2023–24 Livingston F.C. season

The 2023–24 season is Livingston's sixth consecutive season in the Scottish Premiership, the top flight of Scottish football. Livingston will also compete in the League Cup and the Scottish Cup.

Livingston
2023–24 season
ChairmanJohn Ward
ManagerDavid Martindale
StadiumTony Macaroni Arena
Scottish PremiershipTwelfth place
Scottish League CupQuarter-final
Scottish CupQuarter-final

Season Summary edit

On 1 June it was announced that chairman Robert Wilson would retire from his position.[1] The following week the club promoted Chief Executive John Ward to the position of Chairman, with Dave Black becoming the new Chief Executive, having previously been Business Development Manager and Head of Commercial & Media Operations - Black had in fact once been a ball boy for the club. [2]

On 24 September 2023, Livingston announced a takeover of the club with new ownership led by businessman John McIlvogue and his company Baycup Ltd. McIlvogue would be taking up the role of chief commercial officer.[3][4] The move was cast into doubt weeks later as former directors launched a legal challenge to the sale of the club.[5] As of December 2023, the case remains unresolved - no changes have been made in respect of the ownership or directors of the club or its ultimate owner Opcco6 Ltd at Companies House resultant from the 'takeover'.[6][7]

Further boardroom unrest followed, but the club was able to settle a long-running feud with former director Neil Rankine in court.[8]

The club enjoyed a strong showing in the League Cup, winning their group after three wins and a draw (losing the bonus point in a penalty shootout) against Hamilton Academical. In the second round they defeated Ayr United before succumbing to Glasgow giants Rangers in the quarter-finals.

In the Premiership, Livi made a reasonable start but, after beating Motherwell on 7 October, failed to win again in 2023. They entered the winter break after a home defeat by Hearts, completing a run of two points from 13 games. During this run the team suffered seven losses in a row, including six successively without scoring, making them the first team to suffer six successive top-flight defeats with no goals since Aberdeen in 1999.[9]

By February the team had surpassed the club's previous longest-ever winless run in league games, lasting 17 games between 21 October 2023 and 7 February 2024. The club's previous longest winless run in league games was between 14 May 2005 and 5 November 2005, stretching 16 games across the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons. This was brought to an end with a 1-0 home victory against St Mirren on 17 February.

Another winless streak followed, with the Lions reaching the Premiership's 33-game 'split' at the foot of the table, 12 points adrift of Ross County with five games to play.

Scottish Premiership records under threat as of 23 April include:

  • fewest wins in a season (Livingston's own four in 2005-06, also achieved by Dunfermline in 1998–99),
  • fewest points in a season (Gretna's 13 in 2007–08 (includes a 10 point deduction) or their own 18 from 2005–06) and
  • fewest goals scored in a season (23 by St Johnstone in 2010–11).

Results & fixtures edit

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Friendlies edit

1 July 2023 Livingston 2–0 Queen of the South Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Pittman   2'
Bradley   64'
4 July 2023 Livingston 2–0 Alloa Athletic Tony Macaroni Arena
19:45 Brandon   29'
Anderson   66'
10 July 2023 Queen's Park 0–1 Livingston Lesser Hampden
19:45 Report Anderson   50'
11 January 2024   Winterthur 3–2 Livingston Lara, Antalya
12:30 Di Giusto   20'
Burkart   74'
Lüthi   85'
Guthrie   37'
Welch-Hayes   45'

