Spartans continue work on their new Ainslie Park stadium

Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith will seek talks with league officials in an attempt to prevent a repeat of Gretna's demise.

Gretna were relegated from the Scottish Premier League after benefactor Brooks Mileson withdrew his financial backing

Now they have gone out of business instead of dropping into Division One.

And Smith said: "The SFA, the SFL, the SPL will need to look very closely at these aspects of how the game is structured and financed."

Gretna's financial collapse was precipitated in February. when Mileson withdrew his funding after spending time in hospital with a brain infection.

The English businessman, who has disappeared from the public eye, spent about �8m taking the village club from the Third Division to the SPL but ultimately left them with debts approaching �4m.

"It's very sad," Smith said. "Unfortunately, the problem with Gretna was their success was down to the money of one person and there was no stability behind it because of that.

Now we feel we are ready to make the step up Spartans general manager Derick Rodier

"That's something that maybe lessons have to be learned about, the stability in the game.

"If someone is putting a lot of money into a team and it's getting a bit of success for a while, is there any future for that team if that one person pulls out?

"I think all of us in Scottish football need to look at that, all the bodies, everybody involved in the game."

The end of Gretna's six-year stay in the Scottish leagues now leaves a vacancy that East of Scotland side Spartans hope to fill.

Spartans general manager Derick Rodier said his club will be working flat out to have their application ready for the 12 June deadline.

"The application procedure sounds perfect and we shall start preparing our bid," he said.

"We had made initial moves to do so, but we didn't want to take it too far until Gretna were officially out of the league.

"But now we can press on and drive it forward.

"The new academy we have covers everything as far as facilities goes, all the way down to the pegs in the dressing-rooms.

"Now we have to look at the financial side of things.

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"We haven't applied for membership of the SFL before because we didn't think it was appropriate.

"But now we feel we are ready to make the step up.

"We still feel a pyramid system in Scottish football is the best way forward, that hasn't changed.

"But, while we have the chance to enter the SFL this way, we will have a go."

East of Scotland rivals Annan Athletic and Preston Athletic have also confirmed their intention to apply, along with Highland League champions Cove Rangers.

Following a review of the applications, the SFL management committee will visit each hopeful by 27 June.

A vote by all 29 members of the SFL will then take place at Hampden on 3 July after each applicant club presents its business case.