PARS chairman Ross McArthur has vowed that the club will use their play-off pain as motivation to come back stronger next season.

And he says that work will begin immediately to clarify the futures of Dunfermline's management team and players as they bid to "retain and improve" their squad.

In a statement on the club's website following Friday night's heartbreaking Premiership play-off quarter-final exit to Dundee United, McArthur expressed his "enormous pride" in everyone associated with the club, including the 2,000 plus fans who travelled to Tannadice.

Admitting that he'd had a "sleepless night" following the 2-1 defeat, he said: "The bad luck we experienced in both matches was incredible.

"Even though I felt we were the better team over the two legs (no disrespect to Dundee United), the harsh reality is that we were still beaten. We know need to get it out of our system, dust ourselves down and work even harder.

"However, as chairman, I wish to express my enormous pride in everyone connected to our club - Allan (Johnston), his staff, the players and our fantastic supporters, who were all an absolute credit to our club.

"We might have felt gutted and disappointed, but we all left Tannadice with our heads held high."

He continued: "It was also pleasing to see our large travelling support staying behind to acknowledge the players, and vice versa, and it is that togetherness that makes our club what it is.

"There is no doubt that the pain of disappointment can be used as a motivation to seek future success, and that is what we all must strive to do.

"I will be able to provide our supporters with a fuller update on the season as a whole in a couple of weeks, once the dust has settled.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our club staff, and the many volunteers who have all worked many extra hours this week, to allow us to make all of the necessary arrangements for the play-off matches.

"A lot of hard work starts now, sorting out staff contracts, as we strive to retain and improve our squad for next season.

"I know from experience that this is never any easy period either, so we all need to remain patient."