Livingston boss David Martindale says his ‘historic’ players deserve to be hailed despite a poor run of form seeing them slip out of the top six.
The Lions head to Fir Park on Saturday having fallen to seventh place after last weekend’s 3-0 away loss to St Mirren.
While the gaffer admits their performance levels since the turn of the year have been inconsistent he heaped praise on the squad as they look all but certain to secure a sixth consecutive season of Premiership football for the first time in the club’s history.
The Tony Macaroni Arena outfit may well have been harbouring thoughts of a European adventure earlier in the campaign but the primary aim has been achieved, says Martindale, as they sit 15 points clear of 11th placed Ross County with just eight games remaining.
Speaking to the Courier, Martindale said: “We have to be a wee bit realistic. We’ve achieved the first objective which is that we’re in the Premiership next season.
“That’s the first time ever that Livingston have been in the top flight of Scottish football for six straight seasons so I think the players and staff deserve a lot of praise for that.
“Obviously the second objective is to get into the top six. It’s somewhat out of our hands just now but we still have a reasonable chance to get there. If we don’t, it won’t be through a lack of application or effort from anyone at the football club.”
He added: “We’re disappointed in where we find ourselves right now and I would say our performances haven’t been consistent since maybe the turn of the year.
“But I think everyone needs to be a wee bit pragmatic. We’ve achieved another season in the Premiership which has broken a club record. The players and staff have helped create a historic achievement. It needs to be put in perspective.”
Martindale’s men could find themselves back in the top six come Saturday evening with victory away to Motherwell but the boss knows that will be no easy task.
The Steelmen have picked up four wins in their last six games to climb out of a relegation scrap, while Livingston haven’t won at Fir Park in their last 13 meetings – a run that stretches back to October 2002.
Martindale commented: “I think Motherwell are the in-form team outside the top two and it’s going to be a very difficult game. The race for the top six is going to go down to very fine margins and we’ve no divine right to win any game of football.
“Hopefully we’re sitting here at 5pm Saturday talking about being back in the top six.”
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