JIM Ballantyne has blasted Gretna’s ‘fairytale’ rise through the leagues and claimed they made a mockery of all the other sides in the Scottish Football League. Airdrie will be promoted if the life support machine keeping the Borders side alive is switched off. The Diamonds chairman is sitting tight as he awaits news but, until then, he is preparing for life as a second division side. He said: “As far as I’m concerned just now we are a second division side after losing the play-off final. “Until we hear otherwise, all we can do is sit on the sidelines and wait. “Are we frustrated? Yes, but it’s not of our making. “Airdrie have been at the sharp end of it and this time we are sitting on the outside.” He added: “I have got every sympathy for Ron and Helen McGregor (Gretna chairman and his wife). They’re nice people and were there from the start. “But don’t give me all this living the dream rubbish. Well it was a nightmare for the other clubs. “They’ve thrown money at something and now they’re in financial difficulties. Tough s**t. “Any club could do that but that will never happen with us. We can’t afford that sort of money. “They owe a lot of people a lot of money and they haven’t conducted their business in the right way.” Gretna’s administrators Wilson Field made the club’s remaining 40 employees redundant on Monday. But despite the apparent inevitability of the situation, the Raydale side still exist and Airdrie’s status as a second division side remains. Ballantyne added: “We have just got to take stock. Obviously we have budgets for both the first and second division. And they are significantly different. “It’s difficult for the manager as well. It is frustrating not knowing.” Meanwhile, Airdrie lost three first choice players this week. Allan Russell finally clinched his dream move to the SPL when he signed for Kilmarnock. Midfielder Graeme Holmes has agreed a two-year deal with Dunfermline while Bryan Prunty was released and immediately signed a one-year deal with Ayr United. Boss Kenny Black spoke to the rest of the players yesterday and didn’t release any of them. But with the club’s immediate future unsure, it has become increasingly difficult to offer deals. Only Kevin Watt is signed up for next season and the manager is growing increasingly disillusioned with the Gretna situation. He added: “At this rate, it will just be me and Kevin at pre-season training. “It is a concern. I don’t think it’s fair on the club and the players. We’ve had no official word from the League and we keep hearing about the deadline for Gretna. But that keeps moving. “I spoke to all the players and I’m confident the majority want to stay. But two or three are borderline because we don’t know what kind of budget we are going to have. We’re not any further forward from last week. “I think a decision has to be made soon so we can start planning properly.” Black hopes to sign many of his men on two-year deals to avoid this problem again next year and hopes to offer skipper Paul Lovering a coaching role. He has also revealed how Prunty, Russell and Holmes said their goodbyes to the players yesterday. He added: “That was a nice touch. Allan was always going to be leaving but was great for us and left with our best wishes. “We would have offered Graeme a deal but he accepted Dunfermline’s two-year deal and we wish him well. “I think Bryan understood my decision not to offer him a contract. He is at an age where he needs to play regularly and hopefully he’ll get that. I wish him well.” Meanwhile in this week’s Airdrie United Lottery, 6, 7 and 14 were chosen in the £800 draw. In the £300 draw, 6, 17 and 19 were selected. | 
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