Bartley becomes Livingston boss as Martindale moves upstairs

Marvin Bartley has taken over as Livingston manager with David Martindale moving to a new role as sporting director at the Scottish Premiership bottom club.

Martindale moves upstairs after five years as manager, with the club winless in 24 games and six points adrift at the foot of the table.

The West Lothian’s sole league victory this season came in August and Martindale is now replaced by his assistant Bartley following Saturday’s 2-0 home loss to Motherwell.

Livingston’s run of 22 games without a league victory is only matched by one top-flight team this century – Hamilton in the 2010-11 season.

Bartley’s only previous managerial experience came in a 16-month spell with Queen of the South in League One, when he won 25 of his 61 matches in charge.

Martindale’s exit comes less than 24 hours after he told BBC Scotland he did not “fear for his job” and expressed his desire to stay.

In the club statement confirming the managerial changes, Martindale, 51, said: “I have to take accountability for this terrible run we have been on.

“This season has proven incredibly difficult for a number of reasons and I fully understand that change was necessary at the club.

“I believe Marvin, supported by the staff and players at the club, has the squad and ability to keep us in the league, but I know how big a job that will be.

“I will be here to offer any support I can going forward, but I am also conscious that there has to be a clear divide between my new role and the first-team footballing department.

“This changing room has more than enough within it to start putting points on the board. I ask that we collectively show immediate and positive support for Marvin and the players for what will be another massive game on Wednesday night.”

Martindale, who initially joined Livingston as a volunteer in 2014, was the Premiership’s longest-serving manager, having taken permanent charge in December 2020 after a spell as caretaker boss.

He guided the club to a top-six finish in his first season and only narrowly missed out on the top half in the two campaigns that followed.

After suffering relegation in the 2023-24 season, Martindale brought Livingston straight back up through the play-offs last term and won their first cup in eight years with victory over Queen’s Park in the SPFL Trust Trophy final.