Livingston - all the threads merged

[mozam76]

2 hours ago, EdinburghLivi said:

Agree with him re Devlin. The reaction I saw today was over the top even if I'm his biggest critic. Brandon should have started by now but I think Devlin has still been trying even if his performances haven't been great (not the worst in the squad). I don't think he's that good anyway and him having this big life change on his mind may have regressed him.

Not a fan of booing your own team at games.

Anyone booing Devlin because of the Aberdeen stuff, should probably just walk away from football. Rather than treat it with kid gloves, like what the manager has done here, it should have been called out for the utter fucking embarrassment that it is. 

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, mozam76 said:

Anyone booing Devlin because of the Aberdeen stuff, should probably just walk away from football. Rather than treat it with kid gloves, like what the manager has done here, it should have been called out for the utter fucking embarrassment that it is. 

The Facebook group is radicalising a minority of militant idiots among our support.

[ATLIS]

I'm not entirely happy with the way Nicky has gone about things, although the leak wasn't his fault. I wouldn't boo him though, it's the leakage from the batshit Facebook group I think.

Guy sitting in front of me has been banging on all week about how if we lost yesterday (in a nothing game), then Martindale should be sacked along with Berra  

[hoobahabba]

Davie very diplomatic with those comments about some fans' responses to Devlin. I doubt that they reflect what he truly thinks. In my view, it's unacceptable to boo any individual player from your own team in all but the most extreme circumstances. This is to say nothing of the commitment Devlin has shown during his time at Livi. Yes, he hasn't been great latterly and tbh I would have selected a new captain as soon as it was made public that he was unlikely to stay. However, few could deny he has served the club well for the majority of his time with us and that his reasons for leaving are rational.

There is a staggering negativity bias on the Facebook group. It has always had a decent roaster contingent but lately it has been toxic. 

[LIVIFOREVER]

14 minutes ago, hoobahabba said:

Davie very diplomatic with those comments about some fans' responses to Devlin. I doubt that they reflect what he truly thinks. In my view, it's unacceptable to boo any individual player from your own team in all but the most extreme circumstances. This is to say nothing of the commitment Devlin has shown during his time at Livi. Yes, he hasn't been great latterly and tbh I would have selected a new captain as soon as it was made public that he was unlikely to stay. However, few could deny he has served the club well for the majority of his time with us and that his reasons for leaving are rational.

There is a staggering negativity bias on the Facebook group. It has always had a decent roaster contingent but lately it has been toxic. 

Noticed that as the away games too, hadn't been to an away match in a while and went to 4 of our last 5, there were 3 guys in a group moaning constantly, one in particular was way beyond what was acceptable, calling Martindale a bald h*n. He was at the Motherwell game too but fortunately further away so i didn't hear him much, then not at all 2nd half, so prob left at HT. Up at Dingwall one boy was sitting with his wife and young daughter going apoplectic all game, really wasn't healthy, esp with his daughter there, she was singing 10 green bottles in a wee world of her own, prob used to her angry dad.

I was as pissed off as anybody at those St Mirren and Motherwell games, and esp the Utd one which gave us a last chance at top 6 before the split, but fecking hell, some need to remember the last time we were in the top flight and it all went to shit with admin and Paul Lambert managing us, now that was a time to question why you were going to games. Then the shite seasons that followed , the relegation season, the relegation to the 2nd division, compared to that we're having a ball these last 5 seasons in the top flight.

[mozam76]

15 hours ago, hoobahabba said:

Davie very diplomatic with those comments about some fans' responses to Devlin. I doubt that they reflect what he truly thinks.

As I said earlier, that kind of behaviour should be getting called out for what it is - utter nonsense and unacceptable. He's made a couple of, in my view, veiled digs at the support recently, about season ticket sales and also this squad (and earlier squads) not getting the backing he feels they deserve. I totally get his frustration about supporter numbers, believe me, but mentioning them in the press, I'm not so sure is a good look.   

