Livingston

Image source, SNS

Livingston manager David Martindale tells BBC Scotland: "It was an even game. Chances for chances, it was about even and I don't think there was much more in the game. A draw is a fair reflection.

"Brucie's looking at other clubs, but I've said all year 'get the ball in the box and Brucie is the man you want'. There can't be many number nines in Scottish football with Brucie's pedigree that are available for free. If anybody phones me, I'll give them a glowing recommendation for wee Brucie. Wee Brucie has been a friend, I've got a great relationship with him and I'll always keep in touch with him.

"I came to the unluckiest club in Scotland. We finish fifth, miss Europe. Finish sixth, miss Europe. Two top six finishes, missed out on the top six by the last kick of the ball and on matchday 38.

"The last two years, the gap between Livingston and the rest of the league has been growing and it's been harder year on year to be competitive.

"I'd walk away with my head held high. From when I came to into the football club to where we were to where we are now - two promotions, two relegations, a Cup final and Premiership football for six years, you'll break the record transfer fee and three or four players who've come through to play for Scotland - you'd take that."

"It's common knowledge that I'm in with the people at the football, in with the bricks and mortar, and if that changes I'm happy to shake everybody's hand and move on. I'm lucky I've got a degree, a background I can fall back on. I never thought I'd be manager of Livingston, I go away and complete my UEFA Pro Licence. I'd like to still be here but it's out of my hands."

Livingston signed off their doomed Scottish Premiership campaign with a comeback draw against Hibernian at the soon-to-be-renamed Tony Macaroni Arena.

After a sleep-inducing first-half in the West Lothian sun, Myziane Maolida put Hibs ahead four minutes after the break as he buried a loose ball on the edge of the area.

But there was to be a nice end to Bruce Anderson's Livingston story, with the departing striker tucking home a Joel Nouble cross to level.

Already destined for the Championship, Livingston finished 10 points behind 11th-placed Ross County, while managerless Hibs finished eighth.

The season is finally over Livingston fans. What did you make of that final game?

Who do you want to keep over the summer? Who do you want to bin? And when do you think the Lions will roar back to the Premiership?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

These teams will both look very different next season.

More than half of Livingston's squad is out of contract, with Anderson and Nouble already confirmed to depart. They will not be the last to see the glow of the exit sign.

Although some will be happy to bid farewell to Livingston, they have given us plenty of memorable moments in their time in the top flight. Two home wins over Celtic, one over Rangers, a thumping of Hearts, a run to the Scottish Cup final.

When will see them in these climbs again? It is hard to tell. Things must be resolved off the pitch before they are able to continue on it.

Image source, SNS

Bruce Anderson. Bye, bye 'Wee Brucie'. The Livingston striker signed off his stint in West Lothian with a goal and it was nothing less than he deserved.

Livingston: George, Nottingham, Devlin, Se Kelly, Montano, Pittman, St Kelly, Nouble, Shinnie, Anderson, Yengi.

Substitutes: Wright, Carson, Bradley, Sangare, Sharp.

Hibernian: Wollacott, Cadden, Bushiri, Hanlon, Obita, Triantis, Newell, Boyle, Campbell, Maolida, Vente.

Substitutes: Johnson, Levitt, Doyle-Hayes, Mayenda, Amos, Stevenson, Le Fondre, Tavares, Moriah-Welsh.

Image source, SNS

Livingston manager David Martindale expects to be selecting from the same squad he had at his disposal for the midweek defeat at Aberdeen, with goalkeeper Jack Hamilton (groin), James Penrice (hip) and Shaun Donnellan still missing.

Hibernian caretaker David Gray also expects to be selecting from the same squad he had available for Wednesday’s win over Motherwell, with goalkeeper David Marshall, Elie Youan, Will Fish (back) and Lewis Miller (hamstring) set to miss out again.

Image source, SNS

• Livingston have lost four of their last five league games against Hibernian (W1), as many as their previous 15 against Hibs in the top-flight beforehand (W7 D4 L4).

• Hibernian have won both of their last two league trips to Livingston, last winning three in a row on the road against them in the top-flight in May 2003.

• Livingston have lost 23 of their 37 Scottish Premiership games this season (W5 D9); the last side to lose more in a campaign in the division were Dundee in 2018-19 (27).

• Hibernian have won just one of their last nine away league games (D5 L3), beating St. Johnstone 3-1 in April.

• Hibernian have won each of their last three Scottish Premiership games with David Gray in charge by an aggregate score of 9-0 (4-0 v St. Johnstone in May 2022, 2-0 v Aberdeen in September 2023, 3-0 v Motherwell last time out).

Livingston's time in the Scottish Premiership comes to an end as Hibs visit West Lothian on Sunday.

David Martindale's side will be hoping for a better showing than in Wednesday's 5-1 thumping at Aberdeen.

Who would you like to see in the starting line-up? Pick your team here.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Livingston manager David Martindale has been speaking to the media before the final game of the season against Hibs this weekend.

Here are the key points from the press conference:

• Martindale says he is likely to leave the club if the ongoing legal battle goes against those who he believes are the rightful owners.

