Livingston

We asked for your views on Livingston's defeat on penalties against St Mirren in the Scottish Cup.

Here's what some of you said:

David: I don't understand why, when we have struggled to score goals all season, we bring on members of the squad who have been struggling versus players we have brought in (Alex Tamm) with incredible scoring statistics. Scott Arfield scored. Clearly identifying why new inputs are needed, it should wake up the rest of the squad.

Craig: Same old script. Decent performance no end result. The problem is keeping a clean sheet. Only one all season back in September. We are looking likely to score in games but keeping them out is the problem. A clean sheet on Tuesday will help as it guarantees a point. However no easy fix. Mahamadou Susoho looked good and has kicked on since his tantrum when substituted. Good to see Robbie Muirhead back too.

Owen: David Martindale is now way out of his depth at Livingston. That's 21 games in a row that we have failed to win. I'm not buying into the whole "the club is in a good place" nonsense being peddled by Martindale. Something needs to change. Teti Yengi should never be anywhere near the team, absolute waste of a jersey for almost two years, but Martindale seems to keep him in or around the squad and his penalty was the nail in the coffin for him for me.

Allan: I'm not happy at a loss but I'll take a cup exit if it means we've learned enough about St Mirren to ensure that we get the three points in the league match on Tuesday.

With second-choice goalkeeper Jack Hamilton out injured, Livingston are considering a move for Hamilton Academical 23-year-old Jamie Smith. (Daily Record), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.

St Mirren squeezed past fellow top-flight strugglers Livingston on penalty kicks to earn their first win in six matches and progress to the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.

Have your say on the game here.

Read our match report here.

Scott Arfield has "no hard feelings" over his Falkirk departure and is relishing the "huge challenge" of trying to keep Livingston in the Premiership.

The 37-year-old midfielder returned to first club Falkirk last season and helped them win promotion to the top flight.

But after just four league starts this term, he requested to leave and joined bottom club Livingston.

"I think probably the last three months the enjoyment sort of went out of my game," Arfield said.

"It was only 20 minutes here, 30 minutes there, 10 minutes here. So it's quite hard to do that in training every week, every day, you just want something on a Saturday for you to look forward to and the team are playing brilliant.

"The manager at Falkirk [John McGlynn] just changed the system in terms of he wanted pace in behind which is working to a treat right now.

"So there wasn't any bad feeling about it, I just had to sort of get out of there. Shake hands, we've been brilliant for each other. I was brilliant for Falkirk, Falkirk were excellent for me.

"So absolutely no animosity, no hard feelings whatsoever. It was just as you're coming to the end, I want to still have the moments that I've had in my career luckily, continuously through my career and I still feel as if I've got some moments."

Arfield made his Livi debut off the bench in last weekend's draw with Kilmarnock. David Martindale's side are four points adrift with a game in hand on second-bottom Killie.

Speaking before the Scottish Cup tie with St Mirren on Saturday, Arfield said: "I've always said that as I'm getting older, I want to retire myself rather than just dwindling out.

"And then the challenge that Livingston offered is the exact same as at Falkirk, another massive challenge.

"I wouldn't have come here if I felt I couldn't contribute in some sort of way so that's exactly the reasoning."

Celtic have agreed to sell 20-year-old centre-back Mitchell Robertson, who is currently on loan to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, to Livingston. (Daily Record), external

Livingston manager David Martindale has thanked Celtic for allowing the West Lothian club to terminate Adam Montgomery's loan after the 23-year-old left-back suffered another injury setback. (The Herald), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Watch as Livingston manager David Martindale has a suggestion for which topic he wants to be asked about at the start of his media conference.

Livi had a penalty appeal turned down in Saturday's draw with Kilmarnock, prompting a discussion with head of referees Willie Collum.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Livingston boss David Martindale believes the Scottish Premiership would benefit from full-time referees after receiving another apology for his side missing out on a penalty.

Martindale revealed that Scottish FA head of referees Willie Collum had been in touch to discuss the denial of spot kick late in Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Kilmarnock.

Brad Lyons appeared to stick out an elbow to deflect the ball away from goal, but referee Don Robertson took no action and there was no stoppage in play to review the incident.

Collum made a similar call to Martindale in the wake of an unpunished handball from Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez during a 2-1 defeat at Ibrox in November.

"Very, very similar to Ibrox, if I'm honest," said Martindale.

"But I don't think it's a Willie Collum problem. I don't think it's just an official's problem. I think it's a Scottish football problem.

"We need to get our heads together and we need to find solutions very quickly.

"I appreciate Willie phoning, I really do. But it's not really worth anything at the end of the day because I've been through this, what, eight weeks ago?

"I'm now going through it again. And it's really hard to get your head around. I think we've got to do better."

Scottish officials are paid by game on a part-time basis, while Collum said last month there is no handball problem this season

"If you were to go with a full-time team and a part-time team, over the course of a season, the full-time team's going to make better decisions," said Martindale.

"They're going to be fitter, they're going to be stronger, because that's their full-time focus. I think we need to start phasing the double jobs.

