That scenario would affect the title race and see Motherwell, who are currently level with Dundee United in the battle for Europe, suddenly find themselves six points behind the Tannadice side who have lost twice to the SPL newcomers.

But the Fir Park boss insists that his priority, and that of everyone in football, is the fate of the players who face an uncertain future after the Borders club plunged into administration.

Gretna have been groundsharing with Motherwell this season, and McGhee said: "We feel for them, particularly those whose jobs are under threat - it's those people and their club and those supporters, few of them as there are, who I'm really concerned about.

"If we lose points because of what's happened it will be a joke, but we'll deal with that as we still have to play Dundee United twice anyway so we can still finish above them.

"If teams lose points because they're out of the league then it's a farce and the game's a bogey as far as I'm concerned - the title race is off and you pack up and go home and start again next season.

"It's really been a surprise that everything's happened so quickly. I expected that they would be set up in such a way that they would have security behind them until the end of the season at least, but not that they'd be vulnerable halfway through a season, so it's a lesson to us all."