David Martindale

Whilst writing this I was fortunate to speak with TalkLivi host Euan Rankine which can be found below the article and on all podcast platforms @ThePatterPodcast

By Shaun Forrest

When another Barlinnie prisoner reassured David Martindale with the phrase “We’re your family now” he immediately understood this would never be the case for him. David had already started his rehabilitation 26 months before he was sentenced to six and a half years for drug and money laundering offences. The day he was granted bail in 2004 after spending four days at London Road Police Station, pending his trial, was when he decided it all had to change to save himself and his family. Being accepted into Heriot-Watt University later the same year he completed 26 months of a construction project management degree before pleading guilty and being sentenced to prison. David is someone who has owned his mistakes. He won’t hide the person he was but shows pride, determination and courage to continue being the person he is today -a man who keeps looking forward after changing his mindset and taking that second chance.

David was released in 2010 and was granted acceptance back into Heriot-Watt, for which he is still eternally grateful. These experiences fuel his belief that institutions like universities, businesses and even football clubs have to be more inclusive and give people that hope for a second chance of which he is living proof. The Scottish FA once denied David the ability to study for his coaching licence but thankfully the Irish FA were more inclusive to ex-offenders -mainly due to the amount of ex-political offenders who had likewise been convicted. Since then David has praised the SFA for a recent announcement of the ‘Football Unite’ campaign that will remove the barriers that once held him back, promoting a platform to educate the wider footballing community spearheaded by the SFA’s Malcolm Kpedekpo and Pauline MacDonald.  

Football was something David always had a passion for and he played with Rangers in his younger years. Once a liberated man he returned to play junior football with Linlithgow Rose, West Calder and Whitburn while still studying and graduated with a 2:1 Honours. David turned his attention to coaching at Broxburn Athletic where he first worked with the now Livingston talisman Scott Pittman. His determination and charisma was known around West Lothian and the East of Scotland League which gave him the opportunity at Livingston FC under John McGlynn on a volunteer basis -an opportunity that David grabbed with both hands.

A perfect combination of Livingston being in a financial transition and David’s enthusiasm to learn and progress started the remarkable journey that would begin with David Martindale picking up cones and lead him to eventually picking the first team.

John McGlynn left Livingston in December 2014 by mutual consent, the role was given to former player and assistant Mark Burchill who David had worked more closely with during his time and had clearly impressed, earning himself a more notable coaching role within the staff. Livingston won the Scottish Petrofac Cup and stayed in the Championship with an eighth place finish that saw Burchill’s caretaker role at the club being made permanent for the following season. However, he was ultimately sacked after a run of only two wins in ten roughly one year after being first appointed.

David ‘Hoppy’ Hopkin was promoted from Burchill’s assistant to manager, he asked David to become his right hand man and assistant manager. It was at this point the media first gave light to Livingston for David’s appointment and highlighted his past which was unsurprisingly not well received in all corners of Scottish football. This was despite David doing everything the correct way: enrolling in education, pleading guilty, admitting his crimes, showing remorse, engaging with programs and excelling in his rehabilitation process by completing his degree, working full time and coaching. The media and people looking down from their ivory tower criticised him and the club, accusing Livingston of not hiring people who can be role models when actually they had done exactly that. Being inclusive to look beyond a person’s label as an ex-offender and instead see them for who they are now is incredibly brave in such a bitterly judgmental football industry.

Hoppy & David were a successful partnership but despite a late season victory against Rangers they were unable to keep Livingston in the Championship, a narrow defeat to Stranraer in the play offs meant relegation for the upcoming 2016/17 season, the first club setback since being demoted.

Livingston were heavy favourites for the League One title and they didn’t disappoint by racking up 81 points, scoring 80 goals and creating the formidable back three of Lithgow, Halkett and Gallagher. The style in that League One season of being direct and strong was the foundation for how the team would move forward, a clear direction that pressured opposition into battles all over the pitch. Livingston were expected to be promoted but nobody expected it to happen back to back.

All the glowing reports and awards went to Jack Ross’s St Mirren at the end of the 2017/18 season, the Paisley side topping the table with ten points and Ross claiming PFA Manager of the Year. Livingston finished second but beat Patrick in the Premiership Play-Offs to secure promotion. The Lions shocked everyone in the Championship with this new back to basic, aggressive style of direct football. A simple approach of playing the game in the oppositions final third. Critics will call it route one, hoof-ball and ugly but the Livingston support watched a well organised, drilled squad battle every 90 minutes leaving everything on the pitch. That gritty determination to constantly work and fight for your club and outwork the opposition is not just coincidentally matched with David Martindale’s personality and work ethic.

