Livingston

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Livingston manager David Martindale has been speaking to the media before the final game of the season against Hibs this weekend.

Here are the key points from the press conference:

• Martindale says he is likely to leave the club if the ongoing legal battle goes against those who he believes are the rightful owners.

• Livingston's budget this season has been around that of a top-four Championship club.

• A "major reset" is required regardless of who owns the club and who the manager is.

• Relegation brings an end to what has been an “over-achievement” in terms of staying in the top flight.

In what has been the most challenging season of his Livingston tenure so far, David Martindale is coming to terms with relegation.

The manager has indicated he could leave the club, depending on the outcome of court action regarding ownership of the West Lothian outfit.

Could Sunday's home meeting with managerless Hibernian be Martindale's swansong? He wants to continue and spearhead the club's promotion bid from the Scottish Championship.

Either way, Sunday will be his final Premiership match with Livi for a while at least.

Read all the Premiership picks for the final weekend

We asked for your thoughts after Livingston's 5-1 defeat to Aberdeen on Wednesday night.

Here's a taste of what you had to say.

Fraser: Albert Einstein: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. It’s insane what’s happening at Livi. How on earth is David Martindale still here? Same awful defending despite “working on it all week”. They’re not improving so are not listening to him. He needs to go for the sake of the club now.

Scott: Heartless, lazy, EMBARRASSING. His time was up months ago. Small fanbase rapidly declining. He could’ve left as a club legend but is becoming the worst manager in the club's history. You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain.

• Livingston have scored in their last five games in the Scottish Premiership, their longest run since netting in eight in a row from 29 January 2022 to 6 March 2022.

• Aberdeen have won 12 points from losing positions in the Premiership this season, only Motherwell (19) and Rangers (17) have recovered more.

• Junior Hoilett has assisted six goals this season (two in this game), more than any other Aberdeen player in the league.

• Aberdeen have won after conceding the opening goal in the Premiership for the first time since 20 December 2023 against Livingston (eight games without a win).

• Aberdeen have won their last four games in the top flight, their last longer winning streak was from 25 February 2023 to 23 April 2023, a run of seven games.

Watch the best of the action from Aberdeen's 5-1 Scottish Premiership win over Livingston. (Available to UK users only)

A "horrendous" defeat at Aberdeen is "the story of the season" for Livingston, says manager David Martindale.

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Aberdeen came from a goal down to thump already-relegated Livingston in their final Pittodrie fixture of the Scottish Premiership season with a rampant second-half display.

The home side fashioned multiple first-half chances but lacked a clinical touch, with Livingston almost going ahead but for a goalline clearance late in the opening period.

After the interval Livingston were awarded a penalty for an Ester Sokler handball following VAR intervention and Tete Yengi expertly lifted his spot-kick into the roof of the net.

But Junior Hoilett showed a moment of quality to draw the Dons level with a looping free-kick before Graeme Shinnie's diving header put his side into the lead.

Dante Polvara then swept home and Hoilett's close-range finish compounded the visitors' misery.

With moments to go, 16-year-old Fletcher Boyd scored his second in as many games as he struck from the edge of the area with a low strike to put the gloss on a fourth Aberdeen straight win that keeps them in seventh place.

Were you at the match this evening or following along form elsewhere?

Either way, we want your views on the action here.

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Livingston manager David Martindale: “Shocking, horrific, horrendous, that’s enough surely [to describe my thoughts].

“The goals we lost are terrible, absolutely terrible. Stroy of the season, I can’t elaborate any more on it.

“The first one’s a decent free-kick, I don’t think it’s a foul, and then that’s it we just kind of capitulate after that.

“Defensively - and when I speak about defensively I’m meaning back to front - horrific.

“It’s not good enough at this level. Boys are going to get a shock in the summer when their phones aren’t ringing, I’ll tell you.”

“The second and the third goals are just embarrassing.

“It’s terrible, it’s why we are where we are. I can’t gloss over it, it’s why we are the way we are.

“I take responsibility for it, I’ve signed these players, so I’ve got to take responsibility for it but there’s got to be more desire and individual pride to come and defend in your 18-yard box and the final third.

“We’re not good enough, simple fact is we’re not good enough.

“It’s anger, it’s frustartion, it’s disappointment.

“We’re at the stage now where we’ve got one game to go and I’ll be honest, there’s 50% of them are mentally checked out, they’re not going to be here.”

Livingston have known their fate for some time but remianed resilient for a large part of the game but when the dam burst they looked crestfallen and resigned to going out with a whimper.

They seemed determined, particularly in the opening 45 minutes, to show a better side of themsevles after their draamtic comeback last time out but as soon as Aberdeen found a clinical edge after the break they faltered.

Tete Yengi took his penalty with great composure to put his side into the lead.

He had a couple of other chances too but was often left isolated.

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Substitutes: Roos, Jensen, McGrath. Miovski, Clarkson, Hayes, Milne, Rubezic, Boyd.

Livingston: George, Montano, Devlin, Pittman, Kelly, Brandon, Bradley, Nouble, Nottingham, Kelly, Yengi.

Substitutes: Wright, Carson, Anderson, MacKay, Sangare, Shinnie, Sharp.

