The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Reluctant keeper delighted he took chance on Lions
Livingston goalkeeper Neil Alexander admits he was initially reluctant to join the Lions because he feared being dragged into a demoralising relegation dogfight this season.
Ten months on, however, the vastly experienced former Rangers and Hearts player admits he made the right decision to cave in to constant calls from manager David Hopkin as Livingston prepare to face Dundee United in tonight’s Premiership play-off clash at Tannadice.
Despite having the third smallest budget in the Championship, Livingston defied all expectation to claim the runners-up place behind champions St Mirren.
And the 40-year-old admits his concerns were quickly suppressed after joining from Aberdeen last July.
Alexander said: “They did fantastically well last season to get promoted but for the team coming up, your objective is to stay in the league.
“My reservations were: Is it going to be a relegation dogfight from minute one, would I be shipping three, four goals every game and really not enjoying it? But it couldn’t have been further from that to be honest.
“From very early, the first few training sessions and seeing the standard of the boys here, it was exceptional – we have some really good talented players here and that’s the first time I thought ‘we’ve got a chance here’.
“The aim was to stay up and eighth would have been a fantastic season but the more games we played, you saw what the boys were capable of and then you thought ‘we’ve got a chance here of doing something’.
“That’s the way it’s panned out and the boys have been phenomenal.
“I’ve enjoyed it because we’ve got such a strong spirit in the dressing room and I’m enjoying coming in and working everyