2018–19 Livingston F.C. season

The 2018–19 season was Livingston's first season of play back in the top tier of Scottish football since 2006,^[1] having been promoted via the Premiership play-off^[2] from the Scottish Championship, at the end of the previous season.^[3] Livingston also competed in the League and Scottish Cup.

Livingston

2018–19 season
Chairman	Robert Wilson
Manager	Kenny Miller (Until 20 August) Gary Holt (From 23 August)
Stadium	Almondvale Stadium
Scottish Premiership	9th
Scottish League Cup	Second round
Scottish Cup	Fourth round
Top goalscorer	League: Craig Halkett & Ryan Hardie (7) All: Craig Halkett, Ryan Hardie & Scott Pittman (7)
Highest home attendance	9,246, vs. Rangers, Premiership, 30 September
Lowest home attendance	552, vs. Berwick Rangers, League Cup, 28 July 2018
Average home league attendance	3,664
Home colours Away colours
← 2017–18 2019–20 →

Summary

Management

Having led the club to consecutive promotions manager David Hopkin departed the club during the close season on 31 May 2018, having declined the offer of a new contract.^[4] First team coach David Martindale took charge of team affairs in the interim.^[5] On 30 June 2018, former Rangers and Scotland striker Kenny Miller was appointed as player-manager on a two-year contract.^[6] Livingston marked his first managerial appointment.^[7]

On 20 August 2018, after just seven games Miller parted company with Livingston.^[8] The club wished Miller to take up a full time managers role, rather than the dual role he was currently undertaking and he wished to continue his career as a footballer.^[9] Assistant manager David Martindale^[10] took over team affairs in the interim,^[11] with Gary Holt being appointed as Head Coach three days later.^[12]

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Friendlies

Queen of the South v Livingston

6 July 2018	Queen of the South	2–2	Livingston	Palmerston Park
19:45	Harkins 49' Dykes 60'	Report	Cadden 35' Gallagher 46'

Gateshead v Livingston

24 July 2018	Gateshead	0–0	Livingston	Kingston Park
19:45		Report

Scottish Premiership

Main article: 2018–19 Scottish Premiership

Celtic v Livingston

4 August 2018	Celtic	3–1	Livingston	Celtic Park
15:00	Rogic 8' Édouard 26' Ntcham 50' (pen.)	BBC Report	Robinson 90+3'	Attendance: 58,778 Referee: Walsh

Livingston v Kilmarnock

11 August 2018	Livingston	0–0	Kilmarnock	Almondvale Stadium
15:00		BBC Report		Attendance: 2,586 Referee: Duncan

St Mirren v Livingston

25 August 2018	St Mirren	0–2	Livingston	St Mirren Park
15:00		BBC Report	Hamilton 14' Lithgow 36'	Attendance: 4,347 Referee: Beaton

Livingston v Hibernian

1 September 2018	Livingston	2–1	Hibernian	Almondvale Stadium
15:00	Byrne 58' Pittman 70'	BBC Report	Horgan 52'	Attendance: 5,305 Referee: McLean

Livingston v Hamilton Academical

15 September 2018	Livingston	1–0	Hamilton Academical	Almondvale Stadium
15:00	Lawless 3'	BBC Report		Attendance: 1,342 Referee: Muir

Heart of Midlothian v Livingston

22 September 2018	Heart of Midlothian	0–0	Livingston	Tynecastle Park
15:00		BBC Report		Attendance: 17,798 Referee: Robertson

Livingston v Rangers

30 September 2018	Livingston	1–0	Rangers	Almondvale Stadium
13:30	Menga 34'	BBC Report		Attendance: 9,246 Referee: Thomson

Motherwell v Livingston

6 October 2018	Motherwell	1–1	Livingston	Fir Park
15:00	Bowman 17' McHugh  78'	BBC Report	Jacobs 64'	Attendance: 4,256 Referee: Collum

Livingston v Dundee

20 October 2018	Livingston	4–0	Dundee	Almondvale Stadium
15:00	Gallagher 18' Halkett 43' Lawless 76' Lithgow 89'	BBC Report		Attendance: Walsh Referee: 2,137

Aberdeen v Livingston

27 October 2018	Aberdeen	P–P	Livingston	Pittodrie Stadium
15:00
Note: Postponed due to Aberdeen's involvement in League Cup Semi Final.[13]

