The Lions came out on top in the first two league meetings this season, but St Johnstone were responsible for ending David Martindale's remarkable 14-game winning run in charge with a 2-1 success in West Lothian earlier this month.

It was revenge for Livingston ending Saints' own 11-game unbeaten run with their victory at McDiarmid Park in December. It turned out to be the third of four consecutive wins that secured the post permanently for Martindale after his spell as caretaker.

With 2-1 wins for the away team in their latest two meetings, what effect will a neutral venue have?

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Steven Thompson
Former Scotland striker on BBC Sportsound

Allan Preston
BBC Scotland summariser on Sportsound

Of course, that is just a fraction of the David Martindale story...

His journey from prison to the dugout has attracted a lot of media attention recently.

His involvement in organised crime led to a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence but he has turned his life around, studying for a construction project management degree whilst incarcerated and beginning his association with Livingston in 2014 "picking up cones up and collecting balls".

You can watch his Football Focus interview from last month below.

Many managers will go through an entire career without getting their mitts on a trophy, but either Callum Davidson or David Martindale is going to tick that significant box in their debut season.

Davidson, formerly a player and assistant manager at St Johnstone, replaced Tommy Wright at McDiarmid Park last summer following a stint as assistant at Millwall.

Martindale was elevated to interim manager at Livi in November following the departure of Gary Holt. He had previously been assistant and head of football operations, with a couple of very brief temporary periods in charge. His promotion to the post on a permanent basis came in late December.

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For all the talk of Celtic and Rangers dominating Scottish football, a win for St Johnstone today would make them the nation's second most successful side of the decade.

Celtic have hoovered up just about everything, with nine league titles during the past 10 years, along with five League Cups and the same number of Scottish Cups.

Then we have teams on one major trophy in that time period, including Saints.

That glory day came in 2014, with the men from Perth lifting the Scottish Cup - the undoubted highlight of the club's 137-year history.

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Livingston picked up maximum points against group rivals Alloa Athletic, Airdrieonians, Stenhousemuir and Edinburgh City.

The David Martindale era began with a 4-0 win over Ayr United, while Ross County were beaten 2-0 in the last eight.

Scott Robinson scored the only goal in a tense semi-final against St Mirren.

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St Johnstone topped their qualifying group ahead of Dundee United, who they drew with, beating Peterhead, Brechin City and Kelty Hearts.

The Perth side then came from behind to win away at Motherwell and came through extra-time and penalties to edge out Dunfermline Athletic.

Callum Davidson's troops endured a torrid opening half hour against Hibernian at Hampden but hit back to enjoy a terrific 3-0 victory in the semi-final.

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Livingston: McCrorie, Devlin, Ambrose, Guthrie, Serrano, Holt, Lawson, Bartley, Pittman, Mullin, Robinson.

Substitutes: Stryjek, McMillan, Taylor-Sinclair, Fitwater, Sibbald, Kabia, Forrest, Emmanuel-Thomas, Reilly.

St Johnstone: Clark, Rooney, Kerr, McCart, Gordon, Booth, McCann, Craig, Conway, Wotherspoon, Kane.

Substitutes: Parish, Brown, Tanser, Bryson, Gilmour, May, Melamed, O'Halloran.

Murray Davidson's cup final bad luck continues as the midfielder, who missed the 2014 Scottish Cup success, fails to recover from injury and does not even make the St Johnstone bench.

After that 3-0 win over Motherwell last weekend, boss Callum Davidson goes for consistency of selection and makes just one change.

However, considering the Israeli's two goals at Fir Park last time out, Guy Melamed can count himself unlucky to be a substitute as he makes way for experienced and influential former Scotland winger Craig Conway.

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Steven Thompson
Former Scotland striker on BBC Sportsound

Can you name the Livingston XI that lifted the trophy in 2004, or identify every player to score for St Johnstone in this season's competition?

You can try your hand at both by clicking this link.

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Edinburgh Airport’s air traffic control tower has been lit up in yellow this weekend in support of the Livi Lions.

The big news for Livingston is the return of striker Scott Robinson.

He and midfielder Marvin Bartley both return to the starting line-up, having missed last weekend's draw with St Mirren through injury.

Steve Lawson is promoted from the bench, but fellow defender Jack Fitzwater has to make do with a place among the substitutes on his return from suspension.

Dropping out the team to join him there are Craig Sibbald, Alan Forrest and Gavin Reilly.

The Scottish football authorities have saved a few bob at the engravers with Celtic's recent domination.

Following four consecutive clean sweeps from the Glasgow giants, we will get a new name on a major trophy and one with a few more letters.

Celtic and Rangers have long dominated the football landscape in Scotland and 54 of the 74 League Cup finals have featured one or both of Glasgow's big two. Rangers lead the way on 27 wins, with Celtic on 19. The rest are a long way behind.

Rangers suffered their only defeat of the season at St Mirren in the quarter-finals and Ross County ended Celtic's hopes of a fifth win on the trot at the last 16 stage.

Can anyone beat Jack for watching the game furthest from Hampden? Tweet us @BBCSportScot

Well, David Martindale has arrived at Hampden safe and sound.

And his players are out for a quick look at the pitch.

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