Livingston boss Martindale to learn 'fit and proper' fate from SFA next week

Livingston boss David Martindale speaks to the media (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

The 47-year-old replaced Gary Holt in West Lothian late last year and his position was made permanent after a four-match unbeaten run which the team recently extended to eight games.

However a previous bid to be an ‘authorised person’ at the club was rejected and Martindale’s latest hearing was postponed on Monday.

The coach must be ratified as a ‘fit and proper person’ to take the role and has been open about his criminal past – he served time in jail for drug offences in 2006.

Martindale replaced Gary Holt at the Tony Macaroni Arena (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Livingston believe he has been rehabilitated and now hope the Scottish Football Association will too, in line with the association's “commitment to equality, fairness, justice, inclusion and the removal of barriers in the game,” which was cited upon his appointment last month

Speaking on BBC radio Martindale said: “I was knocked back because of an outstanding confiscation order against me which has now been cleared and we're hopeful there will not be any more obstacles in my path.

“I am always going to look on the positive side but my crime took place 17 years ago and there has to be a time bar for people to come back to some sort of normality if you choose to do that and rehabilitate yourself – you rehabilitate yourself everyday in life.

"I think it would be really poor message to society if one of our biggest institutions basically said there was no rehabilitation process.”

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