Manager: Peter Reid.
Reid has always had a decent eye for bargains and his summer signings have been receiving positive write-ups during the run-up to the new season.
Laslandes is probably the most important new arrival, with the Frenchman expected to cover for and, one presumes, eventually replace Niall Quinn.
If Stefan Schwarz is free of injury for the entire season, though, the team will be much the better for his experience, while Don Hutchison and Kevin Phillips are both genuinely outstanding on their day.
The team was in the hunt for a Champions League place until late enough on last season, now the test for Reid and his players is to try to make the leap to the next level without anything close to the resources of the competition.
In: Lilian Laslandes (Bordeaux, £3.6m); Nicolas Medina (Argentinos Juniors, £3.5m), Bernt Haas (Zurich, £750,000), Baki Mercimek (HFA Haarlem, free); David Bellion (AS Cannes, free). Total £7.1m .
Out: Carsten Fredgaard (Copenhagen, £500,000), Milton Nunez (Nacional, free). Gareth McGhie (Queen of the South, free), Michael Proctor (York City, loan), Finbarr Lynch (released). Total: £500,000 Net spend: £6.6m.
Rep of Ireland players: Thomas Butler, Kevin Kilbane, Brendan McGill, Niall Quinn and Michael Reddy.
Last year: Prem: 7th, FAC: 5th.
This year: 6th.
Official website: www.safc.com
Betting: 66-1.
