David Martindale moans Livingston are 'shopping in Primark' as boss gets frank over transfer flops

David Martindale admits he is 'shopping in Primark' as the Livingston manager confessed recruitment so far 'has not been great'.

The Lions fell to a 3-1 weekend defeat at Motherwell with the Premiership basement boys sitting six points adrift of Ross County - who have played two games less. It's been a tough campaign to date for the Tony Macaroni Arena outfit with just TWO wins registered in 20 league outings to date so far. The Steelmen had been on a poor run of form themselves before a much-needed three points and it is something Martindale and his troops desperately require with Hearts visiting West Lothian in the final game before the winter shutdown.

After admitting his summer signings have not managed to come in and push players on as he had hoped, this four-week period could prove crucial for the club as they look for the spark to turn their fortunes around. The Livingston boss said: "The budget cuts have not helped us. The recruitment has not been great, the players who have come in have not pushed the players that were in the building so it's probably led to a bit of complacency. I'd caveat that with Mick Devlin, but the group that's come in haven't strengthened the group.

"I'm kind of shopping in Primark just now. The money I have got to go and recruit opens you up to a certain level of player. You're asking them to come in and hit the ground running but the market you are shopping in... it's really difficult to do that. I am not trying to absolve myself from any responsibility because I am the leader and I have to take responsibility."

He added: "I felt as a group we had enough to stay in the league. I feel as a group we probably still have, but the points are slipping away and there are less and less games.

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