Dunfermline manager Jim Jefferies has begun the process of trying to pin down the key members of his squad on new contracts beyond the end of the season.
While not naming names, the Pars boss revealed that offers were made to five first-team regulars at the start of the week, while three more proposals are in the pipeline following initial talks.
And Jefferies hopes important players such as Josh Falkingham, Andy Geggan and Callum Morris will opt to put pen to paper on new deals as the club builds for next season regardless of which division Dunfermline find themselves in.
“They are all under contract until the end of the season anyway, it’s just a case of wanting to know what we are doing because I always think you have to plan well ahead for next season if players have thoughts of moving on,” Jefferies said.
“I’m hoping they don’t but that is their prerogative. All we can do is make them what we think is a fair offer and, if they think they are better or they can get better, then that’s something you just have to face in life and then we can start again.
“But I think the buzz around the place after coming out of administration is going to have a big sway. The results have also been going for us and it’s a club on the up.”
Jefferies concedes that not knowing whether the Pars will be a Championship or League One club for 2014/15 might be an issue but insisted the club has to act now.
He continued: “They might get offers from clubs, although I’d like to think they wouldn’t want to go to clubs below, us but that might be solved if we can get to the play-offs.
“If we get in there it’s going to make things a little bit easier because all the offers we’ve made are subject to being in this division, with a proviso that if we’re in the higher division we’ve made them an increased offer.”
Jefferies has also been looking at a number of trialists this week, including Dundee United defender Ross Smith, a central defender and an English midfielder. All of whom featured in a 2-2 closed doors draw against Falkirk on Tuesday.
He added: “I said I would be fair to them and play them in the game and give them the full week. Then I’ll make a decision at the weekend.
“But right now there’s a lot of contact being made out there to see if there’s somebody that could come if needed.
“I can’t take anybody else on loan even though the rules have changed it doesn’t affect us because we’ve had our maximum of five on loan already.
“So, it has to be somebody out of contract or somebody like Ross Smith, who if he did come to us we would have to see if Jackie McNamara would let him go.”
Meanwhile, Jefferies will be monitoring the situation regarding the club’s training facilities at Pitreavie closely but insisted the club could cope whatever happens.
He said: “If it comes to the situation where the club were asked to pay a large sum of money for this that they couldn’t afford, then fine. We’ll just go to East End Park and try to get another facility. I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that because Pitreavie is a good base.”