LIVI ARE ON CROWD 9
Hopkin: Buzz is so great around us even my wife struggled to get into the stadium
DAVID HOPKIN knew he had made Livingston box office when his wife struggled to get into the stadium for the play-off semi-final against Dundee United.
A crowd of 4508 piled into the Tony Macaroni Arena last Friday and Hopkin is expecting more tonight for the first leg of the final against Partick.
Even Hearts and Hibs fans are behind the West Lothian outfit’s bid for glory after swamping Hopkin when he was out for a meal in Edinburgh.
The Livi boss said: “I couldn’t believe it when I saw all the people coming in.
“I looked out of my office at 7.40pm because my wife couldn’t get into the car park, it was so busy.
“I was out in Edinburgh for a meal last week and Hearts and Hibs fans were saying they were coming to the game.
“I had friends from Greenock and Gourock coming up. I still didn’t expect it to be as big as it was but the potential has always been here.”
The odds are against Championship clubs in the play-offs – with draining quarter-finals and semis played for the right to face the top flight’s 11th team.
Hopkin memorably scored in a playoff final for Crystal Palace at Wembley back in 1997. And he reckons the SPFL should make our top-flight shoot-out a one-off match just like in England.
Second-tier clubs recently proposed quarters and semis be reduced to oneoffs – but it was rejected by top-flight sides and didn’t get to a vote.
And he said: “I wish it was a one-legged game somewhere. That would be fantastic – it would create more media.”
Hopkin, linked with the vacant posts at Carlisle and Morton, says there is nothing sinister about him signing oneyear contacts. And no matter the Final’s outcome he will thrash out his future with Livingston early next week.
He said: “Two or three-year contracts put clubs under so much scrutiny.
“I work on a year’s basis and if it doesn’t work out and I leave six months later I just walk out the door because this club has given me an opportunity.
“Managers and coaches get too much money for failure in football.”
Livi skipper Craig Halkett, 22, has an extra incentive after the defender was cast aside by Mark Warburton when Rangers were in the Championship.
He said: “I was seven years at Rangers as a youth then Warburton came in and had his ideas. He let a few of us go.
“I wanted to play first-team football. I’m grateful to David because he gave me my break – I’d be delighted to get back up to the top flight with Livingston.”