"There's a lot of referees that are very intelligent individuals within their own industries. They're in good jobs and I understand it would be hard for that transition into full-time football because you'd probably lose a lot of household turnover.

"But I think we've got to start phasing that in. I know the salaries on offer for referees and there'd be a lot of people who'd bite your hand off for that in a full-time position.

"It's the only way it's going to get better, is by having it full-time."

Stuart Barrie
Fan writer

We really needed a win against Killie. The draw just felt like we were in the groundhog day loop of never moving forward.

The build-up to the game was first class. We had big-name signings and our chairman making a rare public appearance.

I felt really optimistic we'd get goals and a win but it ended up a huge anti-climax. The performance was decent, the referee was shocking, and we should have had a penalty. Close but no cigar should be the motto for this season.

As much as we want the new recruits to excel, they maybe need a bit of time. Of course, that's what we don't have to spare so there does need to be an acceleration in getting the new guys in the team and firing on all cylinders.

It's blatantly clear it is us against Killie for relegation. If we can prevent the gap widening in the new few weeks then we have a chance.

We have to want it more than they do, we have to scrap for every point and most importantly take our chances in front of goal.

The chairman believes we can do it. The manager believes and our part as fans is to give the players all the backing and belief we can.

Watch Sportscene pundit Charlie Mulgrew discuss David Martindale's decision to make a substitute early on during their 1-1 draw against Kilmarnock on Saturday.

Livingston defender Brooklyn Kabangolo was booked for his first foul in the opening minutes but avoided punishment for two subsequent infringements before being replaced.

"He's very lucky," said Mulgrew. "Two out of the three [fouls] are bookings. It's one of the rare occasions in a game where you have to make a sub so early."

Mulgrew, however, also believes Livi should've been awarded a penalty after the ball appeared to strike Brad Lyons' arm.

"I think it's a clear penalty," added the former Scotland defender. "He lifts his arm towards the ball."

Watch highlights as Livingston draw 1-1 against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.

We asked for your views on Livingston's 1-1 Premiership draw against Kilmarnock on Saturday.

Here's what some of you said:

Mike: What happened to Robbie Hunter getting some game time. With both the new signings getting on it must leave doubts in Robbie's mind.

Paul: I think it's fair to say we are going back down. We have a great owner and board. David Martindale is committed to helping the club but we are going back down and we should start planning for that now.

Kyle: As I always say it's either the referees or luck that's stopped us from winning games, I believe that Davie is the man to stick by until the end of the season and we will assess options then but it doesn't help the fact that Livi are 154 days without a win but it should have ended.

Michael: Livi should have been down to 10 men but on the other hand we should have had a penalty. After the non-penalty against Rangers and now this one, the club should ask for the VAR money back; it doesn't work.

Kev: Good game to watch, though ruined by another inept official who will not be held accountable, there needs to be some redress/accountability, clubs, managers, players and fans are suffering due to officials not being of a competent standard.

Del: Didn't play new signings enough. Same players, same tactics, same claims of being unlucky. Madness is doing the same thing and expecting different results. Good players, not being coached well or executing tactics effectively. Something has to change or relegation is inevitable.

Neil McCann began his Kilmarnock reign by with a draw that keeps relegation rivals Livingston four points behind them at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

Read the match report

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Livingston manager David Martindale: "I'm disappointed with the two points dropped, that's how it feels. There's a lot to like within the performance in terms of control in the game, chance creation. Final third, we've got to be a wee bit cleaner up there.

"We feel it was a penalty [when the ball appeared to hit Brad Lyons' arm]. I'd love to hear why it wasn't. If I'm wrong on the penalty, I'm wrong, I can take that on the chin.

"I felt Don [Robertson, the referee] had a poor game. Big Brooklyn [Kabangolo] gets a yellow card really, really early on in the game and it kind of forced us into making changes. I don't think it's a yellow card.

"Lewis Smith gets a strong tackle on him 23, 25 yards from the opponent's goal and it's not a yellow card but our centre-back brings Brucie [Anderson] down on the touchline, he puts it out for a throw-in 50, 60 yards from goal. The inconsistencies never helped us.

"The goal was fantastic. There was a lot to like in the goal. Disappointed with the goal we lose. We've got to do better with the first contact. We're giving cheap, cheap goals away to the opposition. Not defending our box well enough."

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

Livingston chairman Calvin Ford is "not concerned" about the possibility of relegation, despite the side's place at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

David Martindale's side prop up the Scottish Premiership, having played 20 of their 38 fixtures, four points below Saturday's visitors Kilmarnock, who have played 21.

Livi have recruited midfielder Scott Arfield and forward Alex Tamm so far this January transfer window and Ford says, "we're going to keep looking".

"We're certainly looking at a couple more before the end of the window," Ford told BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound.

"How concerned am I? I'm not concerned. It's halfway through the season. We brought in a couple of players that I'm really excited about.

"If you look back at many of the games that we were in, boy, how many did we lose in the last five or 10 minutes? It's unbelievable the amount of points that I feel that we could've had.