Livingston v St Johnstone

31 October 2018	Livingston	0–1	St Johnstone	Almondvale Stadium
19:45		BBC Report	Kennedy 5'	Attendance: 1,476 Referee: Beaton

Hamilton Academical v Livingston

3 November 2018	Hamilton Academical	1–0	Livingston	New Douglas Park
15:00	Miller  61'  85' Bloomfield 86'	BBC Report		Attendance: 1,459 Referee: Muir

Livingston v Celtic

11 November 2018	Livingston	0–0	Celtic	Almondvale Stadium
12:00		BBC Report		Attendance: 9,016 Referee: Clancy

Rangers v Livingston

24 November 2018	Rangers	3–0	Livingston	Ibrox Stadium
15:00	Candeias 20' Morelos 83' Arfield 88'	Report		Attendance: 49,448 Referee: Nick Walsh

Livingston v Motherwell

1 December 2018	Livingston	2–0	Motherwell	Almondvale Stadium
15:00	Lawless 22' Hamilton  34' Halkett 83'	Report	Bigirimana  36' Tait  64'	Attendance: 1,982 Referee: Anderson

Kilmarnock v Livingston

5 December 2018	Kilmarnock	2–0	Livingston	Rugby Park
19:45	Stewart 3', 20'	Report	Byrne  39' Pittman  71'	Attendance: 4,143 Referee: Madden

Livingston v St Mirren

8 December 2018	Livingston	3–1	St Mirren	Almondvale Stadium
15:00	Pittman 50' Hardie 64' Sibbald 88'	BBC Report	Jones 36'	Attendance: 1,727 Referee: Dallas

Aberdeen v Livingston

11 December 2018	Aberdeen	3–2	Livingston	Pittodrie Stadium
19:45	McGinn 9' Cosgrove 57' Ferguson 90+2'	BBC Report	Pittman 12' McMillan 33'	Attendance: 12,252 Referee: Thomson

Livingston v Heart of Midlothian

14 December 2018	Livingston	5–0	Heart of Midlothian	Almondvale Stadium
19:45	Menga  64', 76' Halkett 72' (Penalty) Hardie 77', 79' Byrne 86'	BBC Report	Djoum  52'  74' Zlamal  72'	Attendance: 4,201 Referee: Walsh

Hibernian v Livingston

22 December 2018	Hibernian	1–1	Livingston	Easter Road
15:00	Porteous  43', 80'	Report	Menga  55' Hardie 56',  72' Lawless  86'	Attendance: 17,056 Referee: Greg Aitken

Dundee v Livingston

26 December 2018	Dundee	0–0	Livingston	Dens Park
15:00	Boyle  9' McGowan  29'	Report	Hamilton  84'	Attendance: 4,905 Referee: Bobby Madden

Livingston v Aberdeen

29 December 2018	Livingston	1–2	Aberdeen	Almondvale Stadium
15:00	Hardie 89'	Report	Wilson 71' Lithgow 85' (o.g.)	Attendance: 5,548 Referee: Steven McLean

St Johnstone v Livingston

23 January 2019	St Johnstone	1–0	Livingston	McDiarmid Park
19:45	Davidson 78'	BBC Report		Attendance: 1,946 Referee: Dallas

Livingston v Rangers

26 January 2019	Livingston	0–3	Rangers	Almondvale Stadium
15:00		BBC Report	Jack 30' Kent 48' Morelos 74'	Attendance: 9,028 Referee: Clancy

Motherwell v Livingston

2 February 2019	Motherwell	3–0	Livingston	Fir Park
15:00	Hastie 6', 21' Main 12'	BBC Report		Attendance: 3,839 Referee: Beaton

Heart of Midlothian v Livingston

6 February 2019	Heart of Midlothian	0–0	Livingston	Tynecastle Park
19:45	Lee  50'	BBC Report	Gallagher  37' Lawless  88'	Attendance: 15,147 Referee: Muir

Livingston v Dundee

16 February 2019	Livingston	1–2	Dundee	Almondvale Stadium
15:00	Byrne  14' Halkett 18'	Report	Nelson 54' Wright 82'	Attendance: 2,321 Referee: Greg Aitken