[LIVIFOREVER]

36 minutes ago, mozam76 said:

As I said earlier, that kind of behaviour should be getting called out for what it is - utter nonsense and unacceptable. He's made a couple of, in my view, veiled digs at the support recently, about season ticket sales and also this squad (and earlier squads) not getting the backing he feels they deserve. I totally get his frustration about supporter numbers, believe me, but mentioning them in the press, I'm not so sure is a good look.   

Yeah it's like the opposition slagging our small number of fans compared to theirs, only ones being got at by this, is the ones that actually go to the games, you know, same as they do. It'll only piss off the fans that already go to Livi games, and that wont help Livi get more fans.

I admire his openness and honesty in interviews, not just coming out with the same old tired manager speak, but sometimes he could be doing with keeping stuff to himself. It isn't helping a sales drive renewing ST's, and trying to get new fans to buy some, continuing to mention how tough next season will be, budget cuts of 200K, players leaving, esp weeks before the season is done. Needs to keep that type of stuff in house, and concentrate of the positives, like going into our 6th season in the top flight, put a positive spin on freshening up the squad for next season.

[Guest]

He was making the point that our season ticket sales are dwarfed by Aberdeen and Dundee Utd. The former were on the verge of signing our captain for free at the time he made those comments while the latter took a key player from us for free last year (Sibbald). Due to our season ticket sales being much lower compared to other clubs in the league, that leaves us much more dependent on league prize money, cup prize money and player sales. The Dykes transfer money, mostly eaten up by Covid, is now fully gone so we're looking at a reduced budget next season. I'm glad he reveals these details. I want to have this information so I have all the context needed to fairly judge what I see on the pitch. He has also said he wasn't able to convince three current Championship players to sign for us next season because he couldn't offer a high enough wage. Again, I'm glad to have this communicated to us fans. I want to know what efforts are being made behind the scenes including what limitations are having to be contended with.

He's maybe keen to get these points across to try and placate the lunatics he's heard yelling at him every match recently.

Edited May 22, 2023 by FreedomFarter

[ATLIS]

2 hours ago, FreedomFarter said:

He was making the point that our season ticket sales are dwarfed by Aberdeen and Dundee Utd. The former were on the verge of signing our captain for free at the time he made those comments while the latter took a key player from us for free last year (Sibbald). Due to our season ticket sales being much lower compared to other clubs in the league, that leaves us much more dependent on league prize money, cup prize money and player sales. The Dykes transfer money, mostly eaten up by Covid, is now fully gone so we're looking at a reduced budget next season. I'm glad he reveals these details. I want to have this information so I have all the context needed to fairly judge what I see on the pitch. He has also said he wasn't able to convince three current Championship players to sign for us next season because he couldn't offer a high enough wage. Again, I'm glad to have this communicated to us fans. I want to know what efforts are being made behind the scenes including what limitations are having to be contended with.

He's maybe keen to get these points across to try and placate the lunatics he's heard yelling at him every match recently.

I don't think this is strictly true given we got around 2m from the COVID loan scheme. I do agree that money is gone though and that's why we have the drop off in funds. I suspect that'll get propped up by the 600k-1m we get for Nouble however.

[EdinburghLivi]

2 hours ago, FreedomFarter said:

He has also said he wasn't able to convince three current Championship players to sign for us next season because he couldn't offer a high enough wage.

I agree with a lot of your post but don't think this is helpful in making ourselves look more attractive to players. 

[ATLIS]

24 minutes ago, EdinburghLivi said:

I agree with a lot of your post but don't think this is helpful in making ourselves look more attractive to players. 

Part of it could be agents playing games behind the scenes

[LIVIFOREVER]

3 hours ago, FreedomFarter said:

He was making the point that our season ticket sales are dwarfed by Aberdeen and Dundee Utd. The former were on the verge of signing our captain for free at the time he made those comments while the latter took a key player from us for free last year (Sibbald). Due to our season ticket sales being much lower compared to other clubs in the league, that leaves us much more dependent on league prize money, cup prize money and player sales. The Dykes transfer money, mostly eaten up by Covid, is now fully gone so we're looking at a reduced budget next season. I'm glad he reveals these details. I want to have this information so I have all the context needed to fairly judge what I see on the pitch. He has also said he wasn't able to convince three current Championship players to sign for us next season because he couldn't offer a high enough wage. Again, I'm glad to have this communicated to us fans. I want to know what efforts are being made behind the scenes including what limitations are having to be contended with.

