
Annagh United boss Ciaran McGurgan eyes another promotion shot

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BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
Martindale considered leaving Livi before takeover
David Martindale admits he was considering quitting the Livingston manager's job before being "rejuvenated" by Calvin Ford's Livingston boss says a "massive weight" was lifted when American Ford took majority control in May, shortly before the club clinched promotion back to the has been at Livi for more than a decade, becoming manager in 2020, and has dealt several off-field issues involving previous owners and finances."I'll be honest, when we were sitting on Zoom calls, I can't remember the exact dates, February, March, whatever it was, my head was, 'I need to try and take the club back to the Premiership and maybe look elsewhere for my career,'" he said."Calvin just came in and kind of rejuvenated me and the staff. It just gave everyone in the football club a massive lift because the previous years were difficult."Taking the club back to the Premiership with the old regime, it wouldn't have been ideal. It would have just been pushing water up a hill again."Then Calvin's come in, there's just been a real fresh impetus. Everybody, staff, upstairs and downstairs. That comes from his enthusiasm, his passion, his desire. Don't get me wrong, it never took a lot to light our fires again."The timing was impeccable in terms of Calvin came in before we got back to the Premiership. His words to me, I remember sitting in the hotel room in Ross County and the text message came through, 'Davie, don't think we have to take the club back to the Premiership. It would be great. But I'm here for the good and the bad times and I'll be here if you're in the Championship,' and maybe that helped me make better decisions in the dugout."It's just been a breath of fresh air. Once we knew that Calvin was fully on board and it was going to get done, I had a better night's sleep than I had for the last two or three years, to be honest. Because you've now got an upstairs looking after the upstairs."That's how I feel coming into my work every day. Winning games of football, but not dealing with the historical problems probably the last two or three years have presented, and be the first-team manager of Livingston Football Club, this is the first time proper I've had that opportunity. I'm now fully focused on the football side where historically I wasn't. It was impossible."


STV News
8 hours ago
- STV News
Celtic and Rangers Champions League play-off opponents and dates confirmed
Celtic and Rangers have had the identity of their Champions League play-off opponents confirmed and dates for the crucial matches have been announced. The Premiership sides both stand just one tie away from the prestigious League Phase of the elite competition, and the multi-million pound boost that participation brings. To reach that stage, and guarantee ten high-profile and lucrative matches against sides from across the continent, the teams need to come out on top in two-legged qualifying ties over the next fortnight, and details of those ties are now confirmed. Celtic go straight into the play-off round as Premiership champions and will face Kazakhstan's Kairat Almaty, who defeated Slovan Bratislava on penalties to reach the play-off stage. Brendan Rodgers' side will look to build a lead in the first leg at Celtic Park next Wednesday, with that match having an 8pm kick-off time. The return match will take place in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, August 26 and starts at 5.45pm UK time. Rangers have come through ties against Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen to reach the play-off and their reward is a tie against Club Brugge. The teams drew 2-2 in a summer friendly last month but the stakes will be higher when they meet in the first leg at Ibrox on Tuesday, August 19, with the match kicking off at 8pm. The away leg will take place at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges on Wednesday, August 27, again starting at 8pm UK time. We will play Club Brugge KV in the UEFA Champions League Play-Off.🏠 First-Leg | Home | Tuesday 19th August | 20:00 BST 🇧🇪 Second-Leg | Away | Wednesday 27th August | 20:00 BST — Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) August 12, 2025 If either side failed to reach the League Phase of the Champions League, they will have the consolation prize of direct entry into the Europa League. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country


Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Daily Mail
CALUM CROWE: Scott Brown can't live on reputation forever ... he needs to buck up his ideas before it's too late
When Ayr United's bid to win promotion ended in failure at the end of last season, Scott Brown's criticism of his players was brutal and unsparing. After watching his team blow a first-leg lead and lose to Partick Thistle in the play-offs, the former Celtic captain essentially threw them under a bus.