Sponsor dumps Livingston FC

Jun 25 2009 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

SPONSOR DUMPS LIVI

LIVINGSTON Football Club faces an uncertain future as its financial crisis deepened with the news RDF have pulled the plug on their sponsorship deal with the Lions.

The IT solutions company only signed a two-year deal with Livingston last August.

But yesterday (Wednesday) the company, whose logo adorned the front of the Lions strip, announced it would not be taking up its second year option of sponsoring the club next season.

It is yet another blow for the Almondvale club who are facing financial meltdown under the leadership of chairman Angelo Massone.

RDF programme director Keith Macdonald said it had been a privilege to have been involved with the club and were hopeful that “we can still show support to the community football club whenever possible in the future.”

But it is believed the company were becoming increasingly embarrassed at being associated with the cash crisis at Livingston.

A growing number of creditors have taken the club to court in a bid to reclaim unpaid bills in recent months.

Livi players and staff have regularly been paid late and it is believed some workers, who were not paid in May, are anxiously waiting to see if they will be paid this month.

The cashflow problems reached farcical depths last Friday when the power was cut at the club by ScottishPower following the non-payment of bills, thought to be at the £32,000 mark.

The move also plunged around 30 businesses and charities based at Stadium House into darkness.

Generators are now being used to power the buildings but it is unclear when the supply will be reconnected.

Livingston also owe West Lothian Council around £280,000 in rent arrears for Almondvale and Massone has been set a June 30 deadline to come up with the cash.

He told the Courier earlier this month he would personally clear the debt to show his committment to the club and also had ambitious plans to buy the stadium.

The Italian bought himself some time this week when he handed over a cheque for £10,000 to the council.

But if the chairman can’t stump up the rest the club face a possible eviction from Almondvale and the threat of administration for the second time in its short history.

It seems Livi fans have had enough of the club lurching from one crisis to another and around 50 attended a protest outside the stadium on Saturday calling for Massone to go.

And fans’ representatives hope more will turn up to show the strength of feeling against the way the club is being run at another protest this Friday, June 26 at 6.30pm.

For more on the Livingston crisis see the back page.