Livingston

You could pick this one or Ross County's home game against Motherwell given their equal significance in helping decide who ends in the play-off spot.

St Johnstone are the current occupiers after last week's defeat at Pittodrie left them two points adrift of County, with both sides holding an identical goal difference.

Saints are on a bleak run of just one win in seven games at just the wrong moment, and they, along with Saturday's opponents Livingston, are the lowest scorers in the league with a turgid 25 goals from 35 games.

It is a truly awful return and one that must have alarm bells ringing at McDiarmid Park. If they can't beat already-relegated Livingston, then hope of scraping to 10th will fade fast.

It is pivotal for Craig Levein and his team they do not welcome County to Perth on Wednesday any further behind.

Don't expect a classic, but the stakes couldn't be much higher for Saints.

Read all the weekend's Premiership picks

• All three league meetings between Livingston and St Johnstone this season have been drawn; the last fixture to be drawn four times in a Scottish top-flight campaign was Dunfermline Athletic v Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2011-12.

• St Johnstone are winless in four league visits to Livingston (D2 L2) since a 2-1 victory in February 2022.

• After their 2-0 win over Ross County, Livingston are looking to pick up back-to-back home league victories for the first time since May 2023 (run of 3).

• St Johnstone have lost nine of their last 12 league games (W2 D1), including their last three. However, all of their last three league wins have come away from home.

• St Johnstone boss Craig Levein has drawn seven of his last eight games against Livingston in the Scottish Premiership, with the exception in this period a 5-0 defeat with Hearts in December 2018.

Relegated Livingston welcome St Johnstone on Saturday as they look to end a poor season positively.

Should David Martindale make changes now his side's fate has been sealed? Click here to choose your XI.

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Livingston manager David Martindale insists he wants to lead the club in the Championship next season, but says there have not been any talks over his future.

The West Lothian side's relegation was confirmed with last weekend's 4-1 defeat to Motherwell, but still have three league games to play.

Martindale confirmed talks about his own future will take place after the final game of the season against Hibs, and stressed he only wants what is best for the club.

“I’d like the opportunity to be here but it’s not about what I want,” he said.

“I’m not going to walk out on Livingston Football Club, I’ve said that over and over again.

“I could have done that at the start of the season or in previous seasons. If the two Johns (owner John McIlvogue and chairman John Ward), (chief executive) Dave Black and myself can sit down, we can agree a route forward.

“We’ve been in this together for numerous seasons and there’s been a lot of success in those seasons – don’t forget that. But let’s get these next three games out the way and then we’ll sit down as a group and have an honest discussion about what we want to do.

“There are other staff who are more important than my immediate future, but would I like to be the one that’s given the opportunity to take Livingston back to the Premiership? Of course I would or I wouldn’t be sitting here.

“The easiest thing to do in times of adversity is to walk out and look after yourself. I’m not going to put David Martindale first. Livingston Football Club comes before me.”

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Livingston have signed Linfield defender Matthew Clarke on a pre-contract as they prepare for life in the Scottish Championship.

Clarke, who will sign a two-year deal with the relegated West Lothian club, made more than 400 appearances and won five Northern Irish Premiership titles in an 11-season stint with Linfield.

The 30-year-old is Livingston's second pre-contract signing for next season, with midfielder Liam Sole secured from English side Maidstone United.

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After relegation was confirmed in brutal fashion on Saturday, it's going to be a really tough time at Livingston.

Now the players have to be professional - they are playing for their futures as well. It’s a club that’s not financially stable, so it’ll be a big summer for Livingston.

David Martindale has done a fantastic job over the last few years. He has had them punching above their weight, but unfortunately for those in West Lothian, it’s caught up with them this year.

When I think about a Livi team, I think about a robust, hard-to-beat team, but they have looked vulnerable all year.

They need to get back to what they were, but that may depend on whether Martindale can stay and try to get them back up.

Former Scotland goalkeeper Cammy Bell was speaking to BBC Sport Scotland's George O'Neill.

Stuart Barrie
Fan writer

It’s official, Livingston are down.

The threat of relegation has been hanging over us for a long time, so in a weird way it’s a relief to finally get it over with.

With the poor season we've had, most Livi fans probably had very little hope of staying up even after last week’s win over Ross County.

Nevertheless, I did want to see a performance like last week's at Motherwell, but we just couldn’t pull that off.

It was the usual story, played okay in parts but just didn’t have the quality to get any sort of result. Yes, we had a goal chopped off, but I'm not sure any Livi fan would say that had a massive bearing on the game.

I've said it before and will say it again, the manager and players need to give the fans some entertainment for the remaining games. We’ve been goal-starved all season, so let’s try to go out with a bang.

It seems there is clearout on the way, I can’t see many players wanting to stay and I can’t see many fans wanting many of these players to stay either.

But the pressure is off now, so let's all just have fun with our football and maybe put some smiles on faces.

We asked for your thoughts after a 4-1 defeat at Fir Park confirmed Livingston's relegation to the Scottish Championship.

Here's what you had to say:

Jennifer: It's been a tough season watching Livi, now hopefully on and off the park the club can come back and give us something to cheer on next season.

Matt: It's worrying that David Martindale is talking like he already knows he will be here next season. What does it truly say about Livi's ambition if they aren't even considering the concept of fresh ideas and a new face at the helm going forward? This must be the price you pay when sacking a manager means you need to find a new janitor, decorator and cook as well?