Livingston v Kilmarnock

23 February 2019	Livingston	1–0	Kilmarnock	Almondvale Stadium
15:00	Erskine 44' Brown  71' Kelly  90'	Report		Attendance: 2,569 Referee: Andrew Dallas

St Mirren v Livingston

2 March 2019	St Mirren	1–0	Livingston	St Mirren Park
19:45	S McGinn  65' Flynn 89'	Report	Jacobs  19' Lawson  48' Robinson  69'	Attendance: 4,014 Referee: Nick Walsh

Livingston v St Johnstone

9 March 2019	Livingston	3–1	St Johnstone	Almondvale Stadium
15:00	Halkett 38' Sibbald 46',  62' Pittman 90+2'	Report	Shaughnessy 14' Goss  63'	Attendance: 1,615 Referee: John Beaton

Aberdeen v Livingston

16 March 2019	Aberdeen	1–1	Livingston	Pittodrie Stadium
15:00	McGinn 30'	Report	Sibbald 43'	Attendance: 14,366 Referee: Don Robertson

Livingston v Hibernian

29 March 2019	Livingston	1–2	Hibernian	Almondvale Stadium
15:00	Hardie 90+1' (pen.)	Report	Hanlon 71' Mallan 75'	Attendance: 4,774 Referee: Nick Walsh

Livingston v Hamilton Academical

3 April 2019	Livingston	2–0	Hamilton Academical	Almondvale Stadium
19:45	Robinson  13' Lithgow  33' Hardie 46' Halkett 79'	Report	Andreu  62' Miller  66'	Attendance: 1,022 Referee: Alan Muir

Celtic v Livingston

6 April 2019	Celtic	0–0	Livingston	Celtic Park
15:00		Report	Lamie  42'  47' Gallagher  51' Halkett  67' Lithgow  76'	Attendance: 58,850 Referee: Euan Anderson

Livingston v St Mirren

20 April 2019	Livingston	1–3	St Mirren	Almondvale Stadium
15:00	Robinson 20'	Report	P. McGinn 26' Mullen 78' Jackson 80'	Attendance: 2,347 Referee: Willie Collum

Hamilton Academical v Livingston

27 April 2019	Hamilton Academical	3–3	Livingston	Hamilton
15:00 BST (UTC+1)	Oakley 40' Imrie 47' (pen.),  62' Smith  86' McGowan 90'	Report	Kelly  47' Pittman 57', 71' Lawson 67'	Stadium: New Douglas Park Attendance: 1,135 Referee: Greg Aitken

St Johnstone v Livingston

4 May 2019	St Johnstone	1–1	Livingston	McDiarmid Park
15:00	O'Halloran 4'	Report	Halkett  51' 84' Gallagher  86'	Attendance: 2,222 Referee: David Munro

Livingston v Dundee

11 May 2019	Livingston	0–1	Dundee	Almondvale Stadium
15:00		Report	K. Miller 11'	Attendance: 1,374 Referee: Alan Newlands

Motherwell v Livingston

18 May 2019	Motherwell	3–2	Livingston	Motherwell
12:30 BST (UTC+1)	Donnelly 10' Turnbull 21', 25' (pen.) 44'	Report	Hardie 42' Tiffoney 80', 81'	Stadium: Fir Park Attendance: 5,794 Referee: David Munro

Scottish League Cup

Main article: 2018–19 Scottish League Cup

Airdrieonians v Livingston

14 July 2018[14] League Cup Group F	Airdrieonians	1–2	Livingston	Excelsior Stadium
15:00	Duffy 53'	SPFL Report	Pittman 24' Miller 25'	Attendance: 733 Referee: Walsh

Hamilton Academical v Livingston

17 July 2018[14] League Cup Group F	Hamilton Academical	0–0 (5–6 p)	Livingston	New Douglas Park
19:45		SPFL Report		Attendance: 1,012 Referee: Beaton
	Penalties
	Imrie Bingham Kelly Penny MacKinnon Cunningham McGowan Lyon		Halkett Lamie Sibbald Robinson Hamilton Crane Gallagher McMillan

Livingston v Annan Athletic

21 July 2018[14] League Cup Group F	Livingston	1–0	Annan Athletic	Prestonfield[note 1]
	Miller 14' Lamie  88'	SPFL Report		Attendance: 678 Referee: Clancy

