football club
Livingston Football Club is a scottish professional football clubhouse based in Livingston, West Lothian.
Reading: Livingston F.C.
Livingston presently play in the scottish Premiership and were founded in 1943 as Ferranti Thistle, a make team. The club was admitted to the scottish Football League and renamed as Meadowbank Thistle in 1974, and played its matches at Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh. In 1995, the golf club was relocated to Livingston, West Lothian and renamed after the town. Since then Livingston have played their home games at Almondvale Stadium. In the ten years following the move to Livingston the club enjoyed luminary achiever, winning promotion to the scots Premier League in 2001, qualifying for the UEFA Cup in its maiden over season in the top flight ( finishing third base behind Celtic and Rangers ) and winning the 2004 Scottish League Cup. however, the club hit fiscal problems in 2004, and was relegated to the Scottish First Division in 2006. In July 2009 the golf club faced promote fiscal problems and were on the scepter of suffering a extermination event before a distribute was struck. Livingston were subsequently demoted to the scots Third Division, [ 2 ] but the club achieved straight promotions and went on to regain its place in the top grade after winning the 2017–18 scots Premiership play-offs .
history [edit ]
Ferranti Thistle ( 1943–1974 ) [edit ]
The club began life as Ferranti Amateurs [ 3 ] in 1943. A ferment team [ 4 ] of the Ferranti mastermind company, [ 5 ] they initially played in the Edinburgh FA ‘s Amateur Second Division. [ 3 ] In 1948 the club became known as Ferranti Thistle and began competing in the Edinburgh and District Welfare Association where they competed for five seasons, [ 3 ] before moving to senior football in 1953 joining the East of Scotland League. [ 6 ] During this period the club won the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup in 1963. [ 3 ] In 1969 the club moved to the City Park background in Edinburgh. [ 7 ] In 1972 the club became members of SFA which allowed them to enter the scottish Qualifying Cup which they won in 1973 [ 8 ] which previously had not been open to them. The club ‘s first couple in the scots Cup was on 16 December 1972 against Duns. [ 9 ] In 1974, as a result of the demise of Third Lanark seven years earlier, and the newly three-tier format of the Scottish Football League, a place opened up in the second gear part of the competition. After beating off competition from four Highland League sides, Hawick Royal Albert and Gateshead United, Ferranti Thistle were accepted into the league by a vote of 21–16 over Inverness Thistle. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] The club faced a number of obstacles before they could join the Division as their diagnose did not meet rigorous SFL rules on overt sponsorship of teams at the time [ 12 ] and the City Ground was not up to standard. The local council offered use of Meadowbank Stadium, a modern stadium built in 1970. [ 3 ] After an Edinburgh Evening News campaign to find a name for the clubhouse, the name Meadowbank Thistle was chosen. This was approved by the SFL in time for the newly temper. [ 3 ]
Meadowbank Thistle ( 1974–1995 ) [edit ]
Chart of annual table positions of Livingston since joining the League. Having had short meter to form a police squad from the existing Ferranti team, the first base Meadowbank Thistle director John Bain faced an uphill job to produce a competitive police squad in fourth dimension for the raw season. [ 13 ] Meadowbank played their inaugural competitive match in the League Cup, finally losing 1–0 to Albion Rovers. [ 14 ] In 1983 the club achieved forwarding to the First Division [ 15 ] but ultimately were relegated back to the second Division at the end of the 1984–85 season. [ 16 ] In the 1986–87 season, Meadowbank won the Second Division championship and won promotion to the First Division. [ 17 ] They finished runner-up in the First Division in the keep up season, [ 18 ] but were denied promotion to the Premier Division due to league reconstruction. [ 19 ] The half-time club began to struggle, and it became