ACROSS THE BORDER AND BACK

June 3rd 2008 saw the resignation of Gretna FC from the Scottish League. Founded in the 19th C as Gretna Green FC, they played local leagues. The club then was reformed in 1946 by local servicemen after the war, The Anvils played in the English "amateur" leagues originally, like the Carlisle and District League, the Northern League Div 2 and the Northern Premier League.
In the 1990s they played in the English FA Cup, the only Scottish club to achieve this since Queen's Park in 1887.


They were playing in the English Northern League in 2001/2 and then applied and were accepted into the Scottish League, replacing Airdrieonians. In 2007/8 they had been to the Scottish Cup Final (June 3rd), losing on a penalty shoot out to Hearts. They played in the UEFA Cup as a result.

It then all went downhill with not much money, the club still playing at Raydale Park. Their financier pulled out with ill health also and the club went into administration, coming bottom of the SPL attracting crowds of only 450. The club was demoted to the 4th Tier in Scotland and went into liquidation, resigning from the Scottish League, reforming in the East of Scotland FL in July under the new name of Gretna 2008.

Today's National League Paper contained a letter from a chap in Topsham, Devon, who was concerned that Berwick Rangers FC (founded 1884) had dropped below the Scottish League Division Two, into the Lowland League. Before their relegation, the Borderers were the only England club to play in the Scottish Professional Football League.  He wrote that there was a possibility of Gateshead collapsing, allowing Berwick Rangers to join the English National League North, geographically a reasonable suggestion, Berwick-on-Tweed of course, being in England. Why not Gretna!!

Following  this season's Play-offs in Scotland, Cove Rangers from the Highland League won promotion to the Scottish League defeating Berwick Rangers, from the Lowland Football League, 7-0 over two legs, gaining promotion to the Third Division. The story is, the paper felt, that the Scottish pyramid is gaining in strength; 7-0?? maybe bits of it?

Meanwhile by in England, in 1950 the Football League was expanded to 92 clubs from 88. Two clubs joined each of the regionalised Third Divisions; South: Colchester and Gillingham and North: Scunthorpe and Lindsey Utd and Shrewsbury Town. They played each other on the first day of the new season each game ending 0-0. All four remain in the FL!!