Livingston v Berwick Rangers

28 July 2018[14] League Cup Group F	Livingston	2–0	Berwick Rangers	Prestonfield[note 2]
15:00	Hamilton 3' McMillan 82'	BBC Report		Attendance: 552 Referee: Kirkland

Livingston v Motherwell

18 August 2018 League Cup Second round	Livingston	0–1	Motherwell	Almondvale Stadium
15:00 BST (UTC+1)		BBC Report	Johnson 23'	Attendance: 1,957 Referee: Collum

Scottish Cup

Main article: 2018–19 Scottish Cup

Heart of Midlothian v Livingston

20 January 2019[17] Scottish Cup Fourth round	Heart of Midlothian	1–0	Livingston	Tynecastle Park
14:30	Clare 48'	BBC Report		Attendance: 11,077 Referee: Collum

First team player statistics

Appearances

During the 2018–19 season, Livingston used thirty three players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.^[18]
Scott Pittman and Declan Gallagher started every match of the season.

As of 18 May 2019

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Premiership		League Cup		Scottish Cup
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	SCO	Liam Kelly	42	0	36	0	5	0	1	0
3	DF	SCO	Ricki Lamie	30	0	23+2	0	3+1	0	0+1	0
4	DF	SCO	Alan Lithgow	38	2	35	2	1+1	0	1	0
5	DF	NIR	Ciaron Brown	5	0	4+1	0	0	0	0	0
6	MF	SCO	Shaun Byrne	38	2	29+3	2	5	0	1	0
7	MF	RSA	Keaghan Jacobs	33	1	26+5	1	0+1	0	1	0
8	MF	SCO	Scott Pittman	44	7	38	6	5	1	1	0
9	FW	SCO	Ryan Hardie	22	7	13+8	7	0	0	1	0
10	MF	SCO	Craig Sibbald	29	3	16+10	3	1+2	0	0	0
12	GK	SCO	Gary Maley	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
14	DF	ENG	Hakeem Odoffin	13	0	7+6	0	0	0	0	0
15	MF	SCO	Steven Lawless	37	3	29+6	3	1	0	1	0
17	MF	SCO	Scott Robinson	31	2	19+7	2	4+1	0	0	0
18	FW	SCO	Lee Miller	12	1	6+3	0	3	1	0	0
19	FW	SCO	Chris Erskine	11	1	8+2	1	0	0	0+1	0
21	GK	SCO	Ross Stewart	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
22	MF	SCO	Scott Tiffoney	8	2	1+7	2	0	0	0	0
23	MF	ITA	Raffaele De Vita	3	0	0+3	0	0	0	0	0
26	DF	SCO	Craig Halkett	40	7	34	7	5	0	1	0
31	DF	SCO	Declan Gallagher	44	1	38	1	5	0	1	0
33	DF	TOG	Steve Lawson	25	1	16+9	1	0	0	0	0
39	MF	SCO	Gregg Wylde	3	0	0+2	0	0	0	1	0
45	FW	ANG	Dolly Menga	26	2	20+5	2	0	0	1	0
Players who left the club during the season
2	DF	SCO	Jack McMillan	11	2	3+4	1	0+4	1	0	0
5	DF	SCO	Steven Saunders	5	0	2+1	0	2	0	0	0
9	FW	SCO	Kenny Miller	7	1	2	0	5	1	0	0
11	MF	SCO	Nicky Cadden	16	0	4+8	0	3+1	0	0	0
12	DF	SCO	Callum Crane	4	0	0	0	3+1	0	0	0
14	MF	ALB	Egli Kaja	8	0	2+4	0	2	0	0	0
16	FW	SCO	Matthew Knox	1	0	0	0	0+1	0	0	0
19	MF	NIR	Bobby Burns	8	0	3+5	0	0	0	0	0
22	MF	SCO	Craig Henderson	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
24	MF	SCO	Cameron Blues	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
25	DF	ENG	James Brown	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
25	DF	NED	Henk van Schaik	1	0	0+1	0	0	0	0	0
28	DF	SCO	Cammy Clark	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
30	FW	SCO	Jack Hamilton	18	2	2+11	1	2+2	1	0+1	0

• Source: ^[19]

Disciplinary record

During the 2018–19 season, Livingston players were issued with Sixty-one yellow cards and four red. The table below shows the number of cards and type shown to each player.

