Brooks Mileson, the owner of Gretna FC, last night dismissed suggestions that Rowan Alexander, the manager of the Raydale Park club, had lost his job, after it was confirmed that he was taking sick leave, as the first division leaders struggle to secure promotion to the Bank of Scotland Premierleague.

Gretna have lost their last two league games, and were comprehensively trounced 3-0 by Queen of the South at the weekend, but Mileson, who confirmed he has to go into hospital for a third operation in the next few weeks, said Alexander, who has looked increasingly under pressure in recent weeks, had done a magnificent job at the club and that the players and the board were 100% behind him.

"I don't want to waste time indulging in tittle-tattle," said Mileson last night. "Rowan hasn't been well for the last few weeks, and it is a credit to the man that he has continued in the job, but he deserves time off to get his health back to scratch. We have an able deputy in Davie Irons, who will be in charge of the team until Rowan returns. It is nonsense to think there are any other reasons for what has happened over the last 48 hours. I have my own health problems, so I understand what other people are going through."

When asked whether there were any parallels between Alexander and Valdas Ivanauskas, the former Hearts manager who was granted sick leave in apparently similar circumstances, Mileson was utterly dismissive.

"I don't even think that question deserves an answer. Let's put it like this, the players will be trying their hardest to make sure Rowan comes back. They have helped take him into the top league in Scotland.

"We have built up this club with the benefit of people like Rowan and I find it preposterous that we are even discussing his future."