Livingston boss Gary Bollan has respect for rivals

LIVINGSTON kick off their Irn-Bru Second Division campaign at home to Alloa tomorrow with manager Gary Bollan insisting: "We'll treat everyone with the upmost respect."

Livi are the bookies' favourites to capture the title and have a squad packed with First Division experience, but that won't mean the Lions fall into the trap of over confidence.

After a slow start last year, Bollan saw his team live up to the pressure of being everyone's team to beat to claim the Third Division title with the loss of just league six games.

The bookies have marked 11/8 against Livi for the title and Bollan is confident the experience of last season will prove critical this term. However, their opening game could not be tougher with many pundits tipping Alloa for promotion.

The Lions take on Alan Maitland's team, who are fresh from a 2-1 victory in the Co-op Insurance League Cup against East Stirling last week. They also ran Dundee close in the 2-1 Challenge Cup defeat the week previous and, in the signing of ex-Raith winger Darren Smith, they have one of the best part-time players in the division.

Livi gave a debut to full-back Craig Barr in the 2-1 defeat to Ross County in the League Cup on Saturday, the 23-year-old Edinburgh-born defender agreeing a one-year contract following his release from Queen of the South.

He is looking to kick-start his career after two cruciate surgery operations on a knee injured last August against Livingston in the Challenge Cup.

He faced a whirlwind first day, meeting club officials in Edinburgh last Saturday morning before stopping at McDiarmid Park in Perth where the Livi officials faxed the paper work to the SFL, and then arriving at Dingwall less than an hour before kick-off.