Gretna have resigned from the Scottish Football League and will have to be replaced in the Third Division.
Troubled club relinquish league status
Gretna have resigned from the Scottish Football League and will have to be replaced in the Third Division.
Gretna were relegated two divisions by the Scottish Football League last week and the only remaining party in talks to buy the club withdrew their interest as a result.
They have now relinquished their league status just six years after being admitted to senior football.
"The administrators sent in a formal resignation in writing and we accepted it with immediate effect," said SFL chief executive David Longmuir.
"We are now inviting applications for a new club to join. It is very sad, but we did what we could to help Gretna and gave them every possibility.
"However, the administrators (Wilson Field Ltd) have said they cannot go on any further with the club and were unable to give a commitment to playing football."
Spartans in the running
Administrators announced on Monday that they would consider offers for Gretna's home Raydale Park, and the club now looks set to go out of existence after all staff were made redundant last month.
Chairman Ron MacGregor has spoken of a possible resurrection with the formation of a new club in the town one option being explored, but for now Gretna's demise leaves a vacancy in the Third Division.
East of Scotland side Spartans are the early favourites to become the latest members of the SFL, while rivals Annan are also interested in taking over from Gretna but floodlights need to be erected at their Galabank ground.
The SFL have set a deadline of Thursday June 12 for prospective new clubs to apply for membership.
