Livingston

Marvin Bartley has resigned as Livingston manager following their relegation from the Scottish Premiership.

Scott Arfield will take the club for the final three games of their season.

The club's relegation was confirmed at the weekend after their draw with Aberdeen on Friday evening was followed by Kilmarnock's 3-0 win over Dundee United the following afternoon.

Let us know your thoughts here on Bartley's resignation and Arfield taking interim charge.

Stuart Barrie
Fan writer

Relegation is finally confirmed. To be honest, it's been in the post since January when must-win home games against fellow strugglers Kilmarnock and St Mirren ended in draws.

Livi failed to narrow the gap and those teams got a bit of momentum, not much but enough to keep ahead of us. We, on the other hand, stuttered along - not losing too many, but not winning any either.

The post-mortem and recriminations will no doubt start now.

The biggest thing from this season is the record-breaking winless streak. A new Scottish record and a tad embarrassing too.

That said, we did get 14 draws and many games were tight. No-one really scudded us, apart from a freakish result against Aberdeen. We were competitive just not effective.

I have moaned about this since January but the recruitment wasn't good enough.

Players brought in, one for a large sum of money for us, were not better than what we had and many never got a sniff of first-team action.

We signed 20 or so players over the course of the season and how many would I take next season? One or two maybe, three at a push. We got quantity when we needed quality.

Nearly all the fans are behind Marvin Bartley staying as manager for next season.

He's done alright with a struggling team, but he will have to start winning games again back in the Championship.

Image source, SNS

Livingston defender Ryan McGowan says Kilmarnock's victory over Dundee United last weekend was "bitterly disappointing" as their relegation from the Scottish Premiership was confirmed.

Marvin Bartley's side 10 points adrift at the bottom with only three games remaining of the season.

Livingston had kept alive their slender survival hopes when they ended their 33-game run without a victory by beating St Mirren 2-0 away last weekend.

However, McGowan says prior performances meant relegation was unavoidable.

"The situation that we found ourselves in, it has been coming for a while," McGowan said on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"So, yeah, it's a kick in the stomach when you're watching the game and you see that Killie scored early doors, because you always want to have that feeling of 'it just gives you another week, you get a win, you never know'.

"But it was just bitterly disappointing. And when you reflect on the whole season, there's been so many moments and so many kicks in the teeth in terms of conceding late goals, being on the end of, you know, big, big calls, which can decide games, especially against teams in and around us.

"That is not an excuse. We have not performed to the level that we want to as players and that ultimately falls on us.

"But, at the same time, it's just bitterly disappointing to get relegated and we need to dust ourselves off and get ready for next season."

Watch the Sportscene panel discuss Livingston's Scottish Premiership relegation and manager Marvin Bartley's future.

Read more: What went wrong for relegated Livingston?

Available in UK only

We asked for your views after Livingston's relegation to the Championship was confirmed.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Alexander: We're going down and coming straight back up again, it's just a little blip. My thoughts are we will win the Championship comfortably. Livingston's new owner will see that our team are strong enough to do it. Over the years we've been punching well above our weight. We've done exceptionally well considering our budget compared to other clubs.

Garry: It feels almost cathartic to have it confirmed now. Perhaps the sudden return came too soon for us. Return to the Championship and rebuild. I'm not sure there will be too many Livi fans overly upset, as long as no staff are affected. We go again and I, for one, am looking forward to the Championship season already.

Neil: No VAR, coverage on the lower league show and hopefully some wins. What's not to love?

Jo: Gutted Livingston are down. A tough place to go for the best of teams, never short of fight in the team. But fight only gets you so far and our squad is the weakest in top flight. Reset in championship and I'm sure we'll will be back. In fact, had they'd have finished in play-offs, I reckon they would have been safe.

