Livi For Life behind any McDougall takeover bid

Jun 11 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

THE Livi For Life Supporters Trust have responded positively to the reports that former Cowdenbeath chief Gordon McDougall is eyeing up a Livingston takeover.

Speaking to the Courier this week, Trust spokesman Ged Nixon said the group would back any bid by McDougall and insisted his record with the Blue Brazil shows he could be the right man to turn the club around.

“Livi for Life welcome the news of Gordon McDougall’s reported interest in taking a controlling interest Livingston FC,” said Nixon.

“It has been well documented that the club is struggling to survive under the current regime and Gordon has an excellent track record in running a football club within it’s means.

“This is a value which is at the heart of the trust’s preferred way in which to ensure the clubs long-term survival. With an emphasis on youth development and working within the community we would look to support such plans at every opportunity.

“We hope that [club chairman] Mr Massone can find a way to do business with Mr McDougall that will suit both parties and that the club can look forward to a more stable future.”

But current Lions owner Angelo Massone has strenuously denied any bid was made by McDougall and insisted that the club is not for sale.

Speaking to the Courier from Italy this week, Massone admitted to having met with McDougall but he insisted that he was not interested in selling the club, maintaining that turning the club around is his sole objective.

“I did speak to Gordon McDougall but there was no offer made to me despite reports,” said Massone.

“It really is the end of the story as nothing came of this and to be honest it never really started. It is not true.”

Livingston have struggled with financial problems for several months now with late and non payment of wages regularly reported, and a debt of over £240,000 in unpaid rent to West Lothian Council also a concern.

But the chairman claimed last week the entire debt to the council would be cleared in full by June 30.

McDougall though has insisted his interest in taking over the reigns at Almondvale is genuine and in an interview with our sister paper the Daily Record last week he spoke of his hope at buying out Massone and bringing some stability back to the West Lothian club.

“For too long now Livingston has been like a bad episode of Dream Team but gone are the days when clubs can be run as the playthings of rich men,” McDougall told the Record.

“In the past, Livingston fans have been encouraged to dream about the Champions League and the facilities exist for SPL football but I am not making any grandiose claims in that respect.

“There is absolutely no chance of me throwing money into the top end of the club in a futile attempt to speculate to accumulate because it is simply not sustainable.

“The club will float where it finds its level. It would be foolish to say Livingston belong in the top half of the SPL but I certainly see them as a First Division side with a blend of experienced players and good, young kids.

“My long-term vision is to move forward in partnership with the fans and build a club on firm foundations, which is youth development and a community focus in West Lothian.

“I’ve spoken with Angelo and at the moment he’s the man who holds the key. If he can keep the creditors off his back and the club in business and doesn’t want to sell there isn’t much I can do about it.

“However, if there is a deal to be done, I’d rather it was now because taking the club out of administration later in the summer would be less desirable for all concerned.”

McDougall stepped down as chairman at Central Park last year after selling his controlling interest 12 months previously.

Since then the 64-year-old has been co-opted on to the board of Dunfermline but he is desperate to get back into football as Lions chairman.

He added: “In recent years investors at Livingston have looked at the property possibilities associated with Almondvale, but I’m only interested in football.

“I’m also only interested in total control of the club because otherwise you don’t have control at all.

“I first became involved with stock car racing at Central Park in 1989 and three months later a joiner turned up and screwed a door off at the ground and took it away because the football club owners hadn’t paid the bill.

“Look, I’m not a genius. There are sharper people in football than me but I love hard work and football, especially watching young kids coming through.”