MIKE Watkinson is already looking to the future and trying to get Lancashire back into the First Division as one the worst seasons in the club's history draws to a close.

Lancashire and Gloucestershire played out a dull final day at Old Trafford after the Red Rose's relegation was decided on Friday.

But the coach refuses to be all doom and gloom.

"Our priority is to get straight back up," said Watkinson. "We've got to put this behind us as quick as we can and look to build for the future.

"I hope people can see the club has made some great strides over recent times. The young players from the Academy are starting to knock on the door and in two or three years they will be flooding into the first team.

"It's not going to be an overnight process but in the future those systems will see us do well. So we can't be too down, even though it's a huge blow to go down and we will be trying are hardest to get back out in a season."

Rebuilding has already begun, with the likely arrivals of Brad Hodge and Muttiah Muralitharan, and more changes could occur over the next few weeks.

At least one player did enjoy the final rites of the season. Gary Keedy took another seven wickets to finish with 14-227 in the match, a career best haul, to cap a fine season that saw him finish with 72 wickets.

They are also the best figures by an English spinner since Martyn Ball, who also played in this match, took 14-169 in 1993.