LIVINGSTON hope to bring new investment into the club to help player-manager Kenny Miller in his bid to maintain their top-flight status.

The Lions achieved back-to-back promotions under manager David Hopkin to return to the Ladbrokes Premiership before the ex-Rangers striker was brought in on Saturday as the 47-year-old’s successor.

Chief executive officer John Ward explained that the club aim to bring in fresh funds after making shares available, with the aim of strengthening Miller’s squad ahead of the new season.

Read more: Former Rangers striker Kenny Miller's Livingston move baffles Scott McDonald​

"I have said to Kenny that myself and the board's role is to get new investment into the club if that is possible," he told BBC Scotland.

"We have created a situation where there are shares available.

"There is a long history of people getting involved in the club for the wrong reasons, but it is now being run by people with the club's and the fans' interests at heart.

"We want to try to keep it as a community club, but there are shares available for the right kind of people to invest in the club and make money available for the team.”

Ward also revealed his surprise at Livi’s achievement, after they overcame Dundee United and Partick Thistle in the play-offs to reach the top-flight for the first time since 2006.

"We had no plan to be promoted," he said. "Even with 10 minutes left of the second leg of the play-off final, there was still a part of me thinking, 'ah, it was a nice idea'.

"So, from the Monday morning onwards, we were sitting down trying to figure out budgets and prepare for this season.

"What I really like about the success we have had here is we have done it under our own steam, we have done it with the resources we have in place, we have done it on a shoestring.

"We are going to have to continue like that. The business community around Livingston has been fabulous and we have really good support from that."