PARS boss Allan Johnston has signed a new two-year contract with the club.

Press Sport reported earlier this month that the 44-year-old had verbally agreed to remain with Dunfermline when his existing deal expired at the end of this month.

Johnston has now put pen to paper on his new contract, which will run until the summer of 2020, and has confirmed that his backroom team of Sandy Clark and John Potter will also remain at East End Park.

Speaking after putting the finishing touches to his new deal, Johnston said: "I'm delighted. I'd made it clear I want to be here.

"I think as a club we've been moving forward every year and we've just got to make sure we keep doing that, that's the hard part, and especially when you see the result the other night as well (Livingston's play-off success), it just shows you how valuable every three points is.

"It's important we take the momentum from the end of the season into this one, start really well and make sure we're up there challenging because that's the ultimate goal, to try and get promoted."

Johnston took over as Athletic manager in May 2015 on a one-year contract and immediately led them to the League One title with five games to spare.

He was then awarded a two-year deal and, on their return to the Championship, finished in fifth place, just four points outside the play-offs.

A blistering start to the campaign just ended saw them hit the top of the table by mid-September - smashing home 21 goals in just seven games along the way - but a mid-season slump in form saw them drop out of title contention.

But, after finishing their remaining 10 games unbeaten, seven of which ended in victory, Johnston's side achieved their pre-season target of a promotion play-off place.

Despite bowing out to Dundee United, Johnston has now been tasked with building a squad capable of fighting for a top flight place next season.

He has already started the process of putting his team together, having snapped up Tom Beadling on a two-year deal yesterday (Monday) after re-signing Lee Ashcroft, Lee Robinson and James Craigen last week.

Conner Duthie, Scott Lochhead, Michael Paton and Aaron Splaine will however leave the Pars when their contracts expire at the end of this month.