"I have complete belief in this squad, in the players, in the staff. I feel great right now."

The American would not give specific figures when asked about how much he was willing to invest in the January transfer window but said: "I knew the passion and the drive and the desire when I got into it.

"We were the last team up. We're battling for our lives and it starts today. It's 2026, we're turning over a new leaf right now and I'm excited. My passion, my optimism, my belief in Davie in this team has never wavered.

"Has anything surprised me? No. I knew that it was going to be a challenge. I knew what I was getting in to when I did it and I still love it, I'm still thrilled about it."

Image source, SNS

Livingston could hand debuts to veteran midfielder Scott Arfield and Estonia striker Alex Tamm.

Cammy Kerr is also pushing for a belated debut after recovering from injury, but Aidan Denholm, Shane Blaney (both hamstring) and Adam Montgomery (calf) remain out. Macaulay Tait returns after being unable to face parent club Hearts last weekend.

Kilmarnock midfielder David Watson is suspended while Tom Lowery and Marley Watkins are doubts.

Max Stryjek (heart), Kyle Magennis (knee), Jamie Brandon (ankle/groin), Djenairo Daniels (knee) and Matty Kennedy (hip) remain out.

Image source, SNS

• This will be Neil McCann's first Scottish Premiership game as manager of Kilmarnock, and first at all in the competition since he lost 2-1 to Killie in his final game in charge of Dundee in October 2018.

• McCann is looking to become the first manager to win his first top-flight match with Kilmarnock since Paul McDonald as interim in October 2017 (2-0 v Partick Thistle), while the last permanent appointment to do so was Jim Jefferies in March 2002 (3-2 v Dundee).

• Livingston have only lost one of their past eight Scottish Premiership home games against Kilmarnock (W5 D2), winning three of their last four (D1) since a 3-1 defeat in October 2020.

• Kilmarnock have lost both of their past two league games against newly-promoted opposition, both to Falkirk in November (3-1) and December (1-0). Killie last suffered three successive top-flight defeats to promoted clubs in May 2009 (three in a row to Hamilton).

• Livingston are winless in 18 league games (D5 L13), their longest ever run in the top flight. Their tally of nine points is the lowest any side have had from their opening 20 games of a Scottish top-flight campaign since Partick Thistle in 2003-04 (also nine).

• Kilmarnock are winless in 14 league games (D3 L11), their longest run since also going 14 without a win from September 1999 to February 2000.

Image source, Getty

Alex Tamm is relishing the prospect of going up against his Estonia team-mate Michael Schjonning-Larsen if he makes his Livingston debut in Saturday's relegation showdown with Kilmarnock.

The 24-year-old striker, capped 19 times, this week joined the Lions on loan from Slovenian top-flight side Olimpija Ljubljana until the end of the season.

"One of my friends from the national team joined Kilmarnock and so it's really exciting," Tamm said of Estonia defender Schjonning-Larsen, who joined Killie this month from Levadia Tallinn.

"There is also the old Motherwell striker, Henri Anier, who I'm also really close to. Before joining here, I spoke with him about everything and he said this league would really fit me well.

"That helped me get to the final decision. They were really encouraging words towards me and so in the end, it made it easier to make the decision."

Tamm, who hopes his move to Livi will keep him in the Estonia squad, believes his "workrate" can help his new team in their quest to get off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

"I would describe myself as a player who gives a lot to the team and through that, I know that I will get my chances as a striker," he said.

"I'm two feet on the ground always, really trying to help the team, and my aim here is to help the team achieve its goals and then I know that through that, I can help myself.

"I believe that I'm really dangerous in the box, I'm really aggressive. I put in a lot of metres every game, I have the capacity to run and help the team in as many ways as possible and I believe that I'm a good finisher."

We asked for your views on what business Livingston need to do during this January transfer window.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Malcolm: We need a goalscorer. An old-fashioned poacher - maybe two. Heads held high is great but it doesn't get us points. A handful of really good performances so far but not enough goals. Oh, and did I mention we need a goalscorer?

Jaimie: We look a mess in defence and struggle to capitalise on chances. I think we need a creative midfielder who can get balls into our strikers and some more cover at the back.

Matt: The one thing that was patently clear from the performance at Hearts was that Livingston are crying out for a natural finisher. For all his excellent hold-up play and effort on Saturday, Tete Yengi showed again that getting the goals required to stay in the league is probably not something that should be placed on his list of responsibilities.

Malky: I honestly believe like a lot of other people who watch Livi, that we've got a squad that's capable of surviving in the top flight. But again being brutally honest, it's the leadership failing us and it really really hurts to say this.

Image source, Getty Images

Estonia striker Alex Tamm has joined Livingston on loan from Olimpija Ljubljana.

The 24-year-old with 19 caps could be available for Saturday's home game against Kilmarnock, subject to international transfer clearance and Scottish FA approval.

Tamm moved to the Slovenian capital from Nomme Kalju in January 2025 and scored four goals in nine appearances for Olimpija.

He spent six seasons with Nomme Kalju, hitting 87 goals from his 171 outings.