Last updated 18 May 2019

Number	Nation	Position	Name	Premiership		League Cup		Scottish Cup		Total
1		GK	Liam Kelly	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
2		DF	Jack McMillan	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
3		DF	Ricki Lamie	4	0	0	1	0	0	4	1
4		DF	Alan Lithgow	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
5		DF	Ciaron Brown	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
6		MF	Shaun Byrne	2	1	0	0	1	0	3	1
7		MF	Keaghan Jacobs	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
8		MF	Scott Pittman	3	0	1	0	0	0	4	0
9		FW	Kenny Miller	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
9		FW	Ryan Hardie	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
10		MF	Craig Sibbald	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
14		MF	Egli Kaja	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
15		MF	Steven Lawless	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
17		MF	Scott Robinson	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
19		MF	Bobby Burns	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
26		DF	Craig Halkett	6	1	0	0	0	0	6	1
30		FW	Jack Hamilton	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1
31		DF	Declan Gallagher	7	0	0	0	0	0	7	0
33		DF	Steve Lawson	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
45		FW	Dolly Menga	6	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
Total				58	3	2	1	1	0	61	4

Team statistics

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation[a]
7	St Johnstone	38	15	7	16	38	48	−10	52
8	Motherwell	38	15	6	17	46	56	−10	51
9	Livingston	38	11	11	16	42	44	−2	44
10	Hamilton Academical	38	9	6	23	28	75	−47	33
11	St Mirren (O)	38	8	8	22	34	66	−32	32	Qualification for the Premiership play-off final

Source: Soccerway BBC
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Play-off (only if deciding champion, UEFA competitions qualification and second stage group allocation).^[20]
(O) Play-off winners
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

{{}}

Management statistics

Last updated on 18 May 2019

Name	From	To	P	W	D	L	Win%[note 3]
Kenny Miller[21]	14 July 2018	20 August 2018	7	3	2	2	042.86
Gary Holt[22]	23 August 2018	18 May 2019	37	11	10	16	029.73

Transfers

In Player From Fee Craig Sibbald Falkirk[23] Undisclosed[24] Steven Saunders The New Saints Free[25] Liam Kelly Rangers Undisclosed[26] Ricki Lamie Greenock Morton Free[27] Callum Crane Hibernian Undisclosed[28][29] Cameron Blues Falkirk Free[30] Ryan Hardie Rangers Loan[31] Ross Stewart St Mirren Free[32] Egli Kaja AFC Wimbledon Loan[33] James Brown Millwall Loan[34] Steven Lawless Partick Thistle Free[35] Scott Tiffoney Greenock Morton Undisclosed[36] Steve Lawson Neuchâtel Xamax FCS Free[37] Dolly Menga Blackpool Free[38] Bobby Burns Heart of Midlothian Loan[39] Henk van Schaik FC Twente Free[40] Gregg Wylde Plymouth Argyle Free[41] Chris Erskine Partick Thistle Undisclosed[42] Ciaron Brown Cardiff City Loan[43] Lyndon Dykes Queen of the South Undisclosed[44] Hakeem Odoffin Northampton Town Undisclosed[45]

Out Player To Fee Josh Mullin Ross County Free[46] Gregor Buchanan Greenock Morton Free[47] Neil Alexander Dundee United[note 4] Retired[48] Jackson Longridge Dunfermline Athletic Free[49] Dylan Mackin Falkirk Undisclosed[50] Scott Tiffoney Greenock Morton Loan[36] Callum Crane Raith Rovers Loan[51][52] Cameron Blues Brechin City Loan[53] Steven Saunders Partick Thistle Undisclosed[54] Matthew Knox Berwick Rangers Loan[55] Lyndon Dykes Queen of the South Loan[45] Jack McMillan Partick Thistle Loan[56] Jack Hamilton Alloa Athletic Loan[57] Henk van Schaik Dumbarton Loan[57] Nicky Cadden Ayr United Loan[58] Cameron Blues Berwick Rangers Loan[59]

See also

• List of Livingston F.C. seasons

Notes

1. Due to ongoing work on the playing surface at Almondvale the match was played at Prestonfield.^[15]
2. Due to late delivery of the new playing surface at Almondvale the match was played at Prestonfield.^[16]
3. Win% is the percentage of matches won rounded to two decimal places.
4. Joined Dundee United as Goalkeeping Coach.