Martindale delighted Livi is under new ownership after 'difficult' few years

David Martindale is delighted that Livingston is under new ownership so that he once again focus solely on getting results on the pitch.

Baycup Ltd and their director John McIlvogue successfully completed the acquisition of a majority stake in the Almondvale club on Sunday.

McIlvogue will take up a place on the board and fulfil the role of Chief Commercial Officer.

The manager has still to meet the new owners but is confident that having a new skillset in the building with be a massive boost after what he describes as a “difficult” period for the club.

He said: “It’s got to be a positive for the football club, because where we have been the last three of four years hasn’t been great, I’ve got to be honest there, it’s been really difficult for the staff in the club, so to have a fresh impetus and a fresh skill-set coming into the building, and hopefully having upstairs aligned with downstairs and a bit of help upstairs for everybody, I think will be a huge positive for the club.

“I’ve not the new owner yet, but I just know that it needed to be done and I hope it is a step in the right direction and I’m sure it is.

“There has been a lot of sleepless nights, at times I was coming into work, and not just me this is probably the same with every member of staff, and you think ‘I just want to be doing my own job, I just want to be a football manager’ but it’s been really difficult for all the staff because we are all mucking to try and keep this club in the Premiership.

“It’s been like trying to push water up a hill at times, that’s how it feels, the last three or four years haven’t been ideal, it’s not been great so hopefully this is an opportunity to let me just be the manager of Livingston Football Club again and concentrate solely on my day job.

“We are bringing a new skillset in upstairs that will align everybody and get the club moving in the right direction.

“As I say I haven’t met the new owners yet, but I trust John Ward implicitly so I’m looking forward to it, let’s be honest there is always going to be challenges when you are at a club this size, but I am looking forward to the challenges ahead because I feel we are going to face those challenges together as one and as a collective unit we are going to be united.

“So hopefully this is the start of a fresh beginning for Livingston.”

Livingston are preparing for a trip to Glasgow to take on Rangers in the League Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday after falling to a 3-0 defeat to the other half of the Old Firm at the weekend.

Celtic had Joe Hart sent off in the first-half and played an hour with ten-men, but Martindale’s side were unable to capitalise on the advantage as the league leaders secured the three points with another two goals.

The Livi boss said: “I think 11vs11 (against Celtic) we competed very well, but we give away a really cheap penalty from having good possession in the opponent’s final third so that was disappointing and gave us a mountain to climb but I thought we were well in the game and created a few chances ourselves.

“When Joe gets sent off that gives us the impetus and we get a bit of momentum from that and I thought we finished the half fairly well but we give away goal in the second and that gives Celtic the impetus and gives us a bigger mountain to climb after that.

“When I strip the game back I am really disappointed we conceded two goals against ten-men and that is where my frustration comes from.”

Rangers struggled to a 1-0 win over Motherwell on Sunday with manager Michael Beale under increased pressure.

The support inside Ibrox booed the team off the park despite picking up all three-points with the Steelmen unlucky not to get something from the game.

But Martindale insists that won’t give him any more confidence going into the game but does admit with Celtic being out it gives the rest of the league a boost in their hopes of lifting silverware.

He said: “Motherwell were unlucky but Rangers still made three or four good chances in that game. Mick has a few injuries to deal with, Matondo was taken off also so that’s another one added to the mix.

“But I only want to focus on Livingston, going there is going to be difficult, both teams are going into it one game away from Hampden, Celtic have obviously been knocked out already so that gives every other Premiership club’s chances of success a boost, so there is that wee bit of added motivation for us and I’m sure Mick and his players will be looking to get the first piece of silverware under their belt.

“But we will be doing everything we can to get ourselves in the hat for the next round and book our place at Hampden.”