A BREIF HISTORY OF GRETNA FC

Gretna Football Club was formed in July 1946, with assistance and professional advice from the Messrs. McKinnell (Senior and Junior) of Queen Of The South F. C. and under the chairmanship of Jock Kerr, an ex-professional player himself.

The club played it’s inaugural season in the Dumfries Junior League. The following season the decision was taken to transfer to the Carlisle and District League where the club remained until 1982, with the exception of season 1951-52 when it competed in the newly formed Cumberland League which folded after only one season.
Amongst the club’s best known players of this successful era were Billy Cross who skippered the team for several years without missing a match, and strikers Dennis "Touchy" Smith and the late Tommy McFarlane who each hold the distinction of scoring over 100 goals in a season.

Off the field the club progressed with the opening of a new social club in March 1970, by Sir Hector Monro M. P. to replace the one originally erected in 1958. Season 1981-82 saw the club take over the running of the Sunday Market held on it’s spacious car park. Since then income from the market has provided a much-needed financial base for the Football Club.

Six consecutive Carlisle and District League titles proved that the club was becoming too strong for it’s local surroundings. The club was admitted to the newly formed Second Division of the Northern League in 1982 and spent over £100,000 on upgrading the ground to the standards required by the League.

Promotion to the First Division was achieved at the first attempt and the club spent nine successful seasons at this level culminating in back-to-back championships in 1990-91 and 1991-92, the latter ensuring promotion to the First Division of the Northern Premier League.
In 1999 Gretna beat Glasgow Rangers ( Virtually the first team) 2-1 in a match arranged to raise money the Lockerbie Air Disaster.
In their first season in the NPL the club finished sixth and reached the semi-final of the League Cup.

Although the team was not able to match that League position again in the nineties they hit national headlines by reaching the 1st round of the F. A. Cup where they acquitted themselves well v Rochdale (1991-92 and Bolton Wanderers (1993-94. Gretna has won the Cumberland FA Senior Cup four times since 1991-92.

In 1993 and 1999 Gretna applied for membership of the Scottish Football League. Though not successful the club’s applications were well received.
Gretna finished the 2001-2002 season in 7th place in the UniBond League First Division. In June 2002 the club were successful at the third attempt of asking in gaining membership of the Scottish League.

A full history book 50 Year’s in Black and White can be obtained form the club shop. So go back in time and view this exciting book and reflect on the most exciting years of Gretna Football Club.