a restrict company in 1993 [ 19 ] but was relegated a short time after at the end of the 1992–93 season to the Second Division. [ 20 ] Meadowbank suffered a second relegation in 1994–95, finishing second from bottom in the Second Division and due to the universe of a third base Division were relegated. [ 21 ] After this, Chairman Bill Hunter claimed Meadowbank had run into hard fiscal difficulties and were facing closure as a consequence. In the confront of significant opposition from many Meadowbank fans who objected to the drop of the club name and the team moving from Edinburgh, [ 22 ] in 1995 Meadowbank Thistle relocated to a new stadium in the new township of Livingston and changed name again, to Livingston Football Club. [ 19 ]
Livingston ( 1995– ) [edit ]
get up to prominence [edit ]
In their first season as Livingston they were crowned champions of the Third Division for the 1995–96 season. [ 23 ] Three years subsequently, in 1998–99, they won forwarding again as Second Division champions. [ 24 ] Another forwarding followed in 2000–01 when the golf club finished champions of First Division and gained promotion to the scots Premier League ( SPL ), fair six seasons after the move to Livingston. [ 25 ] Livingston ‘s first SPL crusade, 2001–02, brought more success as they finished third in the league ( behind the Old firm ) [ 26 ] and qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time. [ 27 ] Jim Leishman ‘s side gave a competent show in the UEFA Cup. After disposing of FC Vaduz of Liechtenstein on the away goal rule after a 1–1 attract, [ 28 ] they came up against SK Sturm Graz of Austria, and after a 14-goal, two-leg matter they missed out on the moment round, going out on the amiss side of an 8–6 aggregate scoreline. [ 29 ] The baseball club avoided delegating the following temper finishing 9th. After this season, coach Jim Leishman became the club ‘s director of football and was replaced by brazilian director Márcio Máximo, [ 30 ] who resigned only a few months into the following campaign [ 31 ] and was in turn replaced by Leishman ‘s former adjunct, Davie Hay. Under Hay ‘s management, Livingston won their first national trophy in 2004 by winning the 2003–04 League Cup after a 2–0 win over Hibernian at Hampden Park. The goals in the final examination were scored by Derek Lilley and Jamie McAllister. [ 32 ]
presidency and SPL delegating [edit ]
The club ‘s rise was short-lived as they were plunged into presidency on 3 February 2004. [ 33 ] It was 13 May 2005 before Livingston emerged from administration, [ 34 ] following a period of fiscal tumult in which the former boardroom occupants were ousted to make way for Pearse Flynn ‘s Lionheart Consortium. [ 35 ] Flynn ‘s inaugural decision was to sack Davie Hay, stating that he wanted a younger man in charge, [ 36 ] and to that end appointed Allan Preston as the club ‘s new coach. [ 37 ] While Preston ‘s term as Livingston director started brilliantly with a 3–0 winnings over newly promoted Inverness Caledonian Thistle, [ 38 ] the club failed to win another league game under his management, resulting in his judgment of dismissal in November with the club rooted to the bed of the SPL. [ 39 ] Richard Gough succeeded Preston [ 40 ] and steered the baseball club to survival on the last day of the season with a 1–1 draw with Dundee that relegated Dundee in their place, [ 41 ] but Gough refused to stay as director past the end of that season due to class problems and returned to the US, [ 42 ] and early Celtic player Paul Lambert succeeded him. [ 43 ] On 11 February 2006, Lambert resigned as Livingston director after seven straight defeats leaving Livingston bottom of the Scottish Premier League. [ 44 ] He was replaced by erstwhile player and passenger car John Robertson. [ 45 ] Despite his best efforts, Livingston were relegated for the foremost time in May 2006 after only picking up 18 points that season. [ 46 ] It was the worst record since the SPL began and was merely beat during the 2007–08 season by Gretna, after they were deducted 10 points for going into administration. [ 47 ]
Livingston defend a corner from the nowadays defunct Gretna at Almondvale Stadium in 2007 .