Derek: We have a Championship squad playing in the Premiership and that just doesn't work. A massive rebuild is required with a good few players needing moved on. We would love to keep goalkeeper Jerome Prior, but that will be highly unlikely as I'm sure he'll move on to bigger and better things. o

Overall, a disappointing season but in another sense my young daughter got to see a lot of exciting games and good players.

David: I'm very sad, but I look forward with renewed hope. With a good board and a good manager, the rest of the league must be fearful of us next year.

It has been coming, let's face it. We have been clutching straws for a long time. No team had more draws than us this season (so far at least). The number of times we were ahead and drew or lost has been out downfall. We probably weren't as bad as our position indicates but at the end of the day, doing well in the league doesn't come from not winning in 257 days.

Despite Friday night's draw against Aberdeen, Kilmarnock's victory over Dundee United means Livingston's relegation is confirmed.

After one season back in the Scottish Premiership, Livi will be back playing Championship football again next season.

We want to know your thoughts on Livi's relegation. What have you made of this season? How do you feel about being back in the Championship?

Let us know your thoughts

Watch the goals as Livingston twice come back to draw with Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership (UK users only).

Image source, SNS

Livingston manager Marvin Bartley: "We can be disappointed with that, especially with the second goal that we do concede. Mistakes are going to happen in football, it's about how you react. The reaction from the players was fantastic.

"We had to change the shape, we were too comfortable with three centre-halves against two centre-forwards. I'm happy to go man for man and get pressure higher up the pitch.

"I went to a back four and the three boys that came off - Scott Arfield, Danny Wilson and Stevie May - were fantastic at half-time with their teammates. Massive credit to them.

"The players have met adversity head on. They come back into the game twice, that's about character and being a team. The 10 or 11 games under me, they've been fantastic every day.

"It's become an even greater escape, we need a favour tomorrow. If it doesn't go our way, nothing will change in the next two weeks in terms of the way we train."

Bottom side Livingston could be relegated on Saturday, despite coming back twice to draw with Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.

Read the full match report here.

Let us know your thoughts here.

Image source, SNS

Livingston forward Jeremy Bokila has returned to training but Connor McLennan (ankle) is still out.

Aberdeen could have Emmanuel Gyamfi back from concussion while Jack Milne has shrugged off a head knock.

Nicky Devlin will return to full training next week while Kristers Tobers (knee) and Nick Suman (ankle) remain out.

Image source, SNS

• Livingston are winless in their past eight league meetings with Aberdeen (D3 L5) since a 2-1 victory in November 2022.

• Aberdeen have kept a clean sheet in each of their past three league visits to Livingston; the Dons last kept four consecutive away league clean sheets against an opponent from August 2020 to December 2021 versus St Johnstone.

• Livingston picked up their first win in 32 league games against St Mirren last time out (D12 L19); they last won back-to-back matches in the Scottish Premiership in January 2023.

• Aberdeen have won 13 of their past 14 league matches played on a Friday; the only exception was a 3-1 defeat at home to Celtic in May 2017. Away from home, the Dons have won each of their past six Friday matches in the Scottish Premiership by an aggregate score of 15-2.

• Kevin Nisbet needs one more goal to become the first Scottish player to score 10+ league goals in back-to-back seasons for Aberdeen since Lee Miller in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 campaigns.

Stuart Barrie
Fan writer

Livingston have finally won a game. It comes as a huge relief.

Our 31-match winless league run - embarrassingly a record in the Scottish top flight - has come to an end.

We've played better in lots of games this season and had nothing to show for it. It wasn't pretty but the team dug in when they had to and played it smart to hit St Mirren on the break.

Relief was the overwhelming feeling among other Livi fans too. Some even thought this may be the start of the most unlikely comeback of all time.

Sadly, a miracle relegation escape remains highly unlikely but it was nice to get that win.

To avoid the drop we need to win all our remaining games and Killie lose all theirs. It's possible but considering we've had two wins all season it's just not going to happen.

Now the players have finally tasted victory maybe they can play with more confidence and less fear and go out all guns blazing with plenty of goals scored. It would give the fans something to really cheer and build hope for next season.

ARE HEARTS DESTINED TO WIN THE TITLE? 🏆

It was a seismic weekend in the hunt for the Scottish Premiership crown. Are you rejoicing, are you quietly optimistic, or are you chucking it?

Join the debate with Ray Bradshaw at 18:00 BST TONIGHT on the BBC Sport Scottish Football YouTube channel, external to give us your views in the chat. The show is fully interactive, so have your say.

Remember to like and subscribe to not miss it!

Watch the Sportscene team discuss Scott Pittman's goal and Livingston's performance in their 2-0 win over St Mirren, just their second victory of the season and their first since August.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

GK: Jerome Prior - Livingston

Five big saves of every variety to keep St Mirren at bay as Livingston finally earned a long-awaited victory.

RB: Stephen O'Donnell - Motherwell

Having a wonderful season under Jens Berthel Askou. Asked to play on the left and wasn't an issue. Two assists for the former Scotland international, who can easily slot into right-back for me here.

CB: Ryan McGowan - Livingston

Did all the unfashionable graft a centre-back has to do at times to earn his side a seldom seen three points.

CB: Kieran Tierney - Celtic

Seven goals for club and country this season. Another rasper against Falkirk.

LB: Emmanuel Longelo - Motherwell

Unleashed in a further forward role than left-back, but he can slot in there easily for me here. What a player he has been all season. Two huge goals as Motherwell underlined their kingmaker credentials in this incredible title race.

CM: Blair Spittal - Hearts

Off the bench to score what could be one of the most pivotal winners of the season for Hearts at Easter Road.

CM: Callum Slattery - Motherwell

Back from suspension and exemplified the quality Motherwell showed in abundance at Ibrox.

RW: Sabah Kerjota - Hearts

The Albanian was a game-changer as Derek McInnes brought him on to find the path through the stubborn Hibs defence. Kerjota duly delivered, not once but twice. His contribution to the Hearts title push was immense.

AM: Martin Boyle - Hibernian

In his last Edinburgh derby he took his goal superbly, couldn't have caught it any sweeter.

LW: Will Ferry - Dundee United

Hadn't scored a single goal for Dundee United until his strike against Celtic a few weeks ago. Now he can't stop. Great work rate and quality again from the wide man as he made all the difference in the Dundee derby.

ST: Daizen Maeda - Celtic

Like a phoenix rising from the flames, is Maeda rising at just the right time to fire Celtic to the title? Celtic's opening two goals came from his tenacity and pressing, and their third - Maeda's second - was instinctive striker play.

Watch all the highlights as Livingston picked up their second victory of the season and handed St Mirren's survival hopes a blow with a 2-0 win in Paisley. Available to UK users only.

Livingston manager Marvin Bartley: "Hopefully the beginning of a miracle. It's one game at a time. We need to produce our best at both ends of the pitch and the players have managed to do that today.

"The players have given me everything every day, it's not just about the match on a Saturday. The wins have run away from us, but hopefully this win can give them a lift and belief as well.

"We have to grow in belief, when you've been on the run we've been on it's difficult mentally. We also have to keep our feet grounded. We're still bottom of the league. But all we can do is train well and prepare for Aberdeen.

"It's not about me. I come in to work, work as hard as I can preparing the players as best as I can, and hope they produce on a Saturday.

"I've never seen them down in the dumps, because they know they have to work hard. It's a constant for them. They don't get too high or low.

"It's a fantastic feeling at this moment in time. It's only our third clean sheet of the season. I have to give a massive shout out to Neil Hastings, because they saw what was happening in the first half, articulated what was happening, and the players took it up a notch."

Livingston picked up just their second Scottish Premiership win of the season - and first since August - as they beat St Mirren to keep their extremely slim survival hopes alive.

Read the full match report here.

Let us know your thoughts here.