Celtic fans are accustomed to hearing notable figures and football insiders declare their support for the club. However, it might have come as a surprise to hear Livingston manager David Martindale admit that he was once a fan during his six-year tenure in the Scottish Premiership.
Of course, there’s a catch to his statement, as Martindale spent much of that time fighting relegation with Livingston. Now managing in the Championship, the Livi Lions boss explains why it’s ‘really refreshing’ not having to root for Celtic this season.
David Martindale became ‘invested’ in supporting Celtic
Livingston currently sits third in the Scottish Championship, just four points behind Scott Brown’s Ayr United, with two games in hand. As they aim for a return to Scotland’s top division, manager David Martindale has expressed relief at no longer having to monitor Celtic’s results.
Speaking to the *West Lothian Courier* (print edition, page 35), Martindale said, “I’m not really concerned about what happens at Falkirk, Ayr, or any other club. My focus is purely on our team and winning the next game.”
He continued, “That’s how I’ll approach the rest of the season, and it’s really refreshing after spending six years in the Premiership watching every fixture. Every weekend, I found myself supporting Rangers or Celtic because they were often up against teams like St Mirren or St Johnstone.”
Martindale explained that it’s a relief to now focus solely on Livingston. “If we played on Saturday, I’d be checking how St Johnstone, St Mirren, or Motherwell were doing against Celtic on Sunday. You become invested in those results, but it’s refreshing to leave that behind.”
“In the Premiership, 90% of the time I was a fan of Celtic, Rangers, and Livingston. But now at Livingston, my focus is solely on us and what we do.”
Celtic will look for confidence-boosting SPFL win after Champions League disappointment
Celtic are now focused on bouncing back from their Champions League disappointment as they prepare for this weekend’s fixture against Ross County. Still unbeaten in domestic competitions, Brendan Rodgers’ side will be eager to silence their critics with a strong performance in Dingwall.
With an international break on the horizon after Sunday’s match, Rodgers will be hoping for a confidence-boosting victory over The Staggies, who currently sit seventh in the Scottish Premiership table.
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