Arbroath’s directors are ready to throw their weight behind boss Jim Weir’s plans to return the club to division two at the first attempt.
The Red Lichties’ two-year stay in the second division was ended by Sunday’s play-off final defeat by Angus neighbours Forfar.
But far from being downcast by that turn of events, the Gayfield outfit are already looking to the future.
“We’ve a board meeting on Tuesday night that Jim will be attending and at which we’ll look at the budget for next season,” said chairman John Christison.
“But as there are no huge travelling supports that you welcome in either division there won’t be much difference between what we’ll have and what we would have had if we’d stayed up.
“Sunday was disappointing doubly disappointing because we lost out to a local rival but we’ll take that on the chin and move on.
“What augurs well for the future is the spirit the players have shown over the closing months of the campaign.
“We had three guys who are needing operations but who soldiered on in support of the cause and Gerry McLaughlin has been playing with a hairline leg fracture for the past three weeks. That says a lot for them and the attitude Jim Weir has generated.
“Now we’ll sit down with Jim and see who he wants to keep and which players he is prepared to let go, then take things from there.”