Neil: We finished with a whimper! Too many players looking for the door. Martindale is a fighter, but the team looked defeated. We have a Championship budget and can only really compete at that level, unless we get some real cash into the club. Taylor Swift gee us yer dosh!

Richard: Manager's fault. Chopping and changing his starting 11. Making bad sub moves for the sake of things.

Livingston, whose relegation from the Scottish Premiership has been confirmed, "have not got the finances" of clubs like Dundee United or Hearts when they found themselves in the Championship, says manager David Martindale. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Dundee and Kilmarnock have targeted 25-year-old striker Bruce Anderson, who is poised to leave Livingston this summer at the end of his contract. (Courier - subscription), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip

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Livingston will likely have to content with a "full new team" following the relegation from the Scottish Premiership, says Falkirk midfielder Stephen McGinn.

The West Lothian club's faint survival hopes were put to bed after a thumping 4-1 defeat at Motherwell confirmed their place in the second tier next season.

McGinn feels this summer will be one of change at Almondvale, with manager David Martindale already saying there will be a big overhaul in playing staff.

"David Martindale, if he's staying on as a manager, that'll be the intention to get the club back to the Premiership," he told BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

I think it's almost the end of an era in terms of a lot of players that have been there for a long time. I think there'll be big changes. There'll be a full new team.

One of the hardest bits will be gelling a new team. There'll be a lot of new players and as we all know, the Championship's unforgiving.

"They will have to be ready for what it is."

Following confirmation of their relegation from the Scottish top flight, BBC Scotland takes a look back at Livingston's highlights during their six-year Premiership stay.

Livingston boss David Martindale says serious planning for next season is already under way after their relegation was confirmed.

Well, the day is finally here. Livingston's relegation from the Premiership has been confirmed.

What did you make of the showing at Motherwell, and the season as a whole? Are you confident the club can bounce back at the first time of asking?

Let us know.

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Livingston manager David Martindale tells BBC Scotland: "I think I've been able to mentally prepare for this day for a long time now. This was a high probabality that this was going to happen.

"Serious planning starts for next season now, I've already started planning. We're the architects of our own downfall. We've not been good enough, but there's been huge moments that have gone against us.

"Today, I think there's three decision from VAR. The penalty is really harsh if I'm honest. I think the player is aiming for that body part [hand].

"Our disallowed goal, I think it's actually a foul on Brucey [Anderson]. I felt it was a perfectly good goal.

4-1 down, I think it's a red card. Joel Nouble is clean through on goal. If there's no contact, you have to book Joel. The decisions today were baffling.

"I've got to take responsibility, I don't want to sit here playing technology or players. I've obviously underperformed, the group's obviously underperformed.

"We've never been in the premiership for six years. We've done that. We broke history, it's really important that doesn't get lost.

"We've had a couple of top-six finishes, a cup final. Hopefully there's a bit of realism applied to it.

"If the club want me here, I'll be here fighting and doing everything I can to get the club back to the Premiership.

"For next year, the aim is to go straight back up. But we're not Hearts or Dundee United. We don't have the same budget. I honestly feel we're capable."

Sean McGill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Not many folk expected Livingston to last as long in the Premiership as they did.

Their time in the top flight has seen Martindale turn the lowest budget in the division into a proper surprise package. A wee machine that churned out great team performances and their fair share of upsets.

Finacial issues have grown, with off-the-field upheaval making this season the one the manager admitted would be his biggest challenge. A challenge, it turns out, too much to overcome.

At times this term, there has been the odd flash of light - though far too scarce to offer any real chance of upsetting the odds.

Livingston's often-chastised support will relish the memories of top-six finishes, European challenges and even a cup final.

Now though, it's a huge rebuild and the Championship to contend with.

David Martindale opts to stick with the same side that kept Livingston's faint survival hopes alive with victory over Ross County last weekend.

Bruce Anderson once again leads the line after his goal seven days ago.

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Motherwell: Kelly, O'Donnell, McGinn, Casey, Blaney, Gent, Miller, Halliday, Spittal, Nicholson, Bair.

Substitutes: Oxborough, Mugabi, Paton, Zdravkovski, Shaw, Moses, Ferrie, L.Ross, Butcher.

Livingston: George, Brandon, Devlin, Obileye, Nottingham, MacKay, Sean Kelly, Jason Holt, Stephen Kelly, Pittman, Anderson.

Substitutes: Wright, Montano, Carson, Bradley, Nouble, Sangare, Shinnie, Guthrie, Yengi.

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Livingston have signed Maidestone United midfielder Liam Sole on a two-year pre-contract.

The West Lothian club - who look likely to be relegated to the Scottish Championship - have the option to extend the 24-year-old's contract by a further year.

Sole made 36 appearances for the sixth-tier side this term, starting in all five rounds of their magical FA Cup run, including the victory over Championship outfit Ipswich Town.

He will join Livingston in June, with Maidestone's season already over.

Motherwell forward Jack Vale begins a two-match ban following his red card at Aberdeen. Harry Paton (ankle), Jon Obika (hamstring) and Adam Devine (knee) are working towards comebacks while Adam Montgomery (hamstring) and Callum Slattery (knee) are out for the season.

Livingston are set to welcome back Andrew Shinnie from injury and Tete Yengi following suspension. Goalkeeper Jack Hamilton is out with a groin problem, joining James Penrice (hip), Joel Nouble (ankle), Cristian Montano (hamstring) and Shaun Donnellan on the sidelines.

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