For whatever reason David Hopkin decided he wasn’t the man to take Livingston into the Premiership, his legacy would remain bringing the club back to where it once belonged. Livingston CEO John Ward was a believer in the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. The coaching staff and background teams within the club had built a strong bond, with David Martindale now being the man to lead. To John Ward’s surprise David turned down the job offer to become first team manager. Even though he had in every way turned his life around, David still felt the guilt and shame of his past. He believed his appointment could bring shame and unwanted attention onto the club which again is a damming reflection of our modern game.

The board looked elsewhere but David was given the role Head of Football Operations, working alongside whoever was to be brought in as manager and to bridge the gap between them and the board. With such a strong union of staff and players and with an even stronger philosophy of how to play football while still in full euphoria from promotion, it was always going to be a tough ask finding a perfect fit at the first time of asking.

Kenny Miller is a household name in Scotland but not as a coach never mind a first team manager. Kenny signed on a player-manager basis which worked well to into the role that David was occupying as assistant. The board believed keeping the coaching staff together and adding a fresh minded coach who would also be one of the squad’s best players appeared like a win-win. After five League Cup Group matches and two Premiership matches the board and Kenny came to the agreement it wasn’t going to work despite only two defeats in the seven games -a narrow 1-0 away to Motherwell and the usual 3-1 against Celtic. The narrative was that John Ward and the board asked Kenny to retire from playing and become the manager on a full time basis, Kenny believed he still had some playing years ahead and signed for Dundee instead. Reports were the split was mutual and amicable but later the same season Kenny made a sharp dig that he had concerns about the club and its inner workings. This was potentially directed to David Martindale and the staff who wanted Livingston to continue playing the same direct style of football.

John Ward quickly moved for Kenny’s replacement but not before asking David again if he would take the job, but his answer was still the same. Gary Holt would be the next man to take the hot seat at the Tony Macaroni and embrace the strong culture embedded into the club. Gary and David had a tough job ahead keeping Livingston in the Premiership but they managed a 9th place finish turning the Tony Mac into somewhat of a plastic fortress with the fourth best home record in the league. This was ultimately down to the continuation of what has been a winning style and philosophy: if you can out-run, out-fight and want to win more than your opponent, you will always have a chance. Livingston bullied defences and kept the door closed themselves but couldn’t find the goals required to push them further up the league, recruitment was needed.

Looking down the leagues to find someone who could lead the Livingston attack you might notice a veteran striker playing at Queen of the South who finished the season with 45 goals. Stephen ‘Goal Machine’ Dobbie is a great of the Scottish League but at the age of 37 Dobbie needs legs around him -it takes a man of incredible work rate and ability to play alongside and assist him to score that obscene amount of goals. Step in who will shortly be the newly found Scotland Euro’s Hero, Lyndon Dykes. His colourful hair and hold up play were quickly noticed in the Premiership and perfectly suited Livingston’s style. Livingston went on to earn the highest league finish since 2001/02 with fifth place in the 2019/20 season, this was accompanied by the third best home form and beating Celtic 2-0.

The beginning on 2020/21 season has been one like no other, the Covid-19 pandemic has made football shut its doors and play games in front of cardboard cut outs. Livingston started the season with only three wins in 15, this was not a time for panic or even a sense that things had to change structurally but Gary Holt made the decision he was no longer the man to lead. Gary was honourable in his departure, praising the club, the players and especially his coaching staff. It was simply time to leave and he did with his integrity intact.

Some speculation was made about who would be the next Livingston Manager but John Ward knew exactly who he wanted. David Martindale was asked again if he would take the job. After being with the club for 6 years, climbing the ladder through hard work and passion, did he finally believe in himself?

David was appointed caretaker with Tony Caig which resulted in four straight victories including a League Cup Quarter Final against Ross County. The club officially offered David the job which was accepted and announced on 21st December 2020, marking what can only be described as inspirational considering he was walking the route inside Barlinnie only 14 years ago. Another three victories have followed since his official appointment including a dominant 3-0 victory over Jack Ross’s Hibernian at Easter Road.

Livingston Football Club have shown that being brave and not judging a person by the label they once carried can result in gaining respect and success. Scottish Football might still have a chance if they truly believe that everyone has the ability to be great.