Barry Smith will be working night and day as he strives to sign the six players he feels is the minimum he needs for the SPL.
That is the daunting prospect facing the Dundee manager following Monday’s announcement that the Dark Blues will be playing in the top flight.
No one will be prouder than Smith when the Dens men take the field at Rugby Park on August 4 to play Kilmarnock but his job has just got that little bit more hectic.
He will now invoke his Plan B drawn up in case they did get the call and that will mean seeking to snap up another half-a-dozen fresh faces at least.
”I think we need at least six new players just now but if we are able to bring in more then that would be great,” said Smith. ”This has gone on for so long but now that we have a short period of time to try and make signings.
”We are a wee bit behind in that respect but we will work hard to make things happen on the park. We have to work as quickly as possible but in saying that we won’t rush out and buy the first six players who become available.
”We have spoken about Plan B and obviously finances will dictate. It has been so difficult over the past few weeks because we have been looking about for players without knowing which division we would be playing in.
”We were basically waiting for this call which we now have but until that happened there were a lot of different thoughts running through my head. I had to second-guess what might happen which is never ideal from a manager’s point of view.”
Smith revealed that the will-they-or-won’t-they saga has been so drawn out that his players reacted oddly.
”All the players were watching the TV so they all knew the outcome but, funnily enough, they were a bit subdued because it’s a kind of strange situation to be in,” he said.
”I am obviously hoping it might work in our favour, though, because they should get a lift from this.
”Playing in the SPL and trying to win the First Division produce two different kinds of pressure. This is as much for the fans as anyone because they have stuck by us tremendously over the past few years.
”And I don’t think anyone from the First Division being invited into the SPL would have knocked it back. As a manager and someone who played you always wanted to play at the highest level in the country.”
The Dark Blues have not factored in any cash from TV in their budget for next season, meaning they are not as reliant as others on broadcasters Sky standing by Scottish football.
Dens chief executive Scot Gardiner confirmed: ”No matter what the Sky money was going to be we had money set aside to help us add to the squad.
”We have a set budget which isn’t relying on any money from Sky. It was all based on attendances alone and anything else which comes through will be a bonus.”