JIM JEFFERIES, the Dunfermline manager, insists his side must gain promotion back to the SPFL Championship this season if they are to safeguard their status as a full-time club.

The East End Park club begin their competitive campaign with a visit of holders Raith Rovers in today's Petrofac Training Cup first round. But as they prepare for their second successive campaign in League 1, Jefferies admits his priority is on getting Dunfermline back up into the second tier.

"There is no doubt that the priority is to get promoted this year," he said. "That's what we have to handle, Dunfermline is a big club and we should be in the higher leagues."