The Rise And Fall Of Gretna FC | AFC Finners | Football History Documentary

In 2002, lower-league Scottish team Gretna FC were purchased by millionaire Brooks Mileson. Under his ownership, they experienced an incredible rise, achieving three successive promotions that took them to the Scottish Premiership. Unfortunately, their lavish dreams would soon turn sour and tear the club apart.
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[@afcgtv7740]

Living the Dream! Brilliant Video ⚽️👍🏻

[@mintywebb]

These shows are really good. I can't believe you have so few subscribe rs.

[@afcfinners]

Thank you!

[@HenrikCOYG]

That's a great story. RIP Brooks

[@royston8044]

What a well made video, enjoyed it, but how sad it all ended, good luck to Gretna 2008, will be following you this season.

[@johndillinger8424]

I'm a Northern Ireland based Gretna fc 2008 fan who travels over regularly to see them.

[@afcfinners]

Fair play to you for your commitment pal, keep it up!

[@bluevan12]

People in Scotland slagged off Gretna for doing this but as long as Celtic and Rangers dominate it will get worse. Too many Scottish fans are glory hunters who won't support their local teams.

[@afcfinners]

I see it from both sides, I understand the point you make and agree it isn't great having two sides win every title for nearly 40 years now, but at the same time I understand people's annoyance at the success not being "earned". I do actually have a video to do with a club other than Celtic & Rangers winning the Scottish top flight coming out tomorrow at 1 so keep an eye out for that.

[@shuddafukkup]

Interestingly, when Sky were poking around wanting to invest large amounts of money into various football leagues, the SFA told them to do one when saw the offer. Silly thing to do seeing as Sky just went straight to the English Championship who gladly accepted the money. Makes you wonder how different things might have been if people left their ego at the door

[@andrewjohnston2850]

don't think they slagged off Gretan it was more that Brokes bloke , yeah spend money on a club if you want but all he did was over pay players no money spent on the club its self

[@BadgerOff32]

RIP Gretna. I fell in love with their story back then and I would always look out for their results. Kenny Deuchar (or, the Good Doctor, as Jeff Stelling referred to him, because he was still a practicing GP while playing for them) was an absolute BEAST upfront! In his first season he scored 38 goals in only 30 games, and even scored 11 goals in a friendly once. To put Gretnas achievement into perspective and show how impressive it actually was, they managed to get from the 4th division to the 1st in only 3 seasons (3 consecutive promotions), yet when Rangers got demoted to the 4th tier, it took them 4 seasons to return to the top flight! A tiny little side like Gretna got to the Scottish Premier league quicker than one of the biggest clubs in the country could! That's amazing! Sadly Gretna fell apart VERY quickly once they got to the Prem. They barely even managed to see out the season. It was a sad end to a great story.

[@afcfinners]

Didn’t know about him being a doctor strangely enough! Yeah shame how quickly they fell apart, but sadly it was inevitable with the sole dependence on Brooks

[@Daviebhoy25cfc]

The rangers were NOT demoted. They were ILLEGALLY voted after the SFA failed to do to rangers, what they done to Gretna.

[@Gazzi79]

It was Dr Goals.

[@andrewdrummond8576]

Enjoyed this posting. A friend of mine would travel regularly from Kirkcaldy to support Gretna.

[@afcfinners]

Had to google where that was haha, admirable commitment!

[@andy-incognito]

Brilliant vid.

[@afcfinners]

Thank you!

[@kevinprior3549]

Deportivo had a similar rise and fall

[@williamthompson2941]

got my pic outside the blacksmiths45 years ago!

[@rubeushagrid5376]

My mate plays for Gretna now

[@goddam9925]

Still got my gretna fridge magnet on display !!

[@vinnyjefferson2085]

Glad Carlisle is in this haha. It’s a very sad story but I hope Gretna 2008 do well

[@philrobinson5667]

Who the bloody hell are Stockport United?

[@jamesfirth6326]

I can't get over Kenny "Doo-KAH"

[@garethbraint]

I know, who the hell is that lol

[@TheChimp1980]

Awww. I remember Gretna. It's awfully similar to the story of Rangers, who died in 2012. I believe a new version of them exist now.

[@tatata1543]

In fact they are the champions.

[@Pumpherstonsmith]

@@tatata1543 You mean SEVCO.

[@tatata1543]

@@Pumpherstonsmith Call them what you like, no one cares. That sevco crap got tired a long time ago. The fact they are champions is indisputable.

