The end is nigh for Gretna as demotion signals death knell for the club

The Scottish Football League yesterday voted to dump them into the Third Division and said that unless a new owner is found by the start of the week Gretna must fold.

With no guarantee that they could fulfil their fixtures next season and with a ground that falls way below standards, the club's demise is certain.

Death of a dream: Gretna are set to go out of business after reaching the Scottish Premier League

David Elliot of Sheffield-based administrators Wilson Field had been negotiating with a consortium fronted by football agent Paul Davies but there is now no prospect of that deal being done.

SFL chief executive David Longmuir confirmed that play-off losers Airdrie United will be promoted to the First Division, while Stranraer go up to the Second.

A third team will win election to the bottom tier of the SFL to fill the space vacated by Gretna. Longmuir said: "The administrator did not see a sustainable business plan on the table from the third party trying to buy Gretna. We agreed with that - and found many fundamental flaws in that business plan. It was based on a number of things that were just not right.

"We also had to recognise that there has been no work done at Raydale Park since 2006 - and the ground was going to be an issue for us.

"The third party was also unable to provide clarity about the club's football debt. The administrators have a matter of days before we bring in someone else to the SFL. I would hope that we will have total clarity by very early next week."

He added: "We had to make sure we protected the integrity of our league. There was no commitment from the administrator that Gretna could fulfil the fixtures at all in the coming season, which means we had to do what we thought was right for our league."

When Gretna fold, the SFL will invite applicants to take their place in the Third Division - with Edinburgh side Spartans believed to be front-runners.

Gretna no more: A player looks over a wall at the Raydale Park stadium in Gretna that will be sold off to pay back debts after the dream Brooks Mileson chased went askew

Gretna were admitted to the league in 2002 and swiftly rose up the league under the ownership of millionaire Brooks Mileson.

But he withdrew his backing after falling ill during the club's maiden SPL season and vanished, leaving Gretna £4million in debt, and the club's fall back down the divisions has been even more rapid than its ascent.

A number of players were sacked when the club entered administration and its remaining 40 staff were axed earlier this month, including players and interim coach Mick Wadsworth.

Sportsmail believes no SFL club spoke up in Gretna's favour, although Airdrie United and Stranraer did not take part in proceedings because they stood to benefit from Gretna's demise.

Airdrie United, who lost in the First Division Play-off Final to Clyde after finishing second in Division Two, will be in next season's First Division and manager Kenny Black believed the decision to demote Gretna was long overdue.

He said: "Somebody up there likes us. We haven't had much luck recently so I'm delighted. We would like to have gone up as champions but we were fortunate enough to take advantage of this situation.

"I have sympathy with the people at Gretna, the players, the staff and the fans. But the SFL gave them as long as they could. We have been waiting to hear the decision because it has dragged on.

"We are looking forward to next season. Some might see us as the whipping boys and feel that we are guaranteed to go back down. But that is a challenge I relish and I am determined to keep Airdrie in the First Division."

Chairman Jim Ballantyne added: 'It's a sad day for Gretna but we have benefited from it and we will accept it. But the decision didn't come as a total surprise to us.

"As a business, you have to be aware of all eventualities and it was always in the background. We have been in the First Division before for a few years and it's a totally different ball game. What we need to do this time is consolidate."