St Kilda have committed to winning their long-awaited second AFL premiership before 2020.

The struggling Saints released their strategic plan at Thursday night’s season launch, with the club also declaring they want to build an admired culture.

While St Kilda expect the next two years to be very challenging on the field, they have planned to be back in the top four by 2018.

After winning their only premiership in 1966, St Kilda have made four grand finals.

Under former coach Ross Lyon, they lost the 2009 grand final to Geelong by 12 points and then drew with Collingwood the following year.

The Magpies then won the replay easily and the Saints have been in decline since.

They sacked Lyon’s successor Scott Watters late last year, with Alan Richardson now in charge.

St Kilda have also had a history of off-field dramas, including the schoolgirl saga and last year’s dwarf burning at a season-ending Mad Monday function for players.

But they aim to build a club culture based on respect and accountability.

Other features of the strategic plan include a push for 50,000 members in Australia by 2018, plus 10,000 in New Zealand.

The Saints now play an annual Anzac Day match in New Zealand.

They also want to achieve an annual financial surplus and reduce their debt.

St Kilda will continue to be based at Seaford, but have also committed to helping refurbish their old Moorabbin home ground.

The Saints plan to have a stronger presence in the Bayside suburbs, from Port Melbourne through to Frankston.

St Kilda’s weekly “captain’s run” training session will usually be held at the Moorabbin venue and the club’s stand-alone VFL side will play there from 2016.

Saints’ football director Chris Pelchen likens St Kilda’s list position to that of Hawthorn’s in 2004, when the Hawks won four games.

The Hawks returned to the top eight in 2007, playing two finals, and won the premiership in the following season.