So their dream has turned into a nightmare. It's just a shame for the supporters that it's turned out this way. But they were never a SPL club,
lucky if they were a 1st Division team, they just didn't have the fan base to back the grandeur plans of Mr Mileson. But then again what a rollercoaster
ride they were on - is it better to have 5 years of success rather than languishing around in the basement for years like East Stirling? Is it better to burn
out than to fade away?!!
What does anyone else think?
0 Kudo
Gretna
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 elgincity |
Gretna |
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Posts: 1250 (13/03/2008 23:05:10) |
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Noall |
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Posts: 836 (14/03/2008 08:09:41) |
The SPL must accept responsibility for the demise of Gretna. They should never have allowed them to make the step up. Gretna never had the infrastructure to
sustain life in the SPL and as a result may join the ranks of other clubs resigned to the history books now. The SPL must bail them out at least until the end
of the season.
Is it better to burn out than to fade away?!! Ask that question to the people who work for Gretna FC who can't pay their mortgage this month and will be looking for a new job now.
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Am Muilleach |
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Posts: 454 (14/03/2008 13:52:34) Local user |
It's the fans I feel sorry for - the real fans, not the ones who jumped on the "Living the Dream" nonsense. These guys were happy going to watch
Gretna in the Unibond League and then in the Scottish League after they were elected - I would imagine that, for most, that was living the dream!
Would I prefer to burn out or fade away? Well, neither actually! If you base your progress on a solid business plan and live within your means I see no reason why you can't succeed and remain a success. It's just you need to measure you success in a realistic way. I doubt Elgin City will ever play in the SPL - I can live with that! However, why shouldn't we challenge for the second (or even first) division? |
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elgincity |
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Posts: 1251 (15/03/2008 12:47:10) |
Yes, of course you're right about the burn out or fade away comment. Every team should live within their means and be realistic. There is no harm in
dreaming though! What Mileson should have done is invest in the ground and set up a proper infrastructure like a youth academy or artificial pitches which
would bring in revenue outwith the club.
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Pirate Mo |
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Posts: 39 (18/03/2008 10:30:02) |
A good point Elgincity, especially the one about artificial pitches which would be an investment for the future.
This is one area where Noall and I definately agree, and I would like to think that the powers that be at Borough Briggs see sense in the future. |
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Pirate Mo |
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Posts: 45 (27/03/2008 13:30:22) |
Seeing the latest news from Gretna yesterday,and having been into their website, and looked at the local press reports from the area, I am really disappointed
with the way things have turned out, and have changed my opinion of a man who I previosly had a lot of respect for.
In the chats I had with Brooks Mileson before and after our games with Gretna when they were in the Third Division, I sort of bought into his dream and ambition for the football club, and have closely followed their progress since. However, since the recent demise of the club, and the way things have been handled, I am now seeing a completely different agenda to the whole sorry episode. I realise the man himself is ill, but it had been well publisised that should anything ever have happened to him, it had been set up that the club would be well catered for, and that finance was in place to ensure that it survived for a very long time. Also, his son was involved as Operations Manager at the club, and this should have ensured stability and continuity. Now, it seems that all are bailing out, and the conclusion for me is that it was not one man's dreams of what was best for Gretna, but one man's crusade to be able to prove he could do it, which he achieved. However, now that he has done it, he has had enough on the game, and it's costs, and has bailed out, which will now, by all accounts, result in Gretna going into extinction at the end of the season. |
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Noall |
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Posts: 837 (27/03/2008 19:09:56) |
Why don't they play their remaining fixtures away and share gate money 50/50 ish? Surely playing Celtic at Parkhead would have generated more money for
them? A bus trip to Inverness must be cheaper than hiring Almondvale?
I suspect that Mileson has been shafted by the leeches of Football. Gretna had money and no doubt had advice from people who told him they could help the club for a small fee of course. |
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Pirate Mo |
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Posts: 46 (27/03/2008 20:00:18) |
Hi Noall,
No, Brooks Mileson was very much a one man operator, it was his way or no way. And you're right about the fixtures, but I thinkthat there is somerule that prevents this from happening, as all teams could claim financial problems, and play all their old firm fixturs away from home. It's the same as cup ties, if a club gets a home draw against bigger opposition, and they want to switch the fixture to benefit, they can't give up ground rights to the big team and get the full benefits, but, on agreement, they can switch to anotherneutral ground, with the agreement of the other club. |
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Noall |
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Posts: 838 (28/03/2008 07:27:31) |
Hi Mo
Remember David Bingham swanning about (£1500 per week)? Mileson kept coming to where I stood on matchday for a +**, I didn't know how to take him. It's a pity common sense couldn't override the rules. Fir Park is unplayable and instead of playing away, they have to hire another ground so both sets of fans have to travel. |
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Pirate Mo |
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Posts: 47 (28/03/2008 16:52:39) |
Hi Noall,
Yes, the whole thing has turned sour, and the ones who will suffer are the small band of Gretna fans, who have also been caught up on the roller coaster. It is them who will have to go without a football team in the future, and with the financial situation, Raydale will probably dissappear into a housing scheme as well. It really is a sad thing to happen, and is maybe a warning to other clubs to make sure that before selling out to an Investor, they get written guarantees that the Investors intentions are honorouble. I hope that in the future, Gretna do get back into football again at whatever level, and I'm sure that they will have learned from this experience. It must be really hard for the fans to look at the clubs Senior history over the last five years: Third Division Champions, Second Division Champions, First Division Champions, Scottish Cup Runners Up ----- then DEFUNCT. It's quite unbeleivable !!!!! |
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Noall |
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Posts: 839 (28/03/2008 17:06:45) |
The blanked out word is f.a.g. (cigarette) is this an American run board? lol
EUFA Cup as well. |
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