Livingston

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Marvin Bartley has spoken to the media for the first time since being appointed Livingston manager as he prepares for Wednesday's Premiership game with Falkirk.

Here are the main points from his news conference:

• Bartley says he only found out David Martindale was stepping down on Sunday morning and was then offered the job.

• He adds: "I didn't expect it to happen. Probably the best thing about it, I didn't have any time to think."

• The 39-year-old says "it's a privilege" to be handed the job, having also played for Livingston in the past.

• Bartley insists he will have sole control over first-team matters. He will lean on Martindale for advice at times but knows "the buck stops with me".

• Bartley is convinced Livingston's players are good enough to stay in the Premiership - they sit six points adrift at the bottom with 14 games left - and hopes a "fresh voice and fresh approach" can hep spark an upturn in results.

• Team news: Veteran midfielder Scott Arfield returns from injury and is fit to take on Falkirk if required, having recently left the Bairns.

With the transfer window now shut, we want to know if you think your team have made the right moves.

Livingston were idle on deadline day but had already added seven players, including Babacar Fati, Scott Arfield and Alex Tamm.

Mahamadou Susoho and Tete Yengi were among the players to depart.

Are you happy with the club's January business? With Marvin Bartley having replaced David Martindale as manager, is the squad equipped for a great escape from relegation?

Tell us your thoughts here.

We asked for your views on Marvin Bartley taking over as Livingston manager with David Martindale moving to a new role as sporting director.

Here's what some of you said:

Ben: So no real change then. Davie still making awful signings and pulling the strings. With a failed Queen of the South manager "in charge," what a time to be alive.

Malky: Right decision, Big Marv will bring in a fresh approach, fresh ideas. Nobody can take away what Davie's done for club, but hopefully a new direction now.

Kyle: Personally I am disappointed with the decision to replace Martindale with Bartley as there are more qualified personnel at the club, e.g., Neil Hastings and Chipper [Brian Rice] but I think that's us down and there is no point in thinking about safety this season.

Stephen: Thanks Davie, you will always be a legend and a big part of our history. The atmosphere was surreal and everyone knew that something had to change. Although we are a diddy team we have a big heart. Big Marv has a huge job restoring team spirit amongst what we thought looked a broken group. Well here goes another chapter. Come on the Lions.

Paul: As much as I like Davie, we couldn't go on and lose every game this season and that's how it was looking. He clearly has a great affinity for the club so it's worth keeping him around. Marvin is untried at Prem level so it's a huge ask but I prefer someone from the inside getting a chance. Marvin did brilliantly for us as a player and it's nice to give him a try as the manager. We have literally nothing to lose.

Clive: This change should have happened weeks ago. Every week the changes that were made were like for like with no desire to change shape of team. I liked Bartley as a player and captain with us and he talks a good game. Hopefully he can walk the walk, be his own man and stamp his own authority on the team. Too late for this season I believe, but if he can get a few wins under his belt before the season ends, next season will look brighter which ever league we are in. However Martindale has left a legacy and will be a hard act to follow. Onwards and upwards.

Matt: Bartley's promotion and Martindale shifting upstairs has been the obvious move to make for a considerable amount of time. It's a belated, but nonetheless massively welcome change. Martindale has already said there must be clear distance between Marvin and his own new role, which again is encouraging - Bartley must be allowed the space and freedom to put his own mark on the side. For the first time in a long time, I feel slightly encouraged. It's almost certainly too late to save this season, but in terms of preparing early for next, it's 100 per cent the right play.

Stuart Barrie
Fan writer

It was a bit of a shock to learn the news that David Martindale had moved upstairs to become sporting director.

He was bullish and as determined as ever to get things right, stating he was not for quitting after our latest drubbing, this one at the hands of Motherwell. I really didn't not expect this move. I don't think any Livi fan did.

First and foremost, I think there is some gratitude and appreciation to be shown to Martindale for his hard work at the club over the years. I do believe he is our most successful manager and by that definition, also our best ever manager.

He has given me some of my best times as a Livi fan. Our promotion last year was incredible and the Challenge Cup win last season was out of this world.

He was also part of the management team that also gave us our first play-off final win, a Challenge Cup win, a £2m player sale, loads of impressive wins against the Old Firm and a storming five goals scored against Hearts that cancelled their players' Christmas party.

I really do appreciate his efforts, even if a lot of Livi fans had lost faith in him recently and things were turning a tad toxic at games.

This season's points tally has been dismal. We have played good attacking football at times but it's not been enough.

We are behind even our own points tally from this stage in our relegation campaign a couple of years again.

