By Lynne Stewart

FORFAR ATHLETIC have started rebuilding for next season with the announcement that Paul Lunan has agreed a new deal with the club, while Alan Rattray is also expected to put pen to paper.

Lunan has agreed new terms which will keep him at the club for a further two years.

Rattray, who is in his testimonial year and has notched up more than 200 appearances for the Loons, has been offered a two-year deal and chairman David McGregor is hopeful he will sign.

Meanwhile, reports that Barry Sellars is to leave the club have been rejected by Mr McGregor, who said that the player has been offered a contract and is considering his options.

Mr McGregor said, “Paul Lunan has agreed a new two-year contract with the club.

“Alan Rattray has also been offered a two-year deal and we are hopeful that he will accept.

“Contrary to reports, Barry Sellars is still considering his options, one of which is a contract at Forfar Athletic.”

Manager Ray Farningham said, “Paul and Alan are two important players for the club. Alan’s not signed yet but hopefully he will do. They both played a big part in keeping the club in the second division.

“Barry said he has other options, which is fair enough. He has never said he was definitely leaving but that he has other offers to consider, and hopefully we can keep him.”

The rebuilding process will have added difficulty for Farningham after the chairman announced at the start of the week that the wage bill has to be slashed by a third ahead of the new season.

Of the club’s total expenditure of £340,000 in the current financial year, some £260,000 goes on wages and travel expenses for the management and players.

The remaining outgoings have already been trimmed to around £70,000, leaving only the wages to be cut.

There are 17 players at Station park out of contract in the summer and Farningham is hopeful that some of them will resign for the club, as he and his assistant George Shaw start preparing for next season.

“Now that Paul has signed, hopefully in the next few days others will follow suit.

“Myself and George are trying to look at players from outwith. With the cutbacks, it makes it a wee bit hard. We will try our hardest to bring players in to improve the side for next season.”