Gretna F.C. 2008

Football club infobox
clubname = Gretna


fullname = Gretna Football Club 2008
nickname =
founded = 2008
ground = Everholm Stadium,
Annan (temporary)
capacity =
manager = Stuart Rome
mgrtitle = Manager
chairman = Anton Hodge
league = East of Scotland Football League Division One
season =
position =
pattern_la1=_white_hoops
pattern_b1=_whitehoops
pattern_ra1=_white_hoops
leftarm1=000000
body1=000000
rightarm1=000000
shorts1=FFFFFF
socks1=FFFFFF
pattern_la2=
pattern_b2=
pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=3333FF
body2=3333FF
rightarm2=3333FF
shorts2=3333FF
socks2=3333FF

Gretna Football Club 2008,The club trades under the name Gretna FC 2008 Ltd to avoid confusion with the old Gretna FC. Reference: cite web | url=http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/7bf1321daa2ae8a77f377a0dbf2f5daa/compdetails | title=Company Details: GRETNA FC 2008 LIMITED | publisher=Companies House ] commonly referred to as Gretna 2008 and colloquially as Gretna, is an association football club representing the town of Gretna, Scotland. It was founded in 2008 after the bankruptcy and demise of Gretna FC, which had previously represented the town since 1946. While representing the same town and with a similar fanbase, Gretna 2008 is not a direct continuation of the old club, being under a completely different management and setup. [cite news | url=http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/Gretna-given-place-in-the.4279463.jp | title=Gretna given place in the East of Scotland League | work=The Scotsman | date=2008-07-11 | quote='We are obviously a new club carrying on the traditions of the old club and there is no connection with the old club other than the similarity in name,' said Hodge. ]

The club currently plays in the East of Scotland Football League Division One. Despite representing Gretna, the team currently plays at the Everholm Stadium in Annan, eight miles away and has never played in the town of Gretna, although the club's board harbours hopes of one day returning to Raydale Park, home of the old Gretna FC.

History

The original Gretna FC was founded in 1946, and joined the Scottish Football League in 2002. After being taken over by the millionaire Brooks Mileson, the club had a meteoric rise, gaining promotion three years in a row to make the Scottish Premier League in 2007. However, the club could not financially support itself and following Mileson's illness and withdrawal of financial support, the club slipped into administration and then bankruptcy in the summer of 2008. The club were relegated from the SPL and then forced to resign their place in the Scottish Football League. [cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7434137.stm | title=How Gretna paid the ultimate price | work=BBC Sport | date=2008-06-04 ]

With Gretna FC heading out of business, on July 2 2008 the Gretna Supporters' Society, a supporters' trust, founded "a new Gretna Football Club", and appointed Anton Hodge as chairman.cite web | url=http://www.gretnasupporterssociety.co.uk/#/clubstatement/4530294612 | title=Club Statement | publisher=Gretna Supporters' Society ] The new club is wholly owned by the Society and its board elected by the Society's members. The club appointed the University of Cumbria's football officer Stuart Rome as team manager and recruited much of the playing squad from Workington's reserve team. [cite news | url=http://www.peeblesshirenews.com/articles/2/26488 | title=Gretna 'hope to do the East League proud' | work=Peeblesshire News | date=2008-07-22 ] Technically, Gretna 2008 coexisted briefly with the old Gretna FC, which was not formally liquidated until August 8 2008. [cite news | url=http://www.cumberland-news.co.uk/1.218555 | title=Liquidation signals the final nail in Gretna coffin | work=The Cumberland News | date=2008-08-08 ]

Unable to play at the old Gretna's home ground of Raydale Park, they instead moved into the Everholm Stadium in Annan.cite news | url=http://www.cumberland-news.co.uk/1.202623 | title=Gretna are saved – but they will be playing in Annan | work=The Cumberland News | date=2008-07-12 ] Gretna 2008 played their first match, against Workington on July 12 2008. [cite web | url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football-news/scottish-football/junior-football/2008/07/12/stuart-rome-leads-gretna-fc-2008-into-battle-for-first-time-86908-20640882/ | title=Stuart Rome leads Gretna FC 2008 into battle for first time | work=Daily Record | date=2008-07-12 ] Four days later, they were successfully accepted into the East of Scotland Football League First Division [cite news | url=http://www.dgstandard.co.uk/dumfries-sport/dumfries-football/gretna-fc/2008/07/16/new-gretna-club-joins-east-league-51311-21342549/ | title=New Gretna club joins East league | work=Dumfries and Galloway Standard | date=2008-07-16 ] and on August 9 won their first competitive match as a new club, beating fc|Kelso United 3–0 away in their first match of the league season. [cite web | url=http://www.dgstandard.co.uk/dumfries-sport/dumfries-football/gretna-fc/2008/08/15/perfect-start-for-gretna-51311-21535586/ | title=Perfect start for Gretna | work=Dumfries and Galloway Standard | date=2008-08-15 ]

Colours and badge

Gretna 2008's colours are black and white hoops. [http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Gretna-are-on-the-long.4442590.jp Gretna are on the long road back] , "The Scotsman", 30 August 2008.] Gretna FC had used white shirts after Brooks Mileson took control of the club, but black and white hoops were the club's traditional colours.

The badge of the club is largely similar to that of Gretna FC, except that 2008 has been added to reflect the change of status in that year. The anvil represents Gretna's reputation as a popular site for weddings, and the thistles represent the club's Scottish location. The administrator of Gretna FC sold the rights of their badge to the owners of Gretna 2008.

References

External links

* [http://www.gretnasupporterssociety.co.uk/ Official website]