Arbroath boss Todd Lumsden has already begun the rebuilding process following his side’s unsuccessful promotion push this season by releasing five players and offering new deals to six others.
The Red Lichties were knocked out of the League One play-offs on Saturday after suffering the agony of an extra-time defeat to Queen’s Park at Hampden.
Lumsden, who made the step up from assistant manager at Gayfield after Allan Moore was sacked as boss last month, is determined that the Angus side will be as well prepared as possible for next season.
He said: “This isn’t the best time of the season, to be honest.
“It is never easy telling boys they are being let go and because of the geography of Scotland I couldn’t do it face to face with all of them and I had to have conversations over the phone.
“Jack Smith, David Crawford, Kevin Buchan, Paul McManus and Jonny Lindsay have all been released.
“I would like to thank the players for their efforts and wish them well in the future.
“I have offered new deals to Ricky Little, Jordan Lowdon, Craig Johnstone, Kevin Nicoll, Kieran Stewart and Scott McBride.
“So I am hoping to retain the nucleus of the side and try to add more quality.
“When Allan and I came in last summer we only had two days before a game against Aberdeen and we had very few players.
“So this time I have four or five weeks to amass a squad so hopefully we will be ahead of the game next season.”