SAYING goodbye was not the hard part, it's what comes next that could define Scunthorpe United's season.

Few Iron fans would begrudge Gary Hooper the chance to move on, with the opportunity to represent Scottish giants Celtic in the offing.

That dream for the striker could become reality inside the next 24 hours if, as expected, he passes a medical at Celtic Park.

But United's Official Supporters Club chairman Graham Godson admits to being more than a little worried about the immediate future.

Holding out for close to £2.5million for last season's top scorer was the right course of action, according to Godson.

Now he has urged the club to spend that money wisely, and quickly, if United are to secure another season of Championship football.

"I think, at the end of the day, football is in such a dire state that it was better to get that amount of money for him now," said Godson.

"You can't blame him for leaving, if it's the right deal for the club, and I think it is.

"He hadn't come forward and signed a contract extension, so he was obviously looking to move on.

"It's better getting £2.5million for him now than getting nothing for him later if it went to a tribunal next year.

"And who's to say he would have scored 25 goals for us this season.

"We weren't going to get anymore than £2.5million for him, even if he got 50 goals for us this season.

"Football is in big trouble at the moment, so to get that amount of money is good. And it will save Southend as well.

"It's business."

Hooper's former club will benefit from about £500,000 as part of a sell-on clause, leaving the Iron with in the region of £1.9million to boost their bank balance.

Manager Nigel Adkins has already brought in strikers Chris Dagnall and Bobby Grant over the summer following Paul Hayes' departure to Preston.

And though Jonathan Forte and Garry Thompson could also be in line to start up front when the first game of the season comes around next month, Godson would like to see the new-found cash help bring an experienced head into the mix.

"I feel a bit sorry for Nigel Adkins because he's built his squad around him (Hooper) and he lost Paul Hayes as well," said the United fan.

"He's got to go out there and find someone else now.

"He must have had a premonition or a feeling that Hooper was going to go if he went out and brought two strikers in.

"I just hope they bring in a replacement for about half-a-million or something, anyone who scores goals. That's two strikers we've lost now. We need someone who can step up to Hooper's mantle.

"I'm not bothered what happens in the season as long as we find a goalscorer.

"If we go down because we didn't score enough goals, then obviously someone will have to answer for that."