Quite a feat considering how dismal and depressing that season was. This season I have enjoyed a lot of the games, been disappointed at the last-minute concessions and VAR decisions, but I've been entertained.

However I've not seen a win since August. When we last won, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival was in full swing, now the Valentine's Day cards are in the shops. Change was very much needed as Martindale had lost the support of the majority of fans.

I really hope I am wrong but I'm not sure this change is enough. I haven't advocated for change with the manager this season and hoped Martindale would get it right, but if you are going to make a change then things have to really change.

Instead it feels like more of the same - what will Marvin do as manager that he couldn't do as a coach?

There is also the spectre of having the old manager around on a day-to-day basis.

That could lead to confusion with the players and well, more of the same.

Its big Marv's time to shine. Whether he turns things around remains to be seen but I sincerely hope he manages to do so.

I hope there are brighter times ahead for the club. I also hope in time even the angriest of Livi fans can appreciate Martindale's time at the helm and he has the lasting, positive legacy he deserves.

Watch highlights as Motherwell win 2-0 in what proved to be David Martindale's final game as Livingston manager before he moves upstairs to become sporting director. (Available to UK users only)

Marvin Bartley has taken over as Livingston manager with David Martindale moving to a new role as sporting director at the Scottish Premiership's bottom club.

What do you make of the decision? Have your say.

We asked for your views after the 2-0 home defeat by Motherwell extended Livingston's winless run and left them six points adrift at the bottom.

Here's what some of you said:

Kev: Too many so called fans shouting for David Martindale's head. He can only go through the tactics, what players decide to do/not do on the park, he can't control. There's no consistency from the players. They looked jaded and downtrodden, second to everything, poor decision-making.

Fraz: Shambolic again! Babacar Fati looked decent but the tactics are all wrong, there's no cohesion and that's the managers fault. What happened to David saying "if it's the best thing for the club then I'll walk away?" He's now saying he'll only leave if sacked. It's not working, he's lost the fans, the club is losing fans and that won't change until Davie leaves. With a change in dugout there's a chance we'll stay up, but no chance with Davie in charge.

Malcolm: It was awful. Heads down, silly mistakes, and players shouting at each other on the pitch. The usual players stood out for me, maybe three or four guys, but other than that it looked like the team didn't really care about the outcome. Fans will soon vote with their feet. If this carries on then next year's support will be even smaller than now. Maybe I'll go and watch Broxburn in the Lowland League.

Matt: Not that there was much expectation of a result against a surging Motherwell side, but the manner of Livi's defensive capitulation was depressing. It was simply far too easy for them to cut Livi open, and it's the same story, rinse and repeat, week after week. Like the news wasn't bad enough for us long-suffering Livi fans, the quote from the manager after the game was "I can get sacked, but I will never, ever walk away from this football club, especially when they're in their times of need". What Martindale is failing to grasp is that it is his very leadership that is causing the club to sink into the abyss of the Championship again.

Thomas: Since post-match Aberdeen his manner has changed and in subsequent media both in house and externally he looks like a man who knows his time is running out at the club. Having a go at the diehard Livi fans, of all people, is pretty poor when you consider how hard it is supporting Livi. He can't keep criticising "individual mistakes" and picking the same individuals.

Steven: Absolutely horrendous. Worse than the relegation season and the manager is taking the fans for a ride. 27 January 2024 he admits to press he will walk away if it means Livi stay in the Premiership, now he is saying he will die in the dugout? Who runs the club? Ford, John Ford? Just names on paper. The press don't even call him out, it's an embarrassment. Martindale's done great but all this about "credit in the bank" is ridiculous, no job in the world could you go six months without getting a result and still be in it. Shambles is the only way to describe Livingston football club just now.

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Midfielder Mahamadou Susoho leaves Livingston after being recalled by parent club Manchester City.

The English Premier League side have agreed a deal with Kocaelispor in Turkey for the 21-year-old.

Susoho featured 19 times for David Martindale's side and scored his only goal against Aberdeen at Pittodrie in the 6-2 defeat last weekend.

Motherwell cruised to a completely dominant victory over Livingston to move two points behind third-placed Celtic in the Scottish Premiership courtesy of a Tawanda Maswanhise double.

Read the match report here.

Let us know your thoughts here.

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Livingston manager David Martindale: "Defensively it's, again, shambolic from us. Really, really poor, defensively. It's from an area of the park that shouldn't cause us any real problems. Jerome [Prior] and Joshua Brenet's got to do better together.

"It gets a wee bit chaotic. We just lose a wee bit of any control we had in the game for probably about 20-25 minutes. They score a second. Set plays, we look as though we've never worked on them, and we get a wee bit lucky to go in at 2-0 half time.

