SAINTS chairman Rupert Lowe believes the successes of this season will make strengthening the squad easier during the summer.

With a place in the UEFA Cup guaranteed by reaching the FA Cup final, manager Gordon Strachan will be fighting on four fronts next season and will surely want to add fresh faces.

Before gate receipts and merchandise, Saints have raked in about £24m in prize money and television cash after a best-ever Premiership position of eighth and their fabulous run to the FA Cup final.

Saints already have one of the smallest squads in the Premiership - and as well as the departures of Federico Arias and Kevin Davies, a number of other players could move on during the summer.

Garry Monk and Paul Jones have expressed a wish to get regular first-team football, while Francis Benali is thought likely to shift more and more into a coaching role.

Mark Draper, Marian Pahars and Agustin Delgado have also been struggling with long-term injuries.

But, financially, the club is in good shape and they are under no pressure to sell big-name players following their most lucrative season yet.

Both Lowe and Strachan have consistently stressed that no one need leave unless they want to move on.

Lowe said: "We have already bought Darren Kenton. He can play on the right side of defence or centre-half. We will be looking to strengthen the squad within the budget we have set ourselves and we are committed to strengthening the squad.

"Two things are important when strengthening. First, we must hold on to those players who have brought success and also bring in those who can add to the success.

"Building the stadium and increasing the gates has improved the profile of the club. It is a continuous process rather than a one-off, but the success we have had will also help and should attract more players."

Lowe stressed that keeping their feet on the ground was central to success next season and paid another warm tribute to Saints' FA Cup Final fans. He said: "A holiday comes first for everyone and then we start with ourselves in the same position as we were at the beginning of last. After the successes of this year, the key will be to avoid complacency.

"We have had many e-mails and faxes saying how well the fans supported the team. The support they gave was exceptional, really tremendous.

"Also the respect they showed after the game when they waited for the presentation before leaving was fabulous and much appreciated by the whole footballing world.

"As an occasion it was tremendous. It brought everyone together and now we hope we can repeat the occasion next year and hopefully reverse the result. It left me proud of everyone connected with the club."

Strachan added: "It was a great occasion and the fans were brilliant. I have never seen anything like the fans and I've played for Scotland with the Tartan Army."