MSP backing Spartans' bid for promotion

CITY football club Spartans are the most deserving case to be promoted into the full professional Scottish league set-up, a prominent MSP has said.

Edinburgh North and Leith MSP Malcolm Chisholm said the void left in Division Three by Gretna should be filled by the club, soon to move into a state-of-the-art community football ground.

Spartans are currently one of several amateur sides being considered for the promotion. Others include Cove Rangers and Annan Athletic, but bookies have made Spartans – where Celtic manager Gordon Strachan played football as a youth – favourites to secure the place.

Mr Chisholm said: "There is much excitement about the rapid progress of the Spartans Community Football Academy.

"It will be a massive resource for the local community. There could also be an added bonus for Spartans over and above a splendid new ground. There is a vacancy for a Third Division side and who des-erves that more than Spartans?"

Spartans will find out the fate of their application in the next few weeks.