Martindale changes narrative to drive Livingston revival

"I'm successful pinch nan bricks and mortar, and if that changes I'm happy to shingle everybody's manus and move on."

David Martindale isn't a man who thumps astir nan bush.

The straightest talker successful Scottish shot stood connected 19 May past twelvemonth successful beforehand of nan cameras. His squad relegated and pinch caller ownership coming into nan club, nan Livingston head recovered it difficult to spot what they early would clasp for him.

One twelvemonth on, he was opinionated successful nan mediate of a party, surrounded by pizza boxes, spilled brew and raucous footballers, conducting a chorus of ceremony astatine their instant return to nan Scottish Premiership.

Livingston's way backmost to nan apical was successful Martindale's ain image - done difficult graft and adversity.

While nan Premiership play-off last win complete Ross County whitethorn person looked convincing pinch a 4-2 scoreline connected nan nighttime and a 5-3 aggregate, they had to woody pinch losing a precocious equaliser connected Thursday earlier past going 2-0 down successful nan Highlands.

Even to get to this stage, thing was straightforward. For truthful agelong Livingston were successful nan title hunt pinch eventual Championship winners Falkirk, only to autumn distant arsenic nan play deed nan location consecutive to decorativeness 3 points behind.

Partick Thistle were past despatched 4-0 complete some play-off semi-final ties, teeing up a day pinch a Ross County broadside without a triumph successful 10.

"I'm really proud of nan players, really proud of nan staff. I get nan in installments but this isn't astir me," said Martindale successful Dingwall, surrounded by supporters.

"The players showed personality, they showed character. That was my players retired connected nan parkland coming and I'm truthful proud of them."

Martindale's teams successful nan Premiership were renowned for being atrocious to play against. Physical. Aggressive. In your face.

Coupled pinch an ageing integrative pitch, watching silky shot wasn't a Saturday staple for nan Livi support.

However, since dropping down to nan Championship, he has taken nan opportunity to rebuild and rethink. Quality players for illustration Lewis Smith, who scored his side's good first successful Dingwall, Robbie Muirhead and Stevie May were recruited.

Combined pinch a coagulated halfway successful defence, Livingston vanished nan Championship pinch nan 2nd champion extremity quality of 28.

"They've reinvented themselves, this is what 1 twelvemonth successful nan Championship has allowed them to do," said erstwhile Livingston leader John Robertson connected Sportsound.

"Martindale's recruited really bully shot players. They play bully shot which is not thing you subordinate pinch a Livingston squad who've had to find a measurement to enactment successful nan convention for six years."

BBC Scotland pundit Michael Stewart added: "He drives a batch of it, he's recruited really well, they play bully football, they've sewage caller finance and you heard it from nan man himself nan nine are successful a really bully position."

There will possibly beryllium a fewer shot fans disappointed pinch nan consequence of Monday's play-off final.

Partly because of nan aforementioned combative style utilized by Livingston successful their erstwhile stint successful nan apical flight. Partly because of their alternatively humble support. Partly because of nan denial of a cracking distant time to Dingwall erstwhile nan shot returns aft nan summer...

Some supporters will besides not beryllium overly happy pinch nan imaginable of different squad pinch an artificial transportation - on pinch Falkirk and Kilmarnock - being added to nan Premiership. A fewer quips from nan Livingston societal media admin pointed towards nan nine possibly not being nan astir popular.

This X station cannot beryllium displayed successful your browser. Please alteration Javascript aliases effort a different browser.View original contented connected X

The BBC is not responsible for nan contented of outer sites.

But nary of that will matter to Martindale and his players.

Calvin Ford, nan great-great-grandson of Ford Motor Company laminitis Henry Ford, has precocious go nan club's mostly shareholder. "There's a bully instauration here, let's build this amended and get this nine backmost wherever it belongs, backmost successful nan [Scottish Premiership] and past let's spot wherever we tin spell from location because I deliberation there's a tonne of imaginable there," he said earlier this month.

So pinch caller investment, and besides a caller fresh artificial aboveground being laid, it's rather imaginable that nan Livingston returning to nan apical formation will beryllium a acold different beast to nan 1 which departed 12 months ago.

What looks group to stay nan aforesaid this adjacent play though, is their manager.

"David Martindale is an integral portion of nan club," added Stewart. "You've sewage to springiness him a batch of in installments this season.

"He himself saying Calvin Ford has reinvigorated him and you tin spot that. David Martindale is specified an integral portion not conscionable for nan evident reasons, past play it looked arsenic if nan occurrence had started to dwindle successful him and they sewage relegated you look astatine him this play and you could consciousness it was bubbling distant successful him again.

"They've sewage backmost up to nan apical formation and I do deliberation he is specified a beardown portion of that club."