John McGlynn says Falkirk will be given “more respect” in the coming campaign and believes matching last season will be a tall order.
The Bairns followed successive promotions with a top-six finish in their first top-flight season in 15 years.
And McGlynn has been busy on the recruitment front, notably having to replace top scorers Barney Stewart and Calvin Miller, who were sold to West Bromwich Albion and Heart of Midlothian respectively.
“You can’t hold them back,” McGlynn told BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound. “If players see what we’re doing here, you’ve got more chance of attracting players.
“We’ve still got a bit of work to do. Big football boots to fill.
“We can’t do it exactly like for like but we have to try and do something that’s going to get us competing in that top half of the table where we were for most of last season, which will be a challenge. The second season always is.
“They’ve punched above their weight. We’ll get a little bit more respect probably next season but the guys have risen to the challenge.”