First Division and Administration II [edit ]
A hapless express in the 2006–07 First Division saw John Robertson removed as Livingston director on 15 April 2007. [ 48 ] His successor was announced on 22 May 2007 as former Hibernian assistant coach Mark Proctor. [ 49 ] Proctor appointed Curtis Fleming as his assistant on 26 June 2007, [ 50 ] but both were sacked in June 2008 [ 51 ] after a disappointing season in which they finished seventh. [ 52 ] Livingston were taken over that summer by italian majority shareholders Angelo Massone, Tommaso Bruno, Alessandro Di Mattia, and Tommaso Angelini after Pearse Flynn sold his shares in June 2008. [ 34 ] The Italians were thought to be close to appointing fellow italian Roberto Landi as drumhead coach in June [ 53 ] and he was made director of the First Division side on 11 June 2008. [ 54 ] He and adjunct Valter Berlini were then fired on 1 December 2008 after just five months in commission. [ 55 ] Paul Hegarty was linked with the job on 3 December 2008, and formally appointed two days late. [ 56 ] Hegarty was subsequently suspended as coach on 26 April 2009 [ 57 ] and his contract allowed to expire. [ 58 ] John Murphy was appointed head coach on 30 June 2009, the same sidereal day the club faced a deadline to pay debt to West Lothian Council who owned Almondvale Stadium. [ 59 ] After that was not met, legal proceedings were carried out against the club to come to an placement over the debt within fourteen days or potentially expression again going into administration. [ 60 ] Livingston were placed into government on 24 July 2009 by the Court of Session in Edinburgh, [ 61 ] and faced delegating to the Third Division, a points subtraction or being removed from the scots Football League entirely. [ 62 ] On 27 July 2009, it was revealed that the club were probable to go into extermination after owner Angelo Massone said he would refuse a £25,000 offer for the club from their administrator. [ 63 ] On 28 July 2009, Massone yet again refused the propose and the administrator subsequently started the liquidation march. [ 64 ] While Livingston seemed doomed, a confluence with the scottish Football League on 30 July 2009 secured their future, as they agreed to allow prospective new owners Gordon McDougall and Neil Rankine ( part of the Livingston 5 Consortium ) to run the club for the follow season. The next sidereal day, Massone sold his shares to the new owners and left the club, [ 65 ] and it was besides announced that John Murphy had been appointed back to his previous character as goalkeeping coach, with ex-player Gary Bollan becoming the club ‘s new director. [ 66 ] In the beginning game after the newly owners took over, Livingston were on the wrong conclusion of a cup jolt in the Scottish League Cup first round, losing 3–0 to Albion Rovers, a team two divisions below them. [ 67 ]
demotion to the Third Division [edit ]
Despite the prospective new owners ensuring that Livingston ‘s future as a professional football club would be secure for the adjacent year at least by paying a £720,000 attachment to the SFL, [ 68 ] on 5 August 2009 the scots Football League took the unprecedented move to demote Livingston to the Third Division. A breach of rules on insolvency was the main argue behind the decision. [ 2 ] [ 69 ] The administrator of the club, Donald McGruther, admitted his concern after the decision, saying that “ In my opinion, this represents the death knell of Livingston Football Club ”. [ 70 ] Gordon McDougall, a member of the Livingston 5 Consortium stated that “ We ‘ve got to consider all the options that are open to us – it makes it very, very difficult ”. [ 2 ] It was feared that the club could not survive in the Third Division due to a significant loss of tax income. [ 71 ] however, despite the decision and the likely fiscal impacts, the consortium continued with their bid to take over the club. An entreaty was lodged and as a result the club refused to play their opening Division Three regular against East Stirlingshire on 8 August 2009. [ 72 ] Because of this, the cabaret were threatened with a points discount, but in the consequence they were given a £3,000 fine for their actions. This was later overturned on entreaty, meaning that the club ultimately escaped any punishment for their boycott of the match. [ 73 ] On 7 September 2009 a further attract to the SFA was dismissed, and the club finally accepted their third Division fortune. [ 74 ]
Title wins and First Division recurrence [edit ]
