Gretna were given a stay of execution yesterday by the administrator who has threatened to close the doors for good at Raydale Park but unless David Elliot can persuade a sceptical squad, who are on the brink of being thrown on the dole, to play for nothing against Aberdeen tomorrow, then the troubled club will surely die today.

Only ten players are willing to play at Pittodrie to fulfil the Clydesdale Bank Premier League fixture. However, Elliot does not have a goalkeeper and the Scottish Premier League has told the administrator he cannot fill his first XI with youth players.

Elliot, of Wilson Field Ltd, warned on Wednesday that Gretna were “24 hours from oblivion” and insisted £30,000 was required by yesterday lunchtime. That deadline came and went, despite an offer from Paul Davies, a football agent, and another plea to Brooks Mileson, the former benefactor, who has now cut all ties with the club.

“I can’t insist that the players play if they have not been paid,” Elliot said. “Failure to play on Saturday would mean we are in breach of league rules and would leave us open to a fine and other penalties.

“The players will need to consider their position – until March 27 there is the opportunity to move to another club. I can’t stand in their way, morally, ethically or legally.

“We have a shortage of players and I believe it may well be necessary to seek permission to postpone the match. I am not giving up and I will try again on Friday to see if we can get a team sorted out. We have a shortage in particular at the goalkeeper position. Out of 17 senior players, I have got ten available for Saturday. They want to ensure that they are insured.”

Both Aberdeen and the SPL insisted last night that the match at Pittodrie was going ahead as scheduled. Elliot believes if he can keep the club going for another week, when it has a lucrative home game with Celtic, then he can earn vital revenue. He will hold talks with the SPL, when it may relax rules that prevent it handing over a £100,000 advance of league parcticipa-tion income, if Gretna can agree a plan to complete the season.

Elliot said that Mileson had lost £8 million in backing Gretna, but he called on Mileson’s son, Craig, to ask his father to save the club. “I felt he needed to be made aware the club is likely to be closed. But there is no financial commitment from Mr Mileson.”