Livingston boss hails new owner as 'huge positive' - even if own job is at risk

Livingston boss David Martindale insists new ownership at the club is a ‘huge positive’ - even if he’s replaced as manager.

The club announced that John McIlvogue and Baycup Ltd had become the club’s new majority shareholder with the gaffer hoping it ends years of boardroom battles and wrangling at the club.

McIlvogue, who earlier this year helped rescue Glasgow-based company Mortons Rolls, was announced as the new owner on Sunday but the Courier understands legal issues with current shareholders remain ongoing.

Martindale believes the change will bring an end to the past few ‘horrific’ years and hopes everyone can now be united in taking the club forward.

He said: “I’ve never met him (McIlvogue). Chairman John Ward’s kept me up to date and I’m delighted he’s found someone who’s willing to come in, underwrite any losses and bring new investment in. The last three or four years have been pretty horrific at times with all the in-fighting involving alleged shareholders. There’s now a new majority shareholder in the club and to me that’s a huge positive.

“The club, since the day I’ve walked in the building, upstairs hasn’t really been great. To get a wee bit of clarity on who owns the club is a huge positive. I hope it’s a huge step forward and I think it is.

"John McIlvogue is coming in this week to meet everyone. I trust John Ward implicitly and he’s assured me this is the right move for the club. I can’t see too much changing in terms of budgets but I’m delighted there’s somebody there willing to come in and help the club, because it’s much-needed.

"Somebody coming in and saying ‘any losses this year, I’m going to underwrite them and I’m going to try and increase the turnover’. What manager wouldn’t want to hear those