On 15 August 2009, Livingston opened their one-third Division campaign against Montrose at home and ran out comfortable 2–0 winners. [ 75 ] On 17 April 2010, Livingston won the scottish Third Division title after drawing 0–0 at base to Berwick Rangers. Goalkeeper Roddy McKenzie saved a death infinitesimal penalty to ensure the title was on its means to Almondvale. [ 76 ] The Lions ended the season on 78 points, 15 points ahead of second placed Forfar Athletic. [ 77 ] The following season on 9 April 2011, Livingston secured the Second Division title with a second consecutive deed acquire to earn promotion back to the Scottish First Division with a 3–0 victory over Stenhousemuir at Ochilview Park. [ 78 ] On 9 February 2012, Bollan was sacked as director after two and a half years in charge. [ 79 ] Nine days later on 14 February 2012, John Hughes and John Collins were appointed as director and film director of football respectively. [ 80 ] however, on 13 November 2012, it was announced that Hughes had left the club to take charge of Hartlepool United. [ 81 ] Gareth Evans became director after being promoted from his situation as adjunct coach [ 82 ] but he was sacked on 28 February 2013 ascribable to ‘ concerns over his stewardship ’. Collins subsequently resigned from his situation as director of football. [ 83 ] On 25 March 2013, Richie Burke was appointed as director along with Mark Burchill as assistant coach. [ 84 ] Livingston ended temper 2012–13 with a 4th-place complete in the First Division, their highest league coating since they were relegated from the SPL in 2006. [ 85 ] On 12 September 2013, Burke resigned from his post as director and was subsequently replaced by John McGlynn. When McGlynn took over Livingston were penetrate of the scottish championship with only 1 bespeak. Improved performances under his leadership took the club into controversy for the forwarding play-offs. As a result he was awarded an elongated contract in January 2014. [ 86 ] Livingston finally finished in 6th place in 2013-2014. however Livingston struggled the watch season and were in dangerous risk of relegation. McGlynn left Livingston by common accept in December 2014, [ 87 ] following a 1–0 home kill by Falkirk, which left the club bottom of the league, four points behind moment bottom Cowdenbeath. [ 88 ] Mark Burchill replaced McGlynn as the club ‘s director. Off the field problems besides once again plagued the club during this season. The cabaret were deducted 5 points by the SPFL for failing to pay tax on bonuses paid during the 2010–11 season. [ 89 ] Former cabaret director Ged Nixon tried to get the courts to freeze the clubs bank accounts as he claimed the club owed him £300,000. This trip fears that the baseball club would go into administration for a third time. [ 90 ] Nixon lost his motor hotel sheath in April 2015, saving the baseball club from this destiny. [ 91 ] Livingston won the 2014–15 scots Challenge Cup, defeating Alloa 4-0 in the final at McDiarmid Park. [ 92 ] With two games of the season remaining Livingston were calm adrift at the bottom of the league, 3 points behind relegation rivals Alloa and 4 behind Cowdenbeath. [ 93 ] A 4–0 succeed away at Raith Rovers moved the club into 9th stead on finish dispute going into the concluding game of the season. [ 94 ] Livingston won their final game of the season 1–0 at family to Queen of the South to pull off the great safety valve and stopping point in 8th place, avoiding both automatic relegation and the relegation play-off. [ 95 ] Livingston were struggling against relegation again in season 2015–16. Burchill was sacked in December 2015 following a 1–1 guide with Dumbarton as Livingston sat irregular bottom of the league. [ 96 ] David Hopkin replaced him as director. [ 97 ] however there was to be no big safety valve this temper. Livingston finished in 9th place in the Championship, which meant they had to contest the Championship Play-Off to avoid relegation to Scottish League One. They faced Stranraer in the play-off semi-final. Livingston lost the first leg 5–2 away at Stranraer, giving themselves a very difficult task for the second leg. [ 94 ] In the second leg Livingston won 4–1 in 90 minutes to take the link to extra clock time. however two excess time Stranraer goals took the grade to 4–3 on the sidereal day and 6–8 on aggregate, confirming Livingston ‘s relegation to League One, ending a five year stint in the second gear tier. [ 98 ]
League One and consecutive promotions [edit ]
Despite relegation, Livingston decided to stay as a full-time football baseball club, and David Hopkin was retained as director for the 2016–17 season, [ 99 ] as Livingston aimed to bounce back to the Championship. Livingston went on to win the league well and secured the title in April 2017 following a 2–1 win at home to Alloa Athletic. [ 100 ] Livingston finished 19 points clear at the top of the league. Livingston continued this impressive class into the Championship in 2017–18 and sat in the play-off places in joint 3rd in the league after 20 games. [ 101 ] The club besides reached the quarter-finals of the Scottish League Cup, where they were unlucky to go down 3–2 at Hibernian. [ 102 ] It was the first base prison term they reached this stage of the league cup since 2005–06. On 21 April 2018 Livingston secured second gear place in the Championship after a 3–0 winnings over already relegated Brechin City. Qualifying for the Premiership play-off final examination, they faced Partick Thistle, who escaped automatic pistol delegating in their final examination bet on. Despite this, Livingston won 3–1 on aggregate, 2–1 at home and 1–0 away, earning the final examination place in the scots Premiership and their foremost season of top-flight football since 2006, relegating Partick Thistle to the Championship in the process, ending Thistle ‘s five-year scrimp in the Premiership .
