SPL club Gretna are in financial meltdown after owner Brooks Mileson withdrew his backing, and Eurosport took a player's view of the situation from midfielder Abdul Osman.

Mileson - who took the borders club from non-league obscurity to the Scottish Cup final and then the Premier League - was the sole financial controller, responsible for all payments, including player wages. But, despite long-standing ill-health, there was no plan B in place should his ability to sign-off invoices be compromised.

So when a brain infection saw the enigmatic 60-year-old philanthropist hospitalised in February, all cash flow to the club - who have a very small supporter base - was halted. Since then the club have fallen into the hands of administrators, who have prevented Gretna FC from going under but are struggling to fulfil fixtures and establish even a short-term solution to complete the season.

And to make matters worse, the club's own ground is undergoing refurbishment and Fir Park in Motherwell - where they had been playing home fixtures - has recently become unplayable on account of over-use and adverse weather conditions, forcing Gretna to ground-share with Livingston.

Osman, 21 and a summer signing from English non-league side Maidenhead, is one of the players who has been at Gretna throughout the crisis.

"It's been on and off for about two months now," Osman told Eurosport. "I'm still owed about two or three weeks pay, even though the administrators gave us all he said he could, which was 55 percent of our wages.

"Also we've been borrowing money off the SPL. I've been alright, because my money situation is fine, but I know for some of the lads it's been difficult."

The players have emerged with some credit throughout, voting to avoid strike action and turning up to training and matches despite being advised that they would be well within their rights to walk away.

"They have told us we are free to move on and find new clubs," Osman confirmed.

"The problem is we've only got about eight days before the transfer window totally shuts. And we're still waiting on the special dispensation from FIFA.

"Without that we can't go anywhere. A couple of the lads have already found clubs who will take them on, but until we get clearance, they're stuck.

"To be honest I just want to play football, at any decent level. I'd love to stay in the SPL - and if Gretna is saved, here - but I'd happily go back to England.

"And anyway, we have contracts to honour too."

While the situation gives him the freedom to leave for free at the end of the season at the very least, Osman is keeping his "fingers crossed" that the club will be saved.

"To be fair I hope the club doesn't go under, but I really don't know what's going to happen," the former England colleges representative, who is also eligible to play for Ghana, admitted.

"There's too much going on. Someone might come in, a backer to save us. But at the moment it's not looking good.

"Until it's solved all we can do is turn up and play. There was talk about [striking] but I think everyone's made their mind up to play.

"I've been out injured but played against Aberdeen last weekend and, hopefully, I'll play against Celtic this Sunday - it's a strange time to be playing such a high-profile club, but hopefully I'll get seen!"

The player's agent, meanwhile, believed that the players would be able to stay until the summer.

"The club have told me that the administrators are close to guaranteeing the players' wages until the end of the season, which is brilliant" Andrew Augustus told Eurosport.

"Abdul has done well since coming to Scotland, he's proved that he's an SPL standard player, and other clubs have shown an interest in him... So we're keeping our options open for the summer.

"The important thing is that Abdul and his team-mates are playing football at a decent level."

Reda Maher / Eurosport