"We're in big trouble the way we're defending, that's me being honest.

"I feel we've got enough in the changing room. The better you are at the top end, the easier the job to defend is. When you're winning games of football - running, pressing, tackling, it all becomes a wee bit easier.

"Everything gets a wee bit harder when you're in the position we're in. I feel we've got the players in the changing room to [change things] but the manner of goals that we're losing is very, very disappointing.

"It's on me, I've got to take ownership of all that, but I feel there's certain elements of the changing room, they need to take accountability also.

"Last week was shocking defensively. There were individual errors, today there were individual errors again and they've cost us any opportunity to take something from the game.

"The fans are allowed their opinion. We're everybody's favourites for relegation when we came up this year and then when you find yourself in that position, it's as if 'well what are we doing here, how are we here, why are we here?'

"We knew it would be tough this year, but didn't know it would be that tough. I just feel there should be enough credit with myself.

"It's just football. But what I will say is, and people are allowed their opinions, but I don't think the way that happens helps the players or helps the staff. It might be directed at me, but that does not help the bench and it does not help the players in the park.

"There's going to be bad moments, there's probably more bad moments than good moments at this club. So it's a wee bit disappointing, I don't think it helps the players in the park.

"Listen, there's certain ways out of this club. I can get sacked, but I will never, ever walk away from this football club, especially when they're in their times of need.

"I'll never do it. I'll either get sacked, or pass away in the dugout, who knows? I don't fear for my job, I don't fear about losing games of football, because the moment you start acting like that, you're guaranteed it's going to happen."

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Livingston forward Jeremy Bokila is suspended. Cristian Montano, Scott Arfield and Aidan Denholm are all close to recovering from injury but this game may come too soon.

Motherwell have Sam Nicholson and Andy Halliday back in training while Elliot Watt (hamstring) and Regan Charles-Cook (ankle) are making good progress.

Callum Hendry is a bit further behind while long-term absentee Zach Robinson (Achilles) is continuing his rehab. Filip Stuparevic's contract has been terminated by mutual agreement.

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• Tawanda Maswanhise has scored in his past three league appearances, while a goal here would make him the youngest player (23 years 72 days) to net in four successive Scottish Premiership outings since Malik Tillman for Rangers in April 2023 (20y 308d), and youngest for Motherwell in the top flight since Nick Blackman in November 2010 (21y 9d).

• Motherwell have only lost one of their past 15 league games (W9 D5), a 1-0 defeat at Rangers in December. Indeed, since the start of this period on 25 October (which was a 2-1 win at Livingston), only Rangers have more points in the Scottish Premiership (38) than the Steelmen (32).

• Livingston remain winless in 21 league matches (D7 L14); the only side to go 22 games without a win in the Scottish top flight in the 21st century are Hamilton, who did so from November 2010 to April 2011 (D7 L15).

• Motherwell have won their past two league visits to Livingston, never before winning three in a row in the top flight.

• Livingston have lost their past five Scottish Premiership games against Motherwell – their longest ever top-flight losing run against the Steelmen.

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Livingston midfielder Graham Carey has joined Championship side Dunfermline Athletic on loan until the end of the season.

The 36-year-old joined the Lions from St Johnstone in the summer and has made 11 appearances for David Martindale's side.

The midfielder has scored one goal and set up a further four in all competitions this term.

Carey joins up with former Lions Zak Rudden and Robbie Fraser for the remainder of the campaign.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Livingston boss David Martindale insists he has no fear of losing his job as manager at the West Lothian club, despite sitting bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

The promoted side are three points behind Kilmarnock in 11th and eight points off St Mirren in safety, who have also played a game less than Livi.

Following Saturday's 6-2 defeat at Aberdeen Livingston are now winless in 21 league matches, the only side to go 22 games without a win in the Scottish top flight in the 21st century are Hamilton Accies back in 2010/11.

The club have a new owner in American businessman Calvin Ford but Martindale says regardless of where he is working he will not have any fear about getting the sack.

"I'll never fear for my job in my life, never," the 51-year-old.

"Why would you fear for your job? If you fear for your job, all that happens is you start playing safe, you don't take risks, and you start making wrong decisions based on emotions. I'll never ever fear for my job.

"This is the first proper contract I've had at the club, so if anything, I'm probably in a much more secure position than I've ever been at Livingston.

"But I will never, no matter what the job is, no matter what the club is, no matter what I'm doing, I'll never come into my work scared about losing my job. Because I think it leads to you, I don't think you get the best version of yourself."

