The SFL management  committee  took the decision - rubber stamped at  the  AGM at Hampden later in the day -  to relegate them from the First Division to Scotland’s bottom tier.

The move means that Airdrie step  up to take their place in the First Division and Stranraer  are promoted to League Two.

The decision was relayed to Gretna’s administrator, David Elliot of Wilson Field, and now looks likely to finally kill their survival hopes - as a survival bid from bit-part agent Paul Davies has already been dismissed as totally flawed.

SFL chief executive David Longmuir admitted that if Gretna weren’t out of administration by the start of next week the administrator would pull the plug and the league would be looking for a replacement club.