[@kevinprior3549]

Still Rangers to me

[@davidmarshall5596]

Like most things in this life.."the journey was great while it lasted"

[@kidwaryodproduction]

Love your voice and accent :)

[@afcfinners]

Thank you very much, big up Gloucestershire!

[@HorizontalLifestyle]

It’s weird in a way getting to top of Scottish football was probably the downfall of the club.

[@afcfinners]

Yeah deffo a bridge too far

[@phaenius]

What about Unirea Urziceni ? Small team, climb the ladder to success, played in UCL then went bankrupt.

[@afcfinners]

I'm not familiar with them to be honest but will read up about them

[@MyFootballManagerSeasonsnStuff]

Great documentary i got married at gretna in jan of 2024 .. i might do an football Manager youtube series with them😂

[@tartanbawfc]

Liquidated he said

[@Supersonic8984]

Kelty Hearts will be the next Gretna. Getting bankrolled through the leagues.

[@afcfinners]

Haven't heard about them, will have to look it up

[@andrewjohnston2850]

Kelty are investing in the club not just throwing money at players like Gretna

[@richyt87]

Kenny Duchar is a doctor now.

[@andrewjohnston2850]

he was a doctor then

[@Gizmos69]

Very interesting video but some of the pronunciation is way off. Thanks for attempting them though.

[@afcfinners]

Considering I have a scottish name I thought I'd do way better haha

[@Gizmos69]

@@afcfinners most were not bad. Berwick is "Berr ick" and Kenny Deuchars is pronounced "Dew chars" where the ch is like the end of Loch rather than the ch in church. Dewkars is pretty close if you can't do a Scottish Ch though. I really enjoyed it. If you are looking for another wee club to look at, east Stirling were the first managerial job of sir Alex Ferguson before disappearing out of the Scottish 4th tier after several terrible seasons where they came bottom but were never relegated.

[@afcfinners]

@@Gizmos69 Will note those down, thanks for suggestion, I am planning to do one on his early managerial career so might incorporate it into that, want to do one on Third Lanark as well

[@robertchrich583]

Hoffenheim have also been bankrolled into the Bundesliga by a rich local guy who built a 35000 seater stadium altho Hoffenheim is only a village of 3000 ! The'yr the most hated club in Germany along with Red Bull backed Leipzig.

[@afcfinners]

I’m intending on doing a video on Deitmarr Hopp’s funding of Hoffenheim at some point

[@alch3mi5t.]

lol...Kenny Doo-Car

[@jamesmileson6978]

👍🏻

[@afcfinners]

Assume you're related to Brooks?

[@jamesmileson6978]

@@afcfinners yeah,just wanted to say good video.learnt some things I never even knew lol

[@afcfinners]

@@jamesmileson6978 awesome, so glad this has reached a relative of his and I'm really glad you enjoyed, think it's a fascinating story and even with how it ended, the joy he bought to people is something special

[@paulclements6315]

Not sure Gretna flip-lopped between the Scottish and English pyramids. Scotland has only had a pyramid system for a few seasons - pre Gretna (they were voted in). As far as I know Gretna were a Northern League club and never played in the Scottish non-leagues.

[@RW-nr6bh]

Yes Gretna pretty much played their entire pre-SFL existence in England. I spoke to one of their directors once when they played at Leek Town, he was very proud of them being the first team to win promotion from the Northern League to the NPL 1st Division. I was delighted for them when they got elected to the SFL but sad to see them go. Great little club they were. I look less favourably on Mr Mileson but I will say I think he meant well. I'm glad they got the club back and the ground survived.

[@lewis8634]

Stockport united?

[@6611haggis]

Kenny Doo-kar. 😂

[@Daviebhoy25cfc]

What happened to Gretna was a travesty built on honest intentions, but the SFA should have done to rangers what they done to Gretna, and revoke their license and NOT allowed the rangers 2012 to gain entry into the SFL by doing dodgy deals behind closed doors, just like Gretna 2008 were denied entry and had to go to the Juniors...

[@tatata1543]

😂

[@kevinprior3549]

Hearts only beat Gretna by penalties? Probly the most embarrassing win of any team in any FA Cup in any country.

[@Pumpherstonsmith]

They made up for it 6 years later.

[@affsoye456]

How to pump and dump a crypto

[@salsabil44]

"In the Scottish pyramid"?? WTF is that when it´s at home?

[@u.k.trainandbusvids]

Gretna fc were the worse club in Premier League

[@matthewleslie4448]

You might have researched your pronunciation of Scottish names before posting this.