Scottish Premiership edit

5 August 2023 1 Livingston 0–0 Aberdeen Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Report Attendance: 5,630
Referee: John Beaton
12 August 2023 2 Rangers 4–0 Livingston Ibrox Stadium
15:00 Lammers   10'
Danilo   78'
Sima   84'
Dowell   90'
Report Attendance: 49,320
Referee: Don Robertson
26 August 2023 3 Hibernian 2–3 Livingston Easter Road
15:00 Boyle   61'
Campbell   86'
Report Obita   8 o.g.'
Anderson   63'
Sangare   75'
Attendance: 14,932
Referee: Craig Napier
2 September 2023 4 Livingston 1–1 St Mirren Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 de Lucas   89' Report Nahmani   90+6' Attendance: 2,075
Referee: Nick Walsh
16 September 2023 5 Ross County 1–1 Livingston Victoria Park
15:00 Murray   59' Report Anderson   72' Attendance: 3,160
Referee: Euan Anderson
23 September 2023 6 Livingston 0–3 Celtic Tony Macaroni Arena
12:30 Report Hatate   14 pen.'
Hart   28'
O'Riley   48'
Maeda   90+5'
Attendance: 8,118
Referee: John Beaton
30 September 2023 7 St Johnstone 1–1 Livingston McDiarmid Park
15:00 Costelloe   36'
Gordon   83'
Report Kelly   57 pen.' Attendance: 2,691
Referee: Graham Grainger
7 October 2023 8 Livingston 2–0 Motherwell Tony Macaroni Arena
12:30 Anderson   53'
Kelly   62 pen.'
Report Miller   45+1' Attendance: 2,039
Referee: Don Robertson
21 October 2023 9 Kilmarnock 3–1 Livingston Rugby Park
15:00 Armstrong   16'
Vassell   42', 60'
Report Kelly   35 pen.' Attendance: 4,679
Referee: Craig Napier
28 October 2023 10 Livingston 0–2 Dundee Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Montaño   70' Report Shaughnessy   82', 85' Attendance: 4,210
Referee: William Collum
1 November 2023 11 Heart of Midlothian 1–0 Livingston Tynecastle Park
19:45 Vargas   79' Report Attendance: 17,970
Referee: Chris Graham
5 November 2023 12 Dundee 1–0 Livingston Dens Park
15:00 McCowan   57' Report Attendance: 4,769
Referee: Alan Muir
12 November 2023 13 Livingston 0–2 Rangers Tony Macaroni Arena
12:00 Report Dessers   26'
Tavernier   75 pen.'
Referee: Steven McLean
25 November 2023 14 St Mirren 1–0 Livingston St Mirren Park
15:00 Kelly   24 o.g.' Report Referee: David Munro
9 December 2023 16 Livingston 0–1 Hibernian Tony Macaroni Arena
12:00 Report Boyle   28' Attendance: 3,463
Referee: Grant Irvine
16 December 2023 17 Livingston 0–0 Kilmarnock Tony Macaroni Arena
12:00 Report Referee: William Collum
20 December 2023 18 Aberdeen 2–1 Livingston Pittodrie Stadium
19:45 Miovski   42', 65' Report Guthrie   28' Attendance: 13,794
Referee: Nick Walsh
23 December 2023 19 Celtic 2–0 Livingston Celtic Park
15:00 Furuhashi   46'
Scales   51'
Report Attendance: 58,703
Referee: Matthew MacDermid
27 December 2023 20 Livingston 0–0 St Johnstone Tony Macaroni Arena
19:45 Report Attendance: 1,602
Referee: Kevin Clancy
30 December 2023 21 Motherwell 3–1 Livingston Fir Park
15:00 Spittal   14'
Bair   19', 35'
Report Pittman   23' Attendance: 4,076
Referee: Chris Graham
2 January 2024 22 Livingston 1–2 Heart of Midlothian Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Shinnie   79 pen.' Report Vargas   53'
Shankland   64'
Attendance: 6,161
Referee: David Dickinson
27 January 2024 23 Livingston 1–4 Dundee Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Yengi   78 pen.' Report Bakayoko   19'
McCowan   62'   74'
Robinson   79'
Mellon   87'
Attendance: 1,906
Referee: Ross Hardie
30 January 2024 15 Livingston 2–2 Ross County Tony Macaroni Arena
19:45 Pittman   45'
MacKay   88'
Report Murray   28', 85' Attendance: 1,142
Referee: Alan Muir
Note: Fixture postponed due to a frozen pitch.
3 February 2024 24 Rangers 3–0 Livingston Ibrox Stadium
15:00 Silva   40'
Matondo   45+2'
Cantwell   56'
Report Attendance: 49,688
Referee: John Beaton
7 February 2024 25 Kilmarnock 1–0 Livingston Rugby Park
19:45 Watkins   88' Report Attendance: 4,328
Referee: David Dickinson
17 February 2024 26 Livingston 1–0 St Mirren Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Yengi   45+3' Report Attendance: 2,120
Referee: Euan Anderson
24 February 2024 27 Ross County 3–2 Livingston Victoria Park
15:00 Brophy   21', 27'
Sims   90+2'
Report Anderson   47', 86' Attendance: 3,346
Referee: David Dickinson
28 February 2024 28 Livingston 1–3 Motherwell Tony Macaroni Arena
19:45 Yengi   3' Report Nicholson   49'
Spittal   71'
Vale   87'
Attendance: 1,659
Referee: John Beaton
2 March 2024 29 St Johnstone 1–1 Livingston McDiarmid Park
15:00 Clark   87' Report Shinnie   37' Attendance: 3,287
Referee: Chris Graham
16 March 2024 30 Hibernian 3–0 Livingston Easter Road
15:00 Obita   5'
Maolida   7'
Le Fondre   22'
Report Attendance: 15,912
Referee: Nick Walsh
31 March 2024 31 Livingston 0–3 Celtic Tony Macaroni Arena
12:00 Report Brandon   49 o.g.'
Bernardo   72'
O'Riley   82'
Attendance: 8,396
Referee: Don Robertson
6 April 2024 32 Livingston 0–0 Aberdeen Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Report Attendance: 2,797
Referee: Graham Grainger
13 April 2024 33 Heart of Midlothian 4–2 Livingston Tynecastle Park
15:00 Grant   29'
Oda   32'
Devlin   40'
Shankland   45+6 pen.'
Report Kelly   10', 22'
Yengi   58'
Attendance: 18,491
Referee: Colin Steven
27 April 2024 34 Livingston 2–0 Ross County Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Anderson   12'
Kelly   53 pen.'
Report Attendance: 1,531
Referee: William Collum
4 May 2024 35 Motherwell 4–1 Livingston Fir Park
15:00 Bair   21 pen.', 68'
Nicholson   45+2'
Casey   74'
Report Nouble   77' Attendance: 4,161
Referee: David Munro
11 May 2024 36 Livingston v St Johnstone Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00
15 May 2024 37 Aberdeen v Livingston Pittodrie Stadium
19:45
19 May 2024 38 Livingston v Hibernian Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00

