DUMBARTON manager Stevie Aitken admitted his side will face a tougher task than ever to remain in the SPFL Championship.

Sons will kick-off their fifth consecutive season in Scotland's second tier when they travel to newly promoted Dunfermline Athletic on August 6.

After seeing part-time rivals Alloa and Cowdenbeath relegated in recent seasons, Sons will be the only fully part-time team in the division next season.

Also coming up along with full-timers the Pars, is Ayr United who will have a mix of part-time and full-time players.

With both promoted sides likely to have greater resources than Aitken has at his disposal, Sons might be favoured for the drop by neural observers.

However the Sons boss insists his side will be ready to face the challenge.

He said: "Every team in this division next season is a bigger club than us. Every game will be a big game.

"It's a tough league, there is no getting away form it, every game will be a big challenge for us.

"But it's where we want to be, it is where we want to be playing out football so we'll face the challenge head on.

"Dunfermline I think sold 2,000 or so season tickets in their first day on sale that shows how big a club they are, everyone knows the size of that club.

"Ayr United are a big club as well. It's great for Dumbarton that we are in there fighting our corner."

Dumbarton's summer break ended on Saturday as Aitken had his squad in for the first day of pre-season.

Sons have 13 signed players and Aitken admitted he is no further forward on further signings, although trialists will be joining pre-season but he wouldn't be drawn on naming those players.

He said: "We're no further forward than we were a week ago with signings. Our focus is on getting the players started pre-season and working with the ones we have.

"The signings will come, but these things take time. We're quite happy with that just now, we're not pushing any panic button.

"There's a few coming in on trial, it wouldn't be right to give out names, that could alert other clubs."

"It's a tough start, there'll be big crowd there for their first home game. It'll be a big test for us early doors but it is one we are looking forward to.

"We'll go there under the radar, all the focus will be on Dunfermline and rightly so because they're coming up after winning the league but we look forward to playing in a great arena and hopefully the players can go and express themselves.