Same league, different worlds

GRETNA FC, Scottish senior football's new boys, are both ambitious and realistic as they begin their first season in the Bell's Third Division.

Formed just after the Second World War, Gretna have most recently been a Scottish club in an English league, the Unibond. But club secretary Ron MacGregor believes they're back on their natural sporting and business ground.

"It was a combination of football and commercial development that persuaded us to seek admission to the Scottish League. In the English game we lacked a bit of business and community focus."

Though pipped at the post in their 1993 and 1999 applications, the most southerly club in Scotland (Berwick is in England) got the nod over trou- bled Airdrie United in June. According to MacGregor, both the costs and the benefits arrived immediately.

"We had only six weeks to get the ground and the playing side ready, and had to invest not far short of (pounds) 50,000 to get Raydale Park ready," he said.

"Although we went out in the first round of the League Cup, we received over (pounds) 3000 in TV money and will get a share of the League TV money at the end of the season. There was no TV income in the Unibond League".

Meanwhile, at the opposite pole of the Scottish game, Rangers are looking for a shirt sponsor to replace NTL, who have been with the Ibrox club for four years. Martin Bain, Rangers' commercial director, is asking (pounds) 2 million a season.

"The Rangers brand is one of the strongest in Scotland, and is well known and respected throughout the UK and Europe. With a new TV deal in place and the club chasing honours at home and abroad, we are confident of meeting our objective with a blue-chip sponsor," he said.

While Ibrox is usually sold out to more than 44,000 spectators, including 40,000 season ticket holders, Gretna's Raydale Park had 1566 spectators for its Scottish debut last Saturday against Morton, with gate receipts just topping (pounds) 10,000. Rangers regularly exceed (pounds) 1m ticket revenue per match.

Gretna's projected turnover for their first season is less than (pounds) 250,000, compared to Rangers' (pounds) 47m. Costs estimated at (pounds) 235,000 mean break-even at worst, a modest surplus at best.

Rangers, with more than 60 full-time professional players and almost 100 support staff, beside Gretna's squad of 18 part-time semi- professionals, made a trading loss of almost (pounds) 8m in 2002/01, with operating expenses of almost (pounds) 55m.

Gretna manager Rowan Alexander combines the roles of team boss, utility player and groundsman. Rangers supremo Alex McLeish doesn't.

Steve Morrow, lecturer in sports studies at Stirling University, thinks there is room for both types of club.

"Gretna have come into the league at a good time, following a serious reality check, and their business and social community will be the source of their well-being," he says.

Of Rangers Morrow observes: "They too are working in a more realistic financial climate. The days of one-off injections of capital are probably a thing of the past, so the relationship of earned revenue to expenditure becomes more important."

The Ibrox commercial department, dealing with 1500 hospitality clients a match as opposed to Gretna's two dozen; hundreds of thousands of replica strips to Gretna's hundreds; and revenue generation in excess of (pounds) 35m, has a staff of 100, whilst Gretna's consists of former Carlisle FC commercial manager Steve Barker.

Gretna's off-the-pitch activities are as important to turnover as the Ibrox club's, and a Sunday market at the ground generates around (pounds) 40,000 a year. The club plans to cash in on Gretna's romantic links by offering the opportunity to get married on the pitch on match day.

Ron MacGregor, as Gretna FC club secretary enjoys an annual honorarium of (pounds) 200, while his Rangers counterpart, Campbell Ogilvie, will have a six-figure package. But his steady-as-we-go," attitude should ensure longevity and qualified success for the newcomers.

Copyright 2002
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