Rowan Alexander says he never wants to leave Gretna

"I wouldn't leave Gretna," he said. "I've a lot of feeling for the club and have put too much into it just to leave if another club came in for me.

"I was here when the sheriff officers turned up to price equipment because the club couldn't pay a bill.

"That was where this club was - look at it now. How could I give this up?"

Alexander, six years in charge at Raydale Park, is currently reaping the benefit of working under multi-millionaire owner Brooks Mileson.

I have too much of a good thing at Gretna to ever leave Rowan Alexander

He has led the Black and Whites since their days in England's Unibond League and his devotion to the club is obvious.

"I have too much of a good thing at Gretna to ever leave, especially after seeing what we've had to fight to achieve," he said.

Gretna's season will take another fascinating twist when they make the trip to Hampden for the showdown against the Dens Park outfit.

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Alexander - who has worked as groundsman, builder, joiner and electrician at the club - believes that other Scottish clubs can learn from their example.

"It's all down to hard work and dedication," he said.

"We've got a continuity of staff and players.

"We don't talk about things here, we do it. Nothing negative, everything is positive.

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"Every club should have ambitions and strive to better themselves.

"There are plenty of opportunities out there. When people work as a collective unit, those chances come and that's all we've done.

The Gretna boss also paid tribute to the role of Mileson, who has injected the club with both his personal finances and enthusiasm.

"We didn't go out and get him, he came to us when he could have quite easily gone to Carlisle, but he didn't - he came here," said Alexander.

"He saw our work ethic and that's why he came in. People like him are out there."