• Follow the action live here

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• Aberdeen are unbeaten in four league meetings with Livingston (W2 D2), keeping three clean sheets in the process.

• Livingston have lost each of their last three league trips to Aberdeen since a 2-1 victory in April 2022.

• Aberdeen have won three of their last four home league games (D1), as many as their first 14 this season beforehand (W3 D6 L5).

• Livingston have lost 14 of their 18 Scottish Premiership away games this season (W1 D3); since the SPFL began in 2013, only two sides – Motherwell in 2014-15, and Kilmarnock in 2022-23 – have lost 15 away games in a single top-flight campaign.

• Aberdeen’s Bojan Miovski has scored more Scottish Premiership goals against Livingston (5) than any other opponent, with all five strikes coming in just three home appearances against them.

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Aberdeen have reported no injuries ahead of their final home game.

Livingston defender Cristian Montano came off with muscle tightness against St Johnstone at the weekend and will be assessed. Goalkeeper Jack Hamilton (groin), James Penrice (hip) and Shaun Donnellan have all been missing recently.

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Livingston midfielder Andrew Shinnie says he still has "a lot to give" whether it is at Livingston or elsewhere.

The 34-year-old's contract in West Lothian expires this summer, and he admits his future is up in the air following the club's relegation to the Championship.

“I’m out of contract here, I haven’t really spoken to the manager but I feel fit and strong," Shinnie said.

“I have played more games this season than I have since I came to the club and played quite well.

“Whether it is here or somewhere else, another opportunity, I will keep myself fit and I am ready and I still believe I can deliver at a good level.

“You get all your stats and I know from distance covered and things like that I am always one of the higher ones in training or matches, I dedicate myself and keep myself fit.

“It was a decent finish the other day so I still believe I have a lot to give and I will see where it takes me.

“Obviously you are free to chat to other clubs if needs be so you just assess all your options and see what’s next. There has been a bit of interest.

“I will take my time to make a decision and see where my career goes next. I will give my all no matter what club I am at.”

With relegation confirmed last week, we got a sneak preview of what it would be like in the Championship next season.

It was so quiet before this game. There was loads of space in the car park, no queues at the turnstile and an atmosphere that could be optimistically described as subdued. At least the sun was out as we were come towards the end of a very dull season.

St Johnstone flew out of the traps and gave us a right pasting for at least 20 minutes. We were all over the shop and they were all over us. It seemed it was going to be another bad day at the office, but Shamal George was superb and made a handful of good saves to keep us in it.

Gradually we got back into the game and equalised through the returning Christian Montano.

Right at the end St Johnstone had a glorious chance to win the game but slipped it wide. We went up the other end and scored! Somehow luck was on our side for once this season, and we got the three points.

Too little, too late many fans will say, but a win is a win. They have been so few in recent times, and it was just good to leave the stadium with that winning feeling again.

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Linfield defender Daniel Finlayson has become Livingston's fifth pre-contract signing as the West Lothian club prepare for the Scottish Championship.

The 23-year-old came through for Rangers before a loan switch to St Mirren, which became permanent in 2021. He made three appearances for the Paisley outfit.

Finlayson - who joins Matthew Clarke in making the move from Linfield to Livingston for next term - has signed an initial one-year deal.

However, should David Martindale's side be promoted straight back to the top flight, the player's contract will automatically be extended for another year.

Livingston travel up to Aberdeen for their penultimate game of the season.

With relegation already confirmed, should David Martindale mix things up with his starting line-up?

Put yourself in the manager's shoes and pick your XI here.

Cristian Montano's season has been hampered by injuries, but how David Martindale wishes he could have had the Colombian available more regularly.

The defender got himself on the scoresheet in a Livingston win which could have major ramifications over who finishes second bottom.

Can Martindale find a way to keep Montano in West Lothian despite their impending relegation?

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Livingston midfielder Jason Holt will leave the West Lothian club at the end of this season due to a relegation clause in his contract.

The 31-year-old joined Livingston from Rangers in 2020, and signed a two-year contract extension last year, but manager David Martindale says the club simply cannot afford to keep Holt as they prepare for the Championship.

“Jason Holt would be in contract if we stayed in the Premiership but he has an automatic relegation clause in his contract," Martindale said.

“I have had a good chat with Jason and he is happy to exercise that. I can’t offer Jason the money that he needs.

“He is a married man with a family and a mortgage. I would love to keep Jason but I can’t keep him at the club due to the finances on offer.

“Jason was probably one of my top earners at the club because of what he brought to the club on a daily and weekly basis. The money I can offer, it is not feasible for Jason. I understand that I can’t keep him.

“I shook his hand and thanked him for everything and told him I would love to keep him but I can’t due to budget the club will have going forward, it is going to drop significantly."

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Livingston have announced the signing of Ricky Korboa on a pre-contract deal.

The Woking winger will arrive on a one-year deal this summer, with an option for the club to extend for a further season.

The 27-year-old spent seven seasons with Isthmian League Premier Division side Carshalton Athletic, and has also had spells at Northampton Town and Sutton United before he joined Woking in 2022.