Dundee United, St Johnstone or Dundee would have logistical “nightmare”

Tommy Wright has admitted that the club which finishes fourth in the Premiership will have a planning “nightmare” for the start of the next season.

The top flight campaign finishes later than usual on May 24.

But it won’t be known until after the Scottish Cup final the week after whether the fourth-placed team will be competing in the Europa League.

And, as entry into that competition is at the start of July, there will only be a month to sort out pre-season and all the logistics that go with playing in Europe.

Saints, Dundee United and Dundee all have a chance of claiming the last Europa spot.

“It will be a nightmare,” Wright pointed out.

“Whoever finishes fourth is going to have a wait until May 31 after the cup final in terms of planning and getting organised.

“And it would be an earlier start than we had in Europe this season (through winning the Scottish Cup) July 2 and 9, I think.”

To that end, there will have to be a plan A and a plan B put together at McDiarmid Park.

Wright confirmed: “We’ll sit down this week and work out what we’re going to do if we are in Europe and what we’re going to do if we’re not.”