Bartley has plans for a happy ending to long tale
Chance to prove doubters wrong motivates Livi skipper to lift cup
FOR the winners in tomorrow’s Betfred Cup final, camera phones are sure to be at the ready, capturing for family, friends and fans moments of triumph and celebration that will live long in the memory. Livingston captain Marvin Bartley has confessed, however, that his thoughts may turn to others less invested in victory should he lead the Lions to glory at Hampden and secure a personal cup double.
The former Hibernian midfielder is fully aware he is reaching the twilight of his career and that this showdown with St Johnstone may be his last chance for silverware. Coming to the end of something can often spark reflection on its beginning, and for Bartley that means the opportunity for more proof to metaphorically stick two fingers up at those who have doubted him down the years.
“It will almost be like a perfect end – well, not the end to my career, because I have another year left, but nearing the end,” he mused. “It will be a perfect time for me to do this.
“At 18 years of age, I was getting released by an amateur team. Here I am at 34 years of age with the possibility of winning a national cup and having a Scottish Cup already. These are not things I would have dreamt of, especially at that age.
“So, yes, it is massive for me, personally, to go out there and [as captain] to be the first one to lift the cup as well. But just to get a winners’ medal would be magnificent.
“Some of the managers and people who said to me that I was basically going up to Scotland to retire because I didn’t want the hustle and bustle of playing down in England anymore, hopefully they can look at it now and say I made the right decision. The majority of them are now out of work so one of us made
the right decision and a few of them made the wrong decision.
“Listen, not that I take the highs people give me or the lows they attempt to give me, I just get on with it. It would be nice to win the cup and then send a few pictures to the managers who said I was coming up here to semi-retire.
“Coming up to Hibs was fantastic for me and the right sort of opportunity I wanted. But these managers were trying to sign me and they weren’t too pleased I had chosen to come up to Scotland rather than going on to help them. In football, you make decisions and luckily enough for me it was the right one because of the way my career has gone.”
Another in Bartley’s sights should things go well for Livingston will be the former manager of Burnham, his amateur team as a teenager,
who released him round about the time the Lions were lifting the League Cup trophy in 2004. Told he wasn’t good enough, the 34-year-old’s determination and self-belief have helped him overcome further disappointments along
the way.
On the flip side for the former Bournemouth and Burnley player, Hibs’ historic Scottish Cup success of 2016 has so far been the pinnacle of his time north of the border. Yet, as an unused substitute on that raucous rollercoaster of a day, Bartley confesses he is unsure how the Betfred Cup of 2021 in a deserted Hampden will compare should Livi come out on top.
“The 2016 Scottish Cup final is something I have spoken to the boys about,” he added. “Everyone is sick about hearing that story. We have been talking about it again this week. No disrespect to us, but who expected Livingston to be in a cup final? Some of us as players, no matter how young or how old you are, it will probably be our last one, if we are being totally honest.
“It’s not only about lifting
the trophy and everyone saying ‘well done’. It’s about going home to your families, seeing your kids, parents and partners and it is such a great time for absolutely everyone. We are in charge of our own destiny at this moment in time. Sunday is a huge game for us so we need to go out and perform.
“I did not know I was not playing in 2016 until half past one on the day of the game. It will be different this time, but a win’s a win. I just want to win the game. If Davie [Martindale] was to say to me, ‘listen, you are not playing on Sunday but we are guaranteed to win’ I would take that all day. I just want to win the competition, I want to be part of that winning feeling. Whatever it takes to win, I am more than happy to do it. Hopefully that shows in my performance.”
At 18 I was released by an amateur team
ST MIRREN manager Jim Goodwin is relishing the chance of securing a top-six spot over the next three games – with the Irishman promising supporters that his Buddies side will look to seize the initiative and play with an attacking swagger against Ross County this afternoon.
Goodwin reckons two wins from the Saints’ final three games before the split will be enough to cement their place in sixth and he believes that the best way to achieve those results is by going and attacking their opponents – something Goodwin insisted has served his side well over the last few months.
“We’ve been playing on the front foot ever since we came back from our last outbreak of Covid,” he said. “We’ve had that mindset of let’s go and get after teams. We’ve always tried to set up quite aggressively in how we try to press. Against Celtic at Parkhead, Rangers in the [Betfred] Cup in Paisley, Aberdeen, Livingston. It doesn’t matter who we play against, we have a way of playing and a style of football that the players have bought into, both with and without the ball.
“Defensively in terms of how we set up, that doesn’t change regardless of the opposition. When we have the ball we need to do better and I think that’s an area everyone can improve on. We need to make better decisions in possession. On Wednesday, without looking for too many excuses, I think there’s a lot of tired legs and minds out there. Sometimes you can’t always play the pass that you can see and want to play.
“I’m not going to be too hard on the players. I am a demanding manager, there’s no let up in training.
“This will be the 11th game in 30-odd days. It would be very easy to come off the game and try and let the boys rest a wee bit but that’s not the mindset I want. I want us to get in the face of Ross County. Press them high up the pitch and when we have the ball move it nice and quickly.”
There are three players in particular that can do precisely that for St Mirren this afternoon – central midfielders Jamie McGrath and Jake Doyle-Hayes, both of whom made their return from injury in Wednesday’s goalless draw with Motherwell, and winger Kyle McAllister.
Goodwin admits that his forward players have to be contributing more – the Paisley side are without a goal in their last five league outings – but he says he can take heart from his team’s defence, who have shipped only two goals in their last four games.
He said: “We spoke with the boys on Thursday morning after the Motherwell game. The lads at the back have been defending really well. Not just them, because the guys at the top end do a hell of a lot of pressing and defending further up the pitch. But ultimately your goalkeeper and defenders are paid to keep the ball out of the net and your lads at the top are responsible for creating chances or putting the ball in the back of the net.
“There’s no hiding place from that. It’s not about putting pressure on players unnecessarily, I’m just stating the facts. McGrath is our top goalscorer in all competitions with nine. It’s huge to have him back. And Kyle McAllister – if you look at the stats, he’s up there with the most creative players in the league in terms of minutes played.
“We need to try and keep our best players in the team. Sometimes with fitness you’re not able to do that, like with McGrath and Kyle has had his issues as well. We’re desperate to get our best attacking players on the park.”
Meanwhile, John Hughes stressed the need for County to build on their welcome win over Celtic when they visit Paisley today.
The Staggies’ 1-0 win over the Parkhead side in Dingwall on Sunday night took the Highland club off the foot of the Scottish Premiership, two points above Hamilton and Kilmarnock with a game in hand over the latter.
Hughes said: “It is another tough challenge. The Celtic game was a bonus. It goes for nothing if we don’t do the business against St Mirren, a team that’s flying high, so we know how difficult it is.
“We are hoping we go there on the back of the Celtic result, keep the same levels, don’t get too far in front of ourselves and pick up a win.
“We are in a good place going into the end of the season. I am really pleased for all the hard work they have put in.”