Stadio Delle Almondvale

Livingston themselves do not deserve to be called an asset. Senior football in West Lothian is however an asset to the SFL and indeed one they can't afford to lose. What would happen to the core of 1200/1500 fans that attend these games not to mention the casual Livi fans? 100% loss to the SFL. Some would drift to the SPL and a fair few would just give up on attending football matches. The SFL recognise that for their brand to flourish they can't let an area the size of West Lothian become unrepresented within their set up. I'm afraid that makes perfect sense for the continuing prosperity of senior league football outwith the SPL in Scotland. We now have the job of making sure that we shed the tarnished image that we now have so that our club can become an asset. It will take years. Massone is the charlatan and we are trying. 15 years to break the monopoly of 4 clubs with a combined history of about 526 years? I think you are being somewhat disingenuous. It will take 50 years + before that happens. It won't begin properly until kids who have supported Livi all their life start taking their kids and grandkids to games. People like Dominic Keane thought they could buy history and tradition and convert people on the quick. It was never going to happen and we are reaping the results now. But maybe we should take your atitude and not try. That I would suggest is the behaviour of Fail McFail of Failtown, 7-time loser of the Failiest Failer of Failland contest.

What happened to many of the things he said? We need to forget about him and move the club on. The hard work is only just beginning. It is a new start for Livi and we have one chance to get it right in your eyes. A lot of people will be working very hard to achieve this and have no doubts that we start from a very poor position indeed.

At the very least I would like to see creditors given the opportunity to work with the club to help generate income for them. Actions do indeed speak louder than words but I think you will be pleasantly surprised at what will be forthcoming. There will be one elected trust member on the board.

I guess that's over to you guys now. Assuming he doesn't take the money, the chairmen of your clubs can take a vote that will allow the clubs league place to be transferred meaning Massone's shares become worthless. I would suggest that at the same time some form of "fit and proper" test is also introduced. Of course there will be an element of turkeys voting for Christmas but that's where we all come in. Let your board know that you want to see bonds in place, sound business plans and fit and proper tests. Rather than having us liquidated and neatly swept under the carpet, let us prove that things can be changed for the better. It could so easily be your club in this position. It just takes one quick sale to a potential saviour for it all to go pear shaped. Just ask Raith fans.

It's clear from many posts that therte is no love lost between certain posters and Livingston. Of course it's really the former chairmen and their cronies that have caused this ill felling. It's not the majority of Livi fans who have had to suffer the wholescale humiliation over the last few years that you hate, at least I hope not. I can't really blame you for your dislike (hatred is too strong a word) but I ask that you remember that a lot of the people who have worked very hard to turn this sorry mess around don't deserve any of the abuse that has been banded about. These are people who, devoted to their club, have sought ways to bring about change. It was clear that everything Massone did was wrong, not least failing to pay staff and creditors. These hard working fans have done what any fan in a similair position would have done, protested, held back ticket purchases or actively planned for change. These are all just football fans, just like you. I ask you in all honesty, what would you have done in their place? The very same. I can't condone any the horrendous practices that Livi have participated in and never will but just screaming for the demise of the club isn't going to make everything better. It serves no purpose to make extinct senior football in West Lothian. There needs to be local alternatives in this area to the likes of the Old Firm and Hearts and Hibs. It will take years (20/30+) before Livingston can begin to really make an impression on this front. But it can and will happen and it is important for the benefit of the town and for Scottish football in general that Livingsyon FC continues in some form. Of course lessons must be learnt and I concur with the majority that something like this must never happen again. We will argue for years as to how this might come to bear. An interesting point that I see hasn't yet been mentioned (?) is that the SFL will require a bond from LFC for the upcoming season. Should Livi fail, this bond would be payable to all the Div 1 clubs so that they wouldn't suffer financially. This makes good sense and does indeed show that the SFL can do something correctly. At the meeting tonight it was clear through the relief that there is a steely intention to make good all the wrongs of previous regimes. It is of course a given that not all creditors will receive what they are due. For many local businesses the harsh reality is that although this is very bad, the removal of senior football from the locale could potentially be even worse. LFC through the games it hosts and the conferences and events that are held at the stadium, contribute quite significantly to the West Lothian area. In these economic times West Lothian does not want to miss this income. Jed Nixon made it abundantly clear that LFC would not spend more than it can generate be it in Division 1 or 3. Time will tell if we are still here by the end of 09/10 or indeed if promises uttered today will be kept. However the club will move forward, with Trust memebers on the Board of Directors and a determination to finally, do the right thing. For those out there that are queuing up to drop bombs on us please remember that by us just simply vanishing, nothing is solved. If we can come through this and perform as a socially responsible senior football club, all your criticism and scorn will have been worthwhile. Don't let us burn and die, help us to become the kind of club you want us to be and perhaps, Scottish football can become just a little bit better.

You can place a large bet that you'll unlikely get an improvement.

Oh I'm gutted! What a faux pas. Truly you are worthy of praise for that.

Hilarious

Was anyone out walking in the Glenshee area at the weekend? Interested in knowing what the snow cover is like. I am walking with some folk who haven't walked on snow at high level and don't want to try anything that might lead to a Reporting Scotland stupid hillwalkers story.

Honestly, do you really think he's bringing it in a big bag with a £ sign on it? I mean, really?

Very sobering. Mountains and the conditions surrounding them need the upmost respect. I have seen some small avalanches whilst out on the hills but have always had the good fortune never to have been caught by one. I believe these guys were experienced so they knew the risks. Climbing is like that.

I did a route from Blair Atholl to Kingnussie which involved a one night stop at the head of Glen Bruar after climbing Beinn Dearg I think it was. For the life of me, I can't remember the name of the pass we crossed. Awesome walk! We were wading through thigh deep snow on the second day which delayed us by about 6 hours! Met the mountain rescue advance party out looking for us just as we got into Kingnussie! Our driver had got a little worried. Nothing better than a wild camp

I watched The Contractor last night on Five. It was shit. Has Wesley Snipes ever appeared in a good movie?

Awesome tune. Currently for me, Blur - The Great Escape

Have you ever met him?

I can't believe that this thread is still going on. I realise I'm not helping by posting Given that there is no financial crisis, can't we just start talking about something else?

There is merely amazement, Duncan, that you are actually still ranting on about it.

The sandpit isn't big enough for eight of us.

I'll be sure to watch out for your spade when I'm there.

I'm not having a discussion on what ifs and maybes. I can't give you any evidence about the financial afairs of Livingston or any other Scottish football club. You are asking this question based upon what? The broken English of our chairman?

No.

Good for him. I'd be a little pissed off in his position. Let's face it, if he wanted to make a fast buck, he'd have sold Griffiths, Davidson, MacKay and McPake in August.

Club forums; can't live with them, can't live without them. Everybody is a self confessed expert on their own team. As has been seen before, talking about something that can cause other people a good deal of damage is more than a little stupid. I am certain that as the current board continue to learn about Scottish football and the club that they have bought, there will be a few issues needing resolved that perhaps they were unaware of. I wouldn't imagine that they landed up here to rack up some minor debts, get sued and then rack off back to Italy. Nothing to see here.

Pearse Flynn pulling a fast one? A bit unlike him.

Why old chap, don't you drink Champagne every day??