Sparky lights-up division to win young player award for month

Apr 16 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

LIVINGSTON shrugged off concerns about the future of the club off the pitch to show they are top-dogs on it this week.

The Lions’ reward for a stunning month which saw them soar up the table to third place was a double prize from SFL sponsors Irn-Bru.

Kid goals Leigh Griffiths was named as Young Player of the Month while boss Paul Hegarty was named Manager of the Month.

The duo received their prizes at Hampden Park and were just rewards for the highly rated pair for what was a great spell for the Almondvale club.

Sparky has lit up the First Division this year with 20 goals in just 25 games while Hegarty has steadied the Livi ship in difficult times and steered them towards the upper echelons of the division.

The honours come at the end of another week in which the off-field problems for the club has once again dominated the headlines.

The latest controversy arrived when club chairman Angelo Massone banned his players from attending a supporters’ Player of the Year awards ceremony.

A host of first-team players and boss Hegarty were scheduled to attended the event before chairman Massone refused them permission and insisted in an insert within Saturday’s matchday programme that as the function was being held away from the stadium the organisers weren’t helping the club in any way.

Massone also blasted the steady stream of press stories and claimed a group of supporters have plans to seize control, fold the club and restart it in the lower divisions.