Scottish League Cup edit

Group stage edit

15 July 2023 Group Stage Brechin City 0–3 Livingston Glebe Park
15:00 Report Nouble   41'
Kelly   41'
Montaño   87'
Attendance: 585
Referee: Colin Steven
22 July 2023 Group Stage Livingston 1–1
(1–4 p)
Hamilton Academical Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Anderson   90' Report Winter   31' Attendance: 923
Referee: Craig Napier
25 July 2023 Group Stage Cove Rangers 0–5 Livingston Balmoral Stadium
19:45 Report Parkes   44'
Obileye   55'
Anderson   59'
Kelly   81', 90+2'
Attendance: 683
Referee: David Dickinson
29 July 2023 Group Stage Livingston 1–0 Clyde Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Anderson   75' Report Attendance: 872
Referee: William Collum

Knockout phase edit

19 August 2023 Second round Livingston 2–0 Ayr United Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Nouble   12'
Montaño   64'
Report Attendance: 1,304
Referee: Kevin Clancy
27 September 2023 Quarter-final Rangers 4–0 Livingston Ibrox Stadium
20:00 Sima   10', 84'
Yılmaz   66'
Jack   90+2'
Attendance: 35,420
Referee: William Collum

Scottish Cup edit

20 January 2024 Fourth round Livingston 2–1 Raith Rovers Tony Macaroni Arena
15:00 Brandon   32'
MacKay   82'
Report Hamilton   5' Attendance: 2,580
Referee: Grant Irvine
10 February 2024 Fifth round Partick Thistle 2–3 (a.e.t.) Livingston Firhill Stadium
15:00 McInroy   27'
Fitzpatrick   61'
Report Nouble   66', 82'
Yengi   120'
Attendance: 3,843
Referee: Nick Walsh
10 March 2024 Quarter-final Celtic 4–2 Livingston Celtic Park
14:30 Maeda   7', 22', 86'
Furuhashi   90+5'
Report MacKay   12'
Yengi   54'
Attendance: 33,232
Referee: William Collum

Squad statistics edit

Appearances edit

As of 4 May 2024

No. Pos Nat Player Total Premiership League Cup Scottish Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK   ENG Shamal George 35 0 29 0 5 0 1 0
2 MF   IRL Shaun Donnellan 5 0 3 0 0 0 1+1 0
3 MF   COL Cristian Montaño 20 2 7+6 0 5 2 2 0
4 MF   ENG David Carson 9 0 7+2 0 0 0 0 0
5 DF   SCO Mikey Devlin (c) 32 0 23+3 0 5 0 1 0
6 DF   ENG Ayo Obileye 36 1 28 0 6 1 2 0
8 MF   SCO Scott Pittman 34 2 24+2 2 3+3 0 2 0
9 FW   SCO Bruce Anderson 41 9 15+17 6 4+2 3 0+3 0
10 MF   SCO Stephen Kelly 34 4 14+11 2 3+3 2 3 0
11 FW   SCO Daniel MacKay 26 3 10+11 1 1+1 0 2+1 2
12 DF   SCO Jamie Brandon 39 1 24+6 0 1+5 0 3 1
16 MF   SCO Steven Bradley 16 0 8+7 0 0 0 1 0
18 MF   SCO Jason Holt 41 0 31+2 0 6 0 2 0
19 FW   ENG Joel Nouble 37 5 25+4 1 5+1 2 2 2
20 MF   LBR Mohammed Sangare 32 1 10+14 1 2+3 0 1+2 0
21 DF   SKN Michael Nottingham 27 0 18+5 0 0+1 0 3 0
22 MF   SCO Andrew Shinnie 38 2 23+7 2 3+2 0 1+2 0
23 GK   NIR Michael McGovern 5 0 2+1 0 0 0 2 0
24 DF   SCO Sean Kelly 24 5 18+2 4 2 1 1+1 0
28 FW   ENG Kurtis Guthrie 33 1 11+15 1 3+2 0 1+1 0
29 MF   SCO James Penrice 31 0 22+2 0 6 0 0+1 0
32 GK   SCO Jack Hamilton 5 0 4 0 1 0 0 0
33 FW   AUS Tete Yengi 15 5 9+4 3 0 0 2 2
35 DF   SCO Calan Ledingham 1 0 0 0 0+1 0 0 0
37 MF   SCO Tommy Sharp 1 0 0+1 0 0 0 0 0
Players who left the club during the season
4 DF   ENG Tom Parkes 12 1 3+6 0 2+1 1 0 0
7 MF   CGO Dylan Bahamboula 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 DF   ENG Miles Welch-Hayes 3 0 2+1 0 0 0 0 0
15 DF   WAL Morgan Boyes 3 0 0+1 0 1+1 0 0 0
23 DF   DOM Luiyi de Lucas 15 1 11+1 1 2+1 0 0 0
25 MF   ENG Danny Lloyd 5 0 1+3 0 0+1 0 0 0
38 MF   CGO Scott Bitsindou 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
40 MF   NGA Samson Lawal 3 0 0+2 0 0+1 0 0 0

Team statistics edit

League table edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[a]
8 Aberdeen 35 10 11 14 37 49 −12 41
9 Motherwell 35 9 13 13 50 53 −3 40
10 Ross County 35 8 9 18 34 59 −25 33
11 St Johnstone 35 7 10 18 25 50 −25 31 Qualification for the Premiership play-off final
12 Livingston (R) 35 4 9 22 25 63 −38 21 Relegation to the Championship
Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 2024. Source: [10][11]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-Head points; 5) Head-to-Head goal difference; 6) Play-off (only if deciding champion, UEFA competitions qualification, second stage group allocation or relegation).[12]
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Teams play each other three times (33 matches), before the league is split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six).

