Tommasso Angelini hits back at doom merchants

Dec 4 2008 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

TOMMASSO Angelini has hit back at the repeated newspaper reports which claim Livingston is on the brink of going to the wall writes Eric Mackinnon.

Board member Angelini admits the club has some financial concerns but he insists they are no different from any other club in Scotland.

It has been suggested that the Inland Revenue, Scottish Power, Blackburn Rovers, former owner Pearse Flynn and several local-based companies are chasing the Lions for payment but Angelini has spoken out to reassure the fans that the club is in safe hands.

“Some of the stories appearing in the newspapers are simply not true and there seems to be an agenda against our club to create pressure on us,” said Angelini.

“We do have some financial difficulties but so does every other football club in Scotland in the current climate.

“Livingston is not different to any other club in Scottish football and the recent loan of £300,000 from the SFL to all the clubs shows many have troubles but it is only us who get the bad press.

“This club is doing much better than in the last two years.

“We are not Real Madrid or Barcelona and the current financial climate is affecting everyone. But reports of Livingston going to the wall are not true.

“Every week people read we are going or the electricity is going to be turned off but here we are, still here and with electricity.

“I'd like to reassure the fans that we are working hard for the club and to not believe everything in the papers.”

It has been reported that former owner Flynn is seeking more than £300k from the club for a loan he allegedly gave the club but Angelini is confident the matter will be resolved in Livi’s favour.

“It is true that Flynn has claimed money is owed to him but that is in the hands of the chairman and our lawyers so I can't really talk about it but we are confident in our case.

“The stories of Blackburn Rovers being owed money are also true but that is something we never knew about when we bought the club.

“We inherited this and it popped up but we are trying to deal with it.

“We also have an agreement with the Inland Revenue and are paying them regularly.”

On the field the speculation over the club’s finances seems to have affected the team who have slipped from the top of the table after a run of just one win from seven league games.

Last weekend they suffered a shock Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Third Division strugglers East Stirlingshire.

And Angelini admits it was this disastrous run of form which forced the board to sack manager Roberto Landi.

He said: “Results were not going well and were very poor recently after a great start.

“We had to do something to try and turn it around. On a personal level it is very sad as Roberto is great coach but it didn't work out for him here.

“We have some candidates in mind and we hope to have someone in place by Saturday.”

The club are currently interviewing candidates with Scots bosses Stevie Frail and Alex Rae tipped for the post.

If the club is unable to appoint anyone in time for the weekend clash with Dundee it is expected that consultant and former Livingston head coach Davie Hay, head of youth development Graeme Robertson or fitness coach Nazzareno Salvatori will fill in as caretaker.