Clark is one of five players whose contracts end in the summer

"The time to invest in a football club is when you are on a high," Miller said after the 4-0 win over Copenhagen.

"Clubs and chairmen seem to find money when trying to avoid relegation.

"But we have got to find it to support the manager and try to keep the players that we have at this club within sensible parameters."

Interview: Aberdeen director of football Willie Miller

Barry Nicholson, Jamie Langfield, Zander Diamond, Chris Clark and Michael Hart are out of contract in the summer, have yet to agree new terms and could talk to rival clubs during January.

"Maybe the chairman is going to be challenged in a different way from what he is used to," said Miller.

If we do get a big draw in the next round then that will give Jimmy more resources to go out and add another two players to the squad Willie Miller

"The challenges that usually lands on his doorstep, and have been for a decade, are fighting relegation and sacking managers.

"I am part of a board that have got to come up with answers."

Miller believes that the club have done well to reach their present stage considering the spending limits imposed on manager Jimmy Calderwood.

"What we have done in the last three and a half years to get to this stage has been fantastic," he said.

"We have supported Jimmy as much as we can, but maybe we have got to ask a question or two and push it a bit more."

Much may depend on Friday's draw for the last 32 of the Uefa Cup.

"If we do get a big draw in the next round then that will give Jimmy more resources to go out and add another two players to the squad, which would make a big difference," said Miller.

The director of football was speaking on the day when John Collins resigned as Hibernian manager because of his frustration at the lack of funds for bringing in new players.

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"I don't know what's happened at Easter Road, but I can assure the fans that any upside in terms of profit will be reinvested in the playing pool," said Miller.

"If we are making money, Jimmy will get it, but we are not going to go out and get ourselves any more into debt."

However, Miller had a warning for the out-of-contract players.

"They have good contracts on the table and I hope they sign them," he insisted.

"But if we have got to rebuild the team then I will support Jimmy in rebuilding the team.

"If they are sensible, I will do everything I can to keep them here.

"If they are not, they'll go somewhere else and we will go and get other players to produce the kind of football we had against Copenhagen."

Nicholson said he had held talks with the club at the start of the week and hoped more discussions would follow now that the Uefa Cup game was out of the way.

"I am happy here and want to stay," he said.

Fellow midfielder Clark was also hopeful of remaining with his local club.