration have assets and players they can sell but I don't know if we have that.
"I don't know how feasible it is to have youth players in place of the first team."
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Sad to see the demise of a wee team universally liked in Scotland. Shame.
BOYCOTT SUBWAY! says 'Chopper'.