He's maybe keen to get these points across to try and placate the lunatics he's heard yelling at him every match recently.

He'd more chance painting a bench, sticking a do not touch sign up, and winning a bet nobody will touch it to see if it's still wet.

[ATLIS]

Not a fan of Nicky running his mouth and trying to score points with Aberdeen fans while still contracted to us. He could easily have waited 6 days to come out with this stuff

Edited May 22, 2023 by ATLIS

[RandomGuy.]

Just now, ATLIS said:

Not a fan of Nicky running his mouth and trying to score points with Aberdeen fans while still contracted to us. He could easily have waited 6 days to come out with this stuff

If its any comfort we had Rowan Vine say similar when he left us for Hibs. 12 months later Hibs were relegated, Vine was getting relegated with Morton, and we has just won the Scottish Cup.

So get your money on Livingston as winners of the 23/24 Scottish Cup.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, EdinburghLivi said:

I agree with a lot of your post but don't think this is helpful in making ourselves look more attractive to players. 

He's mostly making these comments to the club Youtube channel so I think it's about keeping fans in the loop. You're right, though, if his words go out to a national audience then you want to see only a positive face being projected.

[LiviLion]

13 hours ago, ATLIS said:

Not a fan of Nicky running his mouth and trying to score points with Aberdeen fans while still contracted to us. He could easily have waited 6 days to come out with this stuff

Bit of a shame to see, obviously someone has went and sent that photo around and he'll be getting asked the questions but you'd have thought a simple "Focused on the last couple of games this season" and avoiding it would have been better, then hoor yourself out once its official.

[LIVIFOREVER]

Really isn't helping himself after Martindale put out a plea to the fans to give him a good send off tomorrow. I suspect the ones booing him at the weekend will have gained some support.

 

[The Wrong Car]

I doubt many Livi fans are genuinely mad at Devlin, given it's a fantastic move for a player who started his career in the lower leagues. As much as the quotes above may be cherry picked, it does undermine Martindale's recent press conference, however. 

Anyway, I think Saturday gave everyone a bit more hope about next season. Sean Kelly gives a better balance in midfield with his physical presence, Stephen Kelly is best in a midfield 3, and De Lucas offers more pace at CB. Shamal's kicking has been criticised (harshly given he's asked to target Montano and Nouble on the touchline) however there was a few examples of excellent passes for Anderson to chase and big saves. Boyes, Montano and Bradley were all good as well. 

There's definitely the core of a decent team signed up, which is nice  

 

[LIVIFOREVER]

I'm in the not sure about Boyes camp just now, seems to lack physicality in the air, or a decent header clearing the ball, it often goes straight up in the air, gets brushed aside in 1 on 1's too, when balls are played in behind him, really needs to have a bigger physical presence for me. Was a lot happier with Parkes when he came on. He's still learning though, so hopefully we'll see some improvement next season.

Utd were easy to play against and get at their goal, long balls caught them out (sounds familiar) because they were always pushing forward, the real test is scoring against a more solid defence, and being able to break them down. Motherwell will be a lot tougher test though, a win against them would be massive for ending our season on a high, lifting us back to 7th place, then the dreaded away match for the final game, 2 wins on the bounce would give us good momentum to break that away cycle.

Edited May 23, 2023 by LIVIFOREVER

[The Wrong Car]

I'd agree re Boyes. He's proven himself to be decent on the ball, and aggressive in the air, however he's occasionally fairly rash in the tackle. Given he's pretty much played every game since Dec, I'm not sure he's progressed enough to be a nailed-on starter. 

Parkes, De Lucas, Boyes and Obileye are still decent CB options, especially when needing to play 3 at the back