Lennon targets promotion, then Europe, with Dunfermline

Manager Neil Lennon says Dunfermline Athletic have the potential to become one of Scottish football's top six clubs and hopes one day to lead them into Europe.

Lennon - who was initially appointed on a short-term basis in March - has signed a two-year deal to lead the Scottish Championship side, who were taken over by the American based entrepreneur James Bord in December last year.

Lennon says his ambitions match those of the owner and but first they must gain promotion from the second tier and into the top flight for the first time in 13 years.

"The ultimate ambition for us all is to try and get promotion and get back into the European picture," the former Celtic and Hibernian manager told BBC Scotland.

"It's a long way off, but you've got to have ambition, you've got to have targets.

"I'm not saying we're going to do it in one year, but hopefully two. We can sort of see the signs that we're going in the right direction."

Lennon had been out of the game for almost a year and had been working as a media pundit before joining the Fife club.

However during his seven-match spell as interim boss - in which time he extracted them from a relegation fight - he could feel this was a project he could work with.

"They made me really welcome," he added. "But that's always the case when you're an interim manager.

"Now that the honeymoon's over, I'm excited about the ambition that the owner has and I'm excited about building a squad. It's something I've never had to do before.

"I think this is perfect for me. There were other interests, if you want to call it that, but after the end of the season, we made up our mind that we wanted to do this."

New owner Bord has huge plans for the club and despite maintaining a low profile personally was able to convince Lennon this was the best place to progress.

"I think we had in one week, about seven phone calls where he convinced me to come, and I liked that," Lennon explained.

"He made me feel that I was their man. And I feel a sense of loyalty to him now.

"I've got a good relationship with him. I like the way he works. I like his ideas on the game. It's new for me to learn as well.

"Ultimately, it's about building a team that's going to be competitive in the league. It's going to get people through the door. That's what I want to do. And play a really strong brand of football."