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The club that vanished- The story of Gretna


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I take it everyone on here was rooting for Hearts in the penalty shoot out in the Scottish Cup final?

Strangely as an East Fife fan, and we had the most to lose in that game, I found myself cheering on Gretna, or more specifically King Kenny Deuchar.

Don't ask me to rationalise that but believe me I was...

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I wanted Gretna to win too, purely for the few hundred that turned out to see them in the Northern Dairies League Division Two (or whatever). They must've thought they were dreaming.

Worth bearing in mind that none of us are safe from the hubris of a smug millionaire who fancies a bit of self-publicity. Even clubs like Chelsea might still have cause to regret their wealthy philanthropist.

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I wanted Gretna to win too, purely for the few hundred that turned out to see them in the Northern Dairies League Division Two (or whatever). They must've thought they were dreaming.

Worth bearing in mind that none of us are safe from the hubris of a smug millionaire who fancies a bit of self-publicity. Even clubs like Chelsea might still have cause to regret their wealthy philanthropist.

agree although I doubt that even a million would do much damage these days. Real problem is the supposed millionaire who invests nothing but creates masses of liabilities and debts...
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I wanted Gretna to win too, purely for the few hundred that turned out to see them in the Northern Dairies League Division Two (or whatever). They must've thought they were dreaming.

Worth bearing in mind that none of us are safe from the hubris of a smug millionaire who fancies a bit of self-publicity. Even clubs like Chelsea might still have cause to regret their wealthy philanthropist.

Gretna's crowds even when they were successful in the Northern League would probably less than 200. They were one of the poorer supported sides in the Northern Premier League especially during the later years when they were struggling. Last time I was across there for a game with Witton Albion during the 99/00 season they announced the crowd as just 95.

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They never mentioned that they didn't play a SPL team until the final, nor the blatant penalty we never got in the first game.

Horrible club.

I was at the Broadwood tie (same day as Hibs gubbed Rangers 3-0 at Ibrox if I remember correctly) on some work experience reporting on the game. Clyde were really unfortunate that day; they were the better side and recall that they were denied a clear penalty.

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I was at the Broadwood tie (same day as Hibs gubbed Rangers 3-0 at Ibrox if I remember correctly) on some work experience reporting on the game. Clyde were really unfortunate that day; they were the better side and recall that they were denied a clear penalty.

And Alex Williams got sent off for managing to not retaliate after Innes kicked him (both got sent off).

Horrible team.

Disliked everything about them (particularly James Grady).

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And Alex Williams got sent off for managing to not retaliate after Innes kicked him (both got sent off).

Horrible team.

Disliked everything about them (particularly James Grady).

Wasn't it Chris Higgins??? As a club, what irked me was the sense of how easily and readily their success came and went with not so much as a sigh. As much as i may have felt a little sympathy for the three dozen and a dog who.watched them pre 2002, our visits there did not rate highly on the scale or comparison of the Highland teams, whose success and growth occurred in tandem with ours, and both Caley and County, moreso the former given there was a tense merger, had had real fans and real people running things. I genuinely cheered every Hearts tackle in that final too. What made it worse was that of the two egomaniacal headcases running the clubs, one had visions of turning Hearts into a genuine force to be reckoned with. The other simply pished himself laughing at how easily he made a mockery of the Scottish game.
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Wasn't it Chris Higgins??? As a club, what irked me was the sense of how easily and readily their success came and went with not so much as a sigh. As much as i may have felt a little sympathy for the three dozen and a dog who.watched them pre 2002, our visits there did not rate highly on the scale or comparison of the Highland teams, whose success and growth occurred in tandem with ours, and both Caley and County, moreso the former given there was a tense merger, had had real fans and real people running things. I genuinely cheered every Hearts tackle in that final too. What made it worse was that of the two egomaniacal headcases running the clubs, one had visions of turning Hearts into a genuine force to be reckoned with. The other simply pished himself laughing at how easily he made a mockery of the Scottish game.

Williams got sent off (a joke) in the first game.

McKeown (I think) got sent off in the replay.

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Williams got sent off (a joke) in the first game.

McKeown (I think) got sent off in the replay.

On reflection you're right. I do recall Higgjns had a running scrap with Deuchar and Grady the following season, but it was indeed McKeown who got the red in the replay. Speaking of....how ill prepared they were for each and every visit we made there got me more and more annoyed with them. f**k knows how they coped with larger supports.

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I'm sure Brooks donated about £10k to our supporters trust to help fund a fans takeover of the club too. If anything, his influence on Berwick Rangers was probably greater than anything at Gretna considering we aren't dead and the money actually went to use.

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Chris Higgins was sent off right at the end of the first game. He missed the replay as it was only for two yellows, whereas Williams was available.

St Mirren (who admittedly beat us 4 times that year) then an awful Dundee team stood between us and the final and Iain Brines cost us. No doubt about it. The second game and the weather conditions which meant our 'keeper couldn't clear 25 yards with his goal kicks was a joke.

I did enjoy the games in general though. Joe Miller's team in particular gave them all sorts of problems the year they won Division 1.

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Always enjoyed a trip to Gretna, good day out! Except the obvious... Apart from that everything else was shit however it wasn't nice to see them fold up. Never want that for any club however yer man Brooks is at blame for that.

What were the names of the mouthy Greetna "fans" on here again?

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