Annan Athletic replace Gretna in Scottish football league
To the delight of at least one of the Scots Law News team, Annan Athletic FC won the competition to be the team to replace the late lamented Gretna FC in the Scottish Football League on 3 July 2008.
Annan succeeded despite finishing seventh in the East of Scotland League in season 2007-2008, behind other contenders Spartans (3rd), Edinburgh City (4th) and Preston (5th). One wonders if geographical proximity to Gretna was any factor in the voting. If so, the fifth contender for the SFL place, Cove Rangers of the Highland League who are based near Aberdeen, never had any chance.
Annan natives point out that the team's lowly league finish last season is by no means the whole story. According to the SFL committee examining the matter, Annan's was the best technical bid, while the team has won the premier non-league cup competition – the Scottish Qualifying Cup South and the new replacement trophy – for the past two years.
Scots Law News wishes the new boys an absence of both eccentric, unhealthy millionaires and bandwagon-joining, football-metaphor-spinning politicians.