Martindale was shown a red card in the defeat to Aberdeen on Saturday and says he takes the brunt of the responsibility for the loss and acknowledges the team must to better when they host Motherwell this weekend.

"I let the team down on Saturday," he added.

"I take that one, it's my discipline. I think that went on to the park as well, so I think I've got to take that one on the chin. That's on me.

"In the previous game here with Motherwell I think we more than matched them. We'd done really well but we gave away a last minute goal, a very, very stupid last minute goal, and we lost the point. But I thought it was a really good game of football.

"So I think we're more than capable of getting something from the game, but we know how hard it's going to be.

"We've got to be at our absolute best to get something from this game."

Livingston boss David Martindale is backing Hearts to win this season's Premiership title and end Celtic and Rangers' 40-year grip on the trophy.

The Tynecastle club, led by Derek McInnes, are four points above Rangers and six ahead of Celtic at the top with 15 games remaining.

And Martindale suggested McInnes can take his Hearts team, buoyed by investment from Brighton owner Tony Bloom, all the way to the trophy.

"Hearts, I think they're the team," the Livingston boss said.

"I think Hearts have showed over the course of the season real consistency. I look at their squad. I look at Del [McInnes] and I want it to be Hearts. I want it for Scottish football, I want it for them.

"We all moan about Rangers and Celtic winning the league every year – is this [Hearts being top] not brilliant?

"Everybody's saying 'Oh, the Old Firm aren't playing well', but Hearts have been doing magnificent.

"I know a lot of the Hearts players, I know a lot of the Hearts staff. I think it's a fantastic football club that have now got a real good structure upstairs and downstairs. I think they've got a real, real chance.

"Take my Livingston hat off and the fact I grew up a Rangers fan. I love Scottish football, and for Scottish football, I think it would be brilliant if Hearts can go and win this league.

"I thought it was magnificent when Leicester did it in the English Premiership, and I think Hearts have got more than enough to do that. I think they've shown that against the Old Firm."

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Livingston have received a "six-figure loan fee" after striker Tete Yengi joined Japanese side FC Machida Zelvia for the remainder of the season.

The deal includes an option to buy for the J1 League side in the summer.

Yengi, 25, joined David Martindale's side in January 2024 from Ipswich Town and made 83 appearances for the West Lothian club, scoring 18 goals.

"This move is fantastic value for the club and a great move for Tete as an individual too," manager Martindale said.

"FC Machida Zelvia have a paid a six-figure loan fee and have a further six-figure transfer fee option which they can exercise in the summer if they wish to make the move permanent.

"I am really excited to watch Tete's growth in another league. I feel the player that walked in our building two years ago has now become a much better footballer and an even better person and we have been a great fit for one another.

"He leaves the club on a temporary loan with all of our best wishes.

"This is a fantastic piece of business for the club and it's important that we try to balance the books as best we can.

"As a club we need to progressing towards sustainability which has proved very hard the last few years but player trading will become a huge part of our business model moving forward."

Stuart Barrie
Fan writer

Make no mistake, the 6-2 defeat at Aberdeen is an embarrassment. The performance was the worst of the season and a massive reaction is needed to put it right.

Where to start here? There was so much wrong with this game for Livingston. The worst part is probably throwing away a 2-1 lead. We really shouldn't have been in front as Aberdeen battered us for the first part of the second half.

They switched off and we got a couple of goals. Then seven minutes of additional time appeared and our players must have had their heads in the dressing room as we leaked two goals to go in at half-time behind.

Incredible, but Aberdeen deserved their lead and worse was to come with a total collapse in the second half. We were rightly hammered and it's almost impossible to pull a positive out of this one. No player came anywhere near their usual standard.

The new signings have only had a few weeks to get fit and fit in with new team-mates, but the ones that came on yesterday were miles off it.

It's harsh, I know, but this is real disappointment for me as I was so hopeful they would come in to turn the season around, but they have hardly played and when they came on, they offered nothing.

I saw one fellow Livi fan describe Joshua Zimmerman as a speedboat without a driver - that sums him up. A fast, headless chicken. The other guys coming on had little or no impact.

The manager should not be getting sent off either, but at least he cares and shows his passion which, on this performance, was missing from the players.

This team are sleepwalking into the Championship. So, what next?

I think we're all a bit fed up as Livi fans saying the next one is must-win and then not winning. There is another chance to get three much-needed points against high-flying Motherwell.

They are miles better than us this season and we are on a long run of not winning, so the odds of even a goal, never mind a victory, are very long.

Watch Sportscene pundit Steven Naismith discuss manager David Martindale's need to start getting results at Livingston.