• Livingston's budget this season has been around that of a top-four Championship club.

• A "major reset" is required regardless of who owns the club and who the manager is.

• Relegation brings an end to what has been an “over-achievement” in terms of staying in the top flight.

In what has been the most challenging season of his Livingston tenure so far, David Martindale is coming to terms with relegation.

The manager has indicated he could leave the club, depending on the outcome of court action regarding ownership of the West Lothian outfit.

Could Sunday's home meeting with managerless Hibernian be Martindale's swansong? He wants to continue and spearhead the club's promotion bid from the Scottish Championship.

Either way, Sunday will be his final Premiership match with Livi for a while at least.

Read all the Premiership picks for the final weekend

We asked for your thoughts after Livingston's 5-1 defeat to Aberdeen on Wednesday night.

Here's a taste of what you had to say.

Fraser: Albert Einstein: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. It’s insane what’s happening at Livi. How on earth is David Martindale still here? Same awful defending despite “working on it all week”. They’re not improving so are not listening to him. He needs to go for the sake of the club now.

Scott: Heartless, lazy, EMBARRASSING. His time was up months ago. Small fanbase rapidly declining. He could’ve left as a club legend but is becoming the worst manager in the club's history. You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain.

• Livingston have scored in their last five games in the Scottish Premiership, their longest run since netting in eight in a row from 29 January 2022 to 6 March 2022.

• Aberdeen have won 12 points from losing positions in the Premiership this season, only Motherwell (19) and Rangers (17) have recovered more.

• Junior Hoilett has assisted six goals this season (two in this game), more than any other Aberdeen player in the league.

• Aberdeen have won after conceding the opening goal in the Premiership for the first time since 20 December 2023 against Livingston (eight games without a win).

• Aberdeen have won their last four games in the top flight, their last longer winning streak was from 25 February 2023 to 23 April 2023, a run of seven games.

Watch the best of the action from Aberdeen's 5-1 Scottish Premiership win over Livingston. (Available to UK users only)

A "horrendous" defeat at Aberdeen is "the story of the season" for Livingston, says manager David Martindale.

Image source, BBC Sport

Aberdeen came from a goal down to thump already-relegated Livingston in their final Pittodrie fixture of the Scottish Premiership season with a rampant second-half display.

The home side fashioned multiple first-half chances but lacked a clinical touch, with Livingston almost going ahead but for a goalline clearance late in the opening period.

After the interval Livingston were awarded a penalty for an Ester Sokler handball following VAR intervention and Tete Yengi expertly lifted his spot-kick into the roof of the net.

But Junior Hoilett showed a moment of quality to draw the Dons level with a looping free-kick before Graeme Shinnie's diving header put his side into the lead.

Dante Polvara then swept home and Hoilett's close-range finish compounded the visitors' misery.

With moments to go, 16-year-old Fletcher Boyd scored his second in as many games as he struck from the edge of the area with a low strike to put the gloss on a fourth Aberdeen straight win that keeps them in seventh place.

Were you at the match this evening or following along form elsewhere?

Either way, we want your views on the action here.

Image source, SNS

Livingston manager David Martindale: “Shocking, horrific, horrendous, that’s enough surely [to describe my thoughts].

“The goals we lost are terrible, absolutely terrible. Stroy of the season, I can’t elaborate any more on it.

“The first one’s a decent free-kick, I don’t think it’s a foul, and then that’s it we just kind of capitulate after that.

“Defensively - and when I speak about defensively I’m meaning back to front - horrific.

“It’s not good enough at this level. Boys are going to get a shock in the summer when their phones aren’t ringing, I’ll tell you.”

“The second and the third goals are just embarrassing.

“It’s terrible, it’s why we are where we are. I can’t gloss over it, it’s why we are the way we are.

“I take responsibility for it, I’ve signed these players, so I’ve got to take responsibility for it but there’s got to be more desire and individual pride to come and defend in your 18-yard box and the final third.

“We’re not good enough, simple fact is we’re not good enough.

“It’s anger, it’s frustartion, it’s disappointment.

“We’re at the stage now where we’ve got one game to go and I’ll be honest, there’s 50% of them are mentally checked out, they’re not going to be here.”

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

Livingston have known their fate for some time but remianed resilient for a large part of the game but when the dam burst they looked crestfallen and resigned to going out with a whimper.

They seemed determined, particularly in the opening 45 minutes, to show a better side of themsevles after their draamtic comeback last time out but as soon as Aberdeen found a clinical edge after the break they faltered.

Tete Yengi took his penalty with great composure to put his side into the lead.

He had a couple of other chances too but was often left isolated.

Image source, SNS

Substitutes: Roos, Jensen, McGrath. Miovski, Clarkson, Hayes, Milne, Rubezic, Boyd.

Livingston: George, Montano, Devlin, Pittman, Kelly, Brandon, Bradley, Nouble, Nottingham, Kelly, Yengi.

Substitutes: Wright, Carson, Anderson, MacKay, Sangare, Shinnie, Sharp.

• Follow the action live here