League Cup table edit

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification LIV HAM COV BRE CLY
1 Livingston 4 3 0 1 0 10 1 +9 10 Qualification for the second round 1–1p 1–0
2 Hamilton Academical 4 2 1 1 0 7 4 +3 9 2–2p 1–0
3 Cove Rangers 4 2 1 0 1 10 11 −1 8 0–5 5–2
4 Brechin City 4 1 0 0 3 4 8 −4 3 0–3 2–3
5 Clyde 4 0 0 0 4 4 11 −7 0 1–3 1–2
Source: [13]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[14]

Transfers edit

See also edit

List of Livingston F.C. seasons

References edit

  1. ^ "Club Chairperson Robert Wilson to retire". livingstonfc.co.uk. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Club Update: John Ward & Dave Black". Livingston FC. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Club Statement". livingstonfc.co.uk. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Livingston: David Martindale delighted club finally under new ownership". livingstonfc.co.uk. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Bid to halt takeover at Livingston". bbc.co.uk. 2 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  6. ^ "OPCCO6 LTD People". Companies House. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  7. ^ "LIVINGSTON FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED People". Companies House. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Club Statement". Livingston F.C. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Livingston 0-1 Hibernian: Analysis". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Scottish Premiership Table". BBC. 28 August 2023.
  11. ^ "cinch Premiership League Table". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  12. ^ "The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League (Rule Number C35-C37)" (PDF). SPFL. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Summary - League Cup Group C". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  14. ^ "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Mikey Devlin joins the Lions". livingstonfc.co.uk. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Welcome to Livingston, Mo Sangare!". livingstonfc.co.uk. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Miles Welch-Hayes joins the Lions!". livingstonfc.co.uk. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  18. ^ "Welcome, Michael Nottingham!". livingstonfc.co.uk. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  19. ^ "Welcome, Teto!". livingstonfc.co.uk. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  20. ^ "Welcome, Samson Lawal!". livingstonfc.co.uk. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Daniel Lloyd – the latest Lion!". livingstonfc.co.uk. 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  22. ^ "Welcome Shaun Donnellan!". livingstonfc.co.uk. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  23. ^ "Welcome, Tete Yengi!". livingstonfc.co.uk. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  24. ^ "David Carson joins the Lions!". livingstonfc.co.uk. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  25. ^ a b c d e f "Retained & Released List". livingstonfc.co.uk. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  26. ^ "Jack Hamilton signs up". raithrovers.net. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  27. ^ "✍️ Jack Fitzwater signs for City!". exetercityfc.co.uk. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  28. ^ "Jaze Kabia signs for City". corkcityfc.ie. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  29. ^ "Welcome to Accies, Jackson!". hamiltonacciesfc.co.uk. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  30. ^ "Brian Schwake, nuevo fichaje del CD Castellón". cdcastellon.com. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  31. ^ "Goncalves leaves Livi". bbc.co.uk. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  32. ^ "Lloyd leaves Livi". Livingston FC on X. 1 January 2024.
  33. ^ "Danny Lloyd Returns". Southport FC. 8 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  34. ^ "Luiyi de Lucas moves on". Livingston FC. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  35. ^ "ΑΕΛ: Ενίσχυση στην άμυνα με Luiyi de Lucas!". kerkida.net. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  36. ^ "Tom Parkes joins Pools". Hartlepool United FC. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  37. ^ "Bitsindou Departs". Livingston FC. 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  38. ^ "Bahamboula Departs". Livingston FC. 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  39. ^ "Dan's the Man as MacKay joins the Lions!". livingstonfc.co.uk. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  40. ^ "Michael McGovern joins on loan". livingstonfc.co.uk. 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  41. ^ "Welcome to Lucas Stenhouse". twitter.com. 15 July 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  42. ^ "Welcome to John Binnie". twitter.com. 6 August 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  43. ^ "Morgan joins Inverness on loan". Livingston FC. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  44. ^ "Miles Welch-Hayes joins Dunfermline on loan". livingstonfc.co.uk. 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  45. ^ "Caley Thistle sign midfielder Samson Lawal on loan from Livingston". pressandjournal.co.uk. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.