‘Things happened very quickly’ – Marvin Bartley on getting Livingston manager’s job

Bartley was in charge of Queen of the South for 16 months but left in May 2024 after the Dumfries side finished seventh in Scottish League 1. He returned to West Lothian as a coach earlier this season.

“Sometimes a fresh voice, a fresh approach can kind of change things,” Bartley said.

“And that’s what I’m hoping for, that we need to do. And we understand that we need to pick our results up very, very quickly.

“I had a conversation with him, as I was all the time, being one of his coaches. But, yeah, in terms of going forward, I think if Davie knew the recipe to make us win three points every week, then potentially we’d still be sitting here.”

Martindale remains a strong voice throughout the club but Bartley says he will have sole control over footballing matters.

“I’ll sort the training with the staff that are currently here,” explained the manager.

“Match day, I’ll pick the team, I’ll pick the squad, I’ll pick the substitutes that go on there. Will I lean on him? Of course I will. I’d be an idiot not to.

“He’s managed so many games, especially at this football club, for a long, long time. So I’ll probably lean on him more than he’d probably want me. I’ll lean on him a lot. I definitely will.”