scots Premiership
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[edit ]
Livingston retained their condition as a top flight golf club in season 2018–19 with a 9th place finish. This was bettered the following season with the club sitting in 5th before the season was curtailed as a solution of COVID-19. The points per game opinion confirmed this set as Livi ‘s beginning top 6 finish since 2001–02 .
Colours and badge [edit ]
The overriding cabaret colours are amber and black, which have been used since the formation of the clubhouse in 1943. [ 103 ] The strip typically has an amber top, with the shorts normally black and the socks amber, normally with some black detail. [ 103 ] The original strip for the baseball club during the beginning couple of temper in the Ferranti Thistle era was amber and black hoops. [ 103 ] After this, solid amber shirts, black shorts and amber socks ( occasionally blacken ) became established as the club ‘s home kit. [ 103 ] During the late Livingston era the club have besides used all black home strips, and a white and orange kit out was used during 2002–03 temper. [ 104 ] The discolor of white, black, purple, aristocratic and crimson have been chiefly used in the away strips. [ 104 ] The badge used to identify the club has changed four times in the club ‘s history. [ 105 ] The Ferranti Thistle badge featured a black circular base. Three symbols were incorporated into the badge ; a football, a thistle and a lion rampant in the center holding aloft a scottish flag. [ 3 ] A new badge was then formed as the baseball club changed their name to Meadowbank Thistle. The badge was based on a traditional carapace shape with a black being the overriding color and amber on the outer-trim. The badge features a thistle as the center piece, with the flower separate of the plant being replaced with a football. [ 19 ] As the club moved to Livingston, the badge was changed again. The purpose of the thistle and the football is altered slightly ; with the one major change being the addition of a Latin club motto “ Fortitier omnia vincit ” [ 106 ] with the english translation meaning “ Bravely conquers all ”. [ 107 ] The stream badge is modernised from the master Livingston badge but most of the features remain. The present badge besides reintroduced the lion rampant in the center of the laurel. [ 106 ]
In the Meadowbank Thistle earned run average between 1973 and 1995, the club sourced diverse shirt sponsorship deals largely from modest occupation such as Ferranti, Sports Conscious, Park & Milton, Raj Restaurant, ACA and PAR Scaffolding. [ 110 ] Mitsubishi became the first base major shirt sponsor of the club for the first three seasons of the Livingston era. [ 104 ] Motorola then sponsored the baseball club for the following four years. [ 104 ] however, Motorola withdrew their shirt sponsorship at the end of the 2001–02 season, after the company ’ sulfur descent in the area. In 2002, Intelligent Finance, one of the largest employers in the West Lothian area, agreed an initial biennial sponsorship conduct with the club worth an undisclosed six-figure union. [ 111 ] The company extended their shirt sponsorship for three more years, making their total sponsorship span over a five-year time period. [ 104 ] bright Loans became the clubhouse ‘s main sponsor during the 2007–08 season, [ 104 ] before the IT solutions company, RDF, signed a biennial distribute to become independent sponsors for seasons 2008–09 and 2009–10. [ 112 ] however they withdrew their sponsorship after entirely one year, as a result of the ongoing fiscal crisis at the club that summer. [ 113 ] Local supply chain solutions ship’s company Fasteq became the raw main presenter for season 2009–10 after the arrival of the new cabaret owners. [ 114 ] After four successful years as sponsors, Fasteq withdrew their sponsorship and Livingston announced that they were looking for new shirt sponsors for season 2013–14. [ 115 ] Local occupation Energy Assets were confirmed as new main sponsors on a three-year distribute in June 2013. [ 109 ]
Stadiums [edit ]
Almondvale stadium The club have had three chief grounds in their history ; as Ferranti Thistle, the club initially played in local anesthetic parks before finding a base at City Park in Edinburgh in 1969, [ 3 ] then moving to Meadowbank Stadium in 1974 [ 3 ] which was built for the 1970 Commonwealth Games. [ 116 ] Livingston presently play their home plate games at the Almondvale Stadium in Livingston. [ 117 ] It is presently known as the Tony Macaroni Arena due to a sponsorship conduct. [ 109 ] The 9,512 capacitance stadium [ 1 ] was constructed in 1995 [ 118 ] as a joint guess between Meadowbank Thistle and the Livingston Development Corporation ( LDC ). part of the consider involved the move of Meadowbank Thistle to the township and a mention exchange to Livingston. When the LDC was wound up, ownership of the Stadium was transferred to West Lothian Council and the council have since rented the stadium to the club. [ 19 ] The ground has hosted Scotland under-21, under-19, under-17s [ 119 ] and Ladies matches, [ 120 ] arsenic well as one home game for Gretna due to problems with their ground share at Fir Park. [ 121 ] In April 2011 it was revealed that it was possible Livingston would relocate to a new stadium around one mile from the current locate due to West Lothian Council looking to sell the current web site to a supermarket chain. [ 122 ]
Players [edit ]
First-team team [edit ]
- As of 31 August 2021[123]
note : Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality .
On loan [edit ]
note : Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality .
luminary players [edit ]
For a complete list of former and current Livingston F.C. players with a Wikipedia article, see here.
Players who reached external condition :
Club staff [edit ]
Board of directors [edit ]
Role
Name
Chief executive
Chairman
Secretary
Honorary president
Coaching staff [edit ]
beginning
early non-playing staff [edit ]
For a complete list of former and current Livingston F.C. non-playing staff with a Wikipedia article, see here.
managerial history [edit ]
¹ Managers between 1974 and 1995, when the golf club were known as Meadowbank Thistle. c Caretaker managers. p Player managers .
Honours [edit ]
From major national award to reserve league wins, Livingston have been successful in recent history, and were the first club in Scotland to win all three divisions ( Third Division 1995–96, Second Division 1998–99 and First Division 2000–01 ) in their surface to the scottish Premier League in 2001. [ 163 ] Their most celebrated trophy gain being the Scottish League Cup in 2004, where they triumphed in a 2–0 victory over Hibernian at Hampden Park. [ 164 ] Their most recent honor was the scots League One title in season 2016–17. [ 165 ] In 2015 Livingston lifted the scots Challenge Cup recording a 4–0 victory over Alloa Athletic at McDiarmid Park. [ 166 ]
elder [edit ]
Reserve [edit ]
young [edit ]
- SFL Under 19 Youth Division: 2007–08,[177] 2008–09,[177] 2009–10,[177] 2010–11[178]
- SFL Under 19 Youth League Cup: 2008–09[177]
- SFL Under 17 Division: 2011–12[179]
- SFL Under 17 Youth League Cup: 2010–11[180]
¹ This includes honours north korean won between 1974 and 1995, when the club were known as Meadowbank Thistle. ² This includes honours won between 1943 and 1974, when The club were known as Ferranti Thistle .
club records [edit ]
european record [edit ]
Livingston are undefeated at home in european competitions. They have qualified for a UEFA club competition on one occasion. The club finished third in the scottish Premier League ( behind Celtic and Rangers ) in season 2001–02 and therefore qualified for a place in the UEFA Cup for the follow season. [ 27 ] They entered at the qualifying attack stage and were drawn against FC Vaduz of Liechtenstein. Livingston narrowly overcame their opponents after drawing 1–1 on aggregate, going through to the adjacent round on the away goals rule. [ 28 ] After drawing the home stage 0–0 Oscar Rubio scored the critical aside goal. [ 28 ] In the following round they were drawn against austrian side SK Sturm Graz. [ 29 ] They were defeated 8–6 on aggregate, losing the inaugural leg 5–2 in Austria at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium before winning the return leg 4–3 at Almondvale. [ 29 ] Barry Wilson scored two goals against Sturm Graz, making him Livingston ’ s highest goalscorer in european competitions to go steady. [ 29 ]
See besides [edit ]
References [edit ]
Coordinates :
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