Bollan set for talks over sacking

The departed manager was sacked by the First Division club on Sunday after two-and-half years in the post. The former Rangers and Dundee United defender has said he was axed because he had not promoted the club’s Under-19 players to the first team with the prospect of bringing in transfer fees.

Livingston are ready to launch a defence of their decision to show Bollan the door, insisting the 38-year-old, who had led the Lions to successive promotions after the club teetered on the financial brink, was aware of their aim to nurture youth prospects when they appointed Bollan.

Livingston chief executive Ged Nixon said: “It’s disappointing we’ve had to take this decision but we felt we had to take it in the long-term best interests of the club. We felt the club and Gary’s vision for going forward was on different tracks and, for that reason, we’ve parted ways.

“Gary had asked to bring in players in January and we referred to the fact we had previously asked him to consider, on a couple of occasions previously, to look to the players available in the Under-19 side, although Gary felt they were not up to the task.”

Managers and Coaches Association chairman Alex Smith insists Bollan can count on their full support as he weighs up whether to take the club to court.

Falkirk coach Smith said: “The Managers and Coaches Association is very unhappy with the situation. The reason given for the decision is not an acceptable one and, through the GMB, we will be advising him to seek unfair dismissal. Anybody who has kept an eye on Livingston has seen they’ve won successive promotions and they’re sitting quite comfortably in sixth place in the first division just now.”