Livingston manager David Martindale admits he is back in the transfer market

Livingston manager David Martindale admits he is back in the transfer market after the rigours of top-flight football forced him into a rethink.

Martindale appeared to have completed his business with the loan signing of Celtic left-back Adam Montgomery, plus the arrivals of midfielder Aidan Denholm and striker Jeremy Bokila.

But Denholm faces several months out with a hamstring injury and Montgomery went off with a muscle problem at half-time during Livingston’s 3-1 win over Falkirk on Saturday. Danny Wilson and Graham Carey had already gone off injured.

With Cammy Kerr a long-term absentee and Daniel Finlayson and Connor McLennan both absent on Saturday, Martindale feels he will need to reconsider his plans.

“We took a lot of knocks in the last couple of weeks and that’s the demands and rigours of the Premiership,” said Martindale, whose side host Hibernian in the Premier Sports Cup on Sunday.

“I’d spoken about how I wanted to get the squad size down and now I’m not sure that’s going to be doable. I think I might need to run with a slightly bigger squad than ideally I want to run with.

“I think it took some of the new players a wee bit by surprise in terms of the intensity and the physicality.

“It’s difficult keeping 23 players happy, never mind 25 players happy, but I think that’s what I’m going to have to run with at least until January, until we can get certain players up to training and game intensity.”

Martindale added: “I’m actively looking for one position.

“I allowed Reece (McAlear) to leave when I brought Aidan in, and then Aidan’s going to be three or four months out.

“So we’re a wee bit light in terms of the squad. But I’m only looking for someone who’s going to come in and make us better, and that’s the difficult part.”