Dougie Calder has become the first ever Annan Athletic FC player to sign an SFL contract. We are delighted to announce Dougie's signature earlier today.

Dougie's signature was shortly followed by Lee Hoolikin, a 25 year old left sided player from Carlisle. Lee was with Barrow AFC last season. The club are delighted to announce Lee's arrival which is a clear sign of our intent to get as many players as possible from the local catchment area.

Terms have also been agreed with a number of other players, as the contracts are signed the announcements will be made.

Gosh that was some day (and night), It's 1pm and I still feel groggy.

Thanks to everyone that helped get Annan Athletic FC into the league, it didn't happen overnight or by accident. Okay our campaign was effective but it is the work that started 30 years ago that set the foundations. The ground and club has been transformed since the days of the Carlisle & District League.

That day we played Stranraer in the Cup in '79 focused our minds, we built the clubhouse ourselves, we handled the bricks, shovelled cement, etc. Initially it was mental, rounds were pints of wine (somethings never change), the decision to build the clubhouse has been proven to be so correct, the steady revenue and long term sponsorship and support of local people and companies has taken the facility to where it is. The next chapter in our history starts today.

We will need to work even harder off the field than ever before to take our club to where we want it to be. Floodlights are a starter, in a few weeks that will be history. We hardly concentrated on our next phases of development during the SFL application process, our strength was where we are now. I stress that the bar has to be raised further, the hard work starts now!!!

I would like us to spare a thought for the other applicants, all 4 were worthy candidates for inclusion in the league. Somewhere down the line the system needs to change, make no doubts the face of Scottish Football will change. From an EOSL perspective those clubs that are not intent on making the necessary improvements will eventually be left behind. Everyone knows that we at Galabank have always been advocates of a 'pyramid' structure, that won't change.

My thoughts are with the teams that lost out yesterday, these guys with the East teams are our friends. Craig, Derrick,Wheelie Jim and Spartans have a tremendous vision, a brilliant model. Likewise City will soon find themselves in a revamped Meadowbank - Andy, Grant and the lads will ensure City continue to ride high ( maybe even win a cup final, sorry couldn't resist that one). The East Lothian model is another very exciting prospect, Andrew's passion for this is so infectious. That is something that shone through with us all, our passion and love for the game, dedication to our clubs.

If the applications had been next year the whole situation would have been changed, I don't think I would have been my usual confident self - instead of £400 at 9/1 it would have been 4p. The bet thing was a wind-up, there is no way an upstanding chairman could endulge in such behaviour.

To all our friends in the East, I do mean friends, I'd like to think we brought something to the table (not just a long journey to the wilderness of Annan). We have not seen the last of each other - I am sure of that.

Henry 

Ebbsfleet have withdrawn, Spartans are in - this could be very interesting indeed!!!!!!!!!

Sat 19th July

12 Noon - Annan Athletic FC  v Workington AFC

3:15 - Stranraer FC v Spartans FC

Sun 20th July

12 Noon - 3rd / 4th Place play-off

3:15 - Final between two winning teams from Sat 19th July 

Earlier today we were visited by the SFL Application Inspection Committee of Brown McMaster, Jim Ballantyne, Anton Fagan, David Thomson & Derek Kirkwood.

There was a healthy exchange of information, for some of the inspection team it was their first visit to the ground, others who were here on our original application were clearly happy with the progress we have made.

Obviously the main concern is our lack of floodlights, we detailed our proposed timeline that should see the lights installed for the first potential midweek game ( CIS Cup 1st Round). Our confirmed contingency for any delay was also shared.

From our other exchanges we don't envisage any major issues that wouldn't be resolved before the first home game if we were succesful.

http://icdumfries.icnetwork.co.uk/annan-athletic-sfl/  - To every Annan fan please leave a message of support on the Standard's message board.

 IT'S OUR TIME!

http://icdumfries.icnetwork.co.uk/annan-athletic-sfl/  - To every Annan fan please leave a message of support on the Standard's message board.

Another site to get onto to post messages of support / opinion is pie and bovril, http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=85811 or http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=85766.

Thanks for all your support, let's give this a real effort, it is our time, make it our time, realistically there is no way we will be able to emulate Gretna's 'living the dream', our feet will be firmly on the ground, we have developed the club's facilities to where they are today by taking a level headed & sound approach only developing what and when we could afford to do. The same strategy will see the club sustain a future in the SFL, if we are given the chance.

Forget the 'Spartans are favourites' tag as portrayed by the media, it is the League Management Committee who will decide the succesful applicant on July 3rd.

On saturday a pundit (Brian McLaughlin) on Radio Scotland had Annan as an Edinburgh team. Use every chance you get to promote the club, we are proud to serve the town and represent the region, Division 3 would do for starters. Let's get Annan on the map, every pundit on the Radio/TV should know who we are and where we are located.

Sadly Gretna were not allowed to survive, let's seize the opportunity though, keep a SFL club in Annandale & Eskdale and the Dumfries and Galloway region, please give our application and campaign your support.

IT IS OUR TIME !

Following a recent committee meeting Annan Athletic have formally expressed an interest in joining the Scottish Football League.

The timetable for a league application is as follows:-

'Announcement from the Scottish Football League regarding Gretna F.C. - 03 June 08'

The Scottish Football League have today accepted the resignation of Gretna F.C. (In Administration). Gretna F.C. made a significant contribution to The Scottish Football League when they were members. We have now put in place a plan which has been well thought through in the event of these circumstances occurring, and we would like to announce the following;

1. Having previously intimated the adjustment of our Leagues last week, The Scottish Football League will create a vacancy in the Third Division and will invite interested clubs to apply to join The Scottish Football League.

2. The applicant clubs will require to meet wide-ranging criteria to join the Third Division and the process will be as follows;

(a) Application packs are available today to all interested parties and are available on request through the Scottish Football League offices. Completed applications should be received at the offices of the Scottish Football League by Thursday, 12th June, 2008.

(b) Following a review of the applications, the Scottish Football League Management Committee will visit each applicant club by Friday, 27th June, 2008.

(c) Applicant clubs will then be invited, following assessment, to present their business and football plans to all 29 members of the Scottish Football League at a Special General Meeting to be held at Hampden Park on Thursday, 3rd July, 2008.

(d) The 29 SFL clubs will then vote on the day to decide which club has been invited to join the Scottish Football League as a Third Division club with effect from the 2008/2009 season and an announcement will be made immediately following the voting process.

We believe we have a very competitive and successful League which has a bright future and we look forward to welcoming a new club to the Scottish Football League family for the start of the new season.

Teams participating are:-

Annan Athletic

Ebbsfleet Utd

Stranraer FC

Workington AFC

It has been confirmed today that Rangers will be sending a side to Galabank on 26 July 2008 to the official opening of the Grandstand.