Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Chopper'
Well said Lions!
The more I think about it the more I feel that Gretna should perhaps seek a voluntary 'demotion' and start afresh in the 3rd Division with their youth team. If they're so broke that they can't afford even knackered old pros (like me!  ) in the 1st Division and are forced to play their kids they're going to be relegated again, and again so why not bite the bullet and give the lads at least a fighting chance in a Division that's the poorest in terms of standards, finance and attendances.
If they did and the tables stayed as they are this is how it would work:
SPL
Relegated - Gretna
Division 1
Promoted [to SPL] - Hamilton
Relegated [to 2nd Division] - Stirling
Division 2
Promoted [to 1st Division] - Ross County
Relegated - [to 3rd Division] None
Division 3
Promoted [to 2nd Division] - East Fife (replaced by Gretna).
Would they attract any fans playing in the 3rd Division? Bear in mind that if every person in Gretna, yes, EVERY person, went to their home games they'd only get a 2,705 crowd! Their 'home' game at Fir Park against Dundee United a week or so ago attracted a total of just 501 paying fans, setting a new record low attendance at an SPL match! This number was also lower than the lowest attendance in the Scottish First Division this season to date!!
The average attendances for Third Division clubs for season 2006/07 were as follows:
Arbroath 730
Dumbarton 709
Queen's Park 590
Berwick Rangers 565
East Fife 546
Montrose 463
Stenhousemuir 461
Albion Rovers 431
Elgin City 423
East Stirlingshire 307 |
You maybe right in your thoughts there m8,Gretna are doomed for the drop in divison anyway regardless to the financial situation,even if they wasn't in the hands of Wilson Field.
But as they are and striffing for exsistance your thoughts are the most practicle solution to their plight at the moment,yes like you said with Gretna now looking at playing their youths rather than harden pros to be able to save on expenses the third division seems the most logical route to take.
At least that way they can as already said rebuild from the foundations upwards,and by the time the youth players have mutured and progressed in the experiances Gretna should be stable enough to hold themselves within the second for a while,to build in strength and financially even more.
As quoted by yourself
Their 'home' game at Fir Park against Dundee United a week or so ago attracted a total of just 501 paying fans, setting a new record low attendance at an SPL match! This number was also lower than the lowest attendance in the Scottish First Division this season to date!! I remember seeing and hearing this about Gretna's game,but if you put that gate into comparisons to what figures you have written,it would be enough for them to steady the ship as it works out about the average game attendance in the third teir.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tigers_babe2006
Very funny 'chopper' 
Saw the news conference and there is still hope but not much by the looks of it. There isn't a team for saturday's game against Aberdeen which could lead to fines and other penalties which would not bode well to say the least. The players have been told they have got until 27th March to find new club if they wish. Looks like Gretna is doomed to me. |
To say they have no team for Saturdays Aberdeen game isnt so,as they have their youths that can be fielded.
Yes granted it will mean a possible walk-over for the Dons,but at least it will prevent any further fines and sanctions being imposed on Gretna.Yet if they before saturday take the option stated by Chopper of voluntary relegation into the third teir,it would also evade that sole choice of action to play youths in the SPL on Saturday.
Not only that it would also save the youngsters from starting their full-time career as footballers getting their mentality and confidence knocked so bad it effects their future prospects of ever acheiving things later on in football.As i have seen one or two youths myself suffer so badly when first starting that their confidence was knocked that bad,they never even made it back playing in a non-league team and ended up just strolling through life with nothing to strive for.
Yet these very same players where and are good enough to be playing at least Championship football,and it would be ashame to see similar happen with the youth of Gretna,hense myself agreeing with Chopper and declaring voluntary relegation before saturday,and if not then they have a choice of playing youth against the Dons or completly folding before giving themselves a chance under the Wilson Field solvency Company..Never say Never is an apt motto for Gretna at the moment.
