WITH Gretna just a few days from potentially being wound up, Spartans have re-iterated their desire to step in to the Irn-Bru Third Division if the cash-strapped club folds, according to the general manager of the East Seniors side, Derick Rodier.
The Borders club are in administration and were relegated from the Clydesdale Bank Premier League this season. The Black and Whites were then demoted another two divisions on Thursday after they failed to convince the Scottish Football League's an
nual general meeting that they will fulfil their fixtures next season. Gretna have until early next week to find a buyer.
Spartans' City Park ground, with a sloping pitch and limited facilities, was often the subject of derision by higher league clubs, notably Livingston who played there in a Scottish Cup tie in 2004, but the club has a proud record of competing well with senior clubs, with victories over Berwick Rangers, Alloa, Arbroath, Queen's Park. And a new era is under way as they are now due to play at a purpose-built development in the north of the Capital.
"We are making early preparations in case there is an application process," Rodier said.
"We are moving in to our new Ainslie Park stadium in the summer and the pitch will be ready for the end of August. The ground is SFL standard, it has a 500-seater stand and a capacity of between 2500 and 3000."
Spartans' East of Scotland opponents Annan Athletic are also in the frame.
Club secretary Alan Irving said: "We have notified the league of our interest if anything should happen."
Annan made an unsuccessful bid in 2000 when Peterhead and Elgin were admitted, and immediately embarked on an extensive upgrade of Galabank.
Irving said: "We have a new 500-seater stand and concrete terracing right round the ground.
"The only stumbling block might be the floodlights. We have planning permission to erect them and we were in the throes of trying to get funding before all this blew up. That was planned to happen this calendar year."
Highland League champions Cove Rangers are keen to step up, but they may not be ready.
"We have never hidden the fact we would be applying for membership of the Scottish League. Our application would be based on us sharing a purpose-built new community facility, which is already well at the advanced stages of planning," said Cove chairman Keith Moorhouse.
"A new stadium would not be ready in time for next season."
The full article contains 432 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
