Ian McCall has left Airdrie for Falkirk

SFL secretary Peter Donald had said before Thursday's management committee meeting: "Loss of membership of the league is inevitable for Airdrie.

"They would have to apply to the Third Division as the club we recognise as Airdrie is no more."

Former Airdrie chairman elect Andy Gemmell told the Daily Express that negotiations were still ongoing with liquidators KPMG.

There are still hopes that �500,000 could be raised and would allow the club to be re-born under new owners.

Airdrie would then have to re-apply for admission to Division Three.

But Gretna, Gala Fairydean, Whitehill Welfare, Huntly, Deveronvale and Fraserburgh are all interested in joining the league.

Gretna play England's Unibond League, Gala and Whitehill in the East of Scotland League, while Huntly, Deveronvale and Fraserburgh hail from the Highland League.

Mixed fortunes

Thursday's announcement was particularly welcome news for Ian McCall, who led Airdrie to second top of Division One and has since taken over as boss of Falkirk.

He said: "I am delighted for Falkirk - they are my new club now but obviously there is a lot of mixed emotions as well.

"We are pleased to be staying in the First Division but this isn't the way for it to happen.

"Football is like that - it throws up strange twists all the time and things like this can happen," he added.

McCall claims he will not forget about Airdrie's plight and will back plans for the re-birth of the club.

"No-one wants to see a football club go out of business because that isn't good for anyone," he said.

"There are guys working on ways to try to get Airdrie back in the Third Division and I'll do all I can to help those people."

It also means that John McVeigh takes a step up a division, having left Third Division Albion Rovers and taken over at Stenhousemuir after the end of the season.