JIM JEFFERIES has confirmed that the Pars have agreed a deal to bring Ryan Scully back to the club for the new season.

The 21-year-old goalkeeper enjoyed a hugely successful season on loan at East End Park and was named as the club's player of the year at their end of season awards in May.

Scully penned a new two-year deal with parent club Partick Thistle in the close season and with former Pars number one Paul Gallacher and Scott Fox battling for the goalkeeping jersey with the Premiership side, Jefferies has moved to reach an agreement that will see him return on loan next season.

The Pars boss confirmed he is still looking to add another forward to his squad but looks set to lose out to promotion rivals Morton in the race for Annan's Kenny MacKay, although Norweigan forward Steffen Bøifot, who had a week's trial at Pitreavie in March, is set to return for a further trial spell in pre-season.

Speaking before the squad are due to return to training on Wednesday, Jefferies told Press Sport, "We've reached an agreement with Ryan to bring him back here on loan, which I'm delighted with as he was excellent for us last season and was our player of the season. We've got our business tied up early which I think sends a good message to our supporters that we are ready to get on with the new season and should give them a lift. We've got players like Ryan Wallace, Faze (Faissal El Bakhtaoui) and Allan Smith who are good at getting in behind but I'm maybe looking for a bit more presence up front who has strength in the air and can attack crosses into the box when we do get it wide. Michael Moffat can do that for us and MacKay fitted the bill for what we're looking for, but I've heard he's going to Morton as he stays in Greenock.

"I don't have anybody in mind but there will be a few players we can take a look at in pre-season. There will be opportunities to bring players in but if we don't then I'm happy to go with what we've got." Jefferies continued, "We'll find out who's had too good a holiday and will soon sort that out! But seriously the players are naturally fit and look after themselves so that'll not be a problem and we can look ahead to a few games we've got lined up. Everyone was down after the last game where it didn't happen for us, but we have to bounce back and lift the fans. We're well ahead in our planning and are ready to get back in."