Livingston striker hopes his pace is perfect for slick new pitch

Daily Record

24-07-2025

Zak Rudden hopes to hit the ground running at the West Lothian club
Zak Rudden hopes blistering pace will help him on a fiery pitch at Livingston, and intends to blast in goals that will keep him in the team.
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The former Dundee and Partick Thistle hero has got off the mark already this term, with the clincher in a 2-0 win at home to Highland League Brora Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup, adding to Danny Wilson's opener.
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The Lions sit second in group H on six points after three games, as they host Kelty Hearts in their group finale on Saturday.
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Rudden, 25, bagged 15 goals in 47 games during a difficult season at Queen's Park, and after gunning down Brora, he said: 'It's good to get off the mark, and I've been biding my time, but I got the chance and I took it.
'There's good competition for places here. The gaffer spoke to me about that when I was coming in, and it's something I'm relishing.
'There's good competition, I've got to get my spot, and once I get it, try and keep it, but I'm not thinking it's going to be easy.'
Livingston have recently installed a new pitch, with boss David Martindale holding several training sessions on it to get players used to the surface.
Rudden said: 'I think the new pitch will suit my style sometimes, other times not so much because it's going so quick at the same time and I'm running so fast at the same time. It's a very fiery pitch and it's something we need to get used to, and quickly.'
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Edinburgh-born Rudden, who came through the youth set-up at Rangers, says talking to Martindale had him convinced the West Lothian club was right for him, but was able to back that up by talking to several of his new team-mates.
And he reckons Livingston are in a good place as they prepare for their Premiership opener at Kilmarnock on August 2.
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Rudden said: 'I spoke to the gaffer and it seemed like it suited me. I wanted to settle down at a club, and the way the gaffer was speaking to me, and the security of a two-year deal as well, it just seemed like everything fell into place.
'I like the way the gaffer's taking the club forward. I spoke to Ryan McGowan, I was with him at St Johnstone [during a loan spell in 2023] and I know Danny Wilson as well through Rangers when I was a young boy, and I was with him briefly at Queen's Park.
'I knew boys I could speak to and it was a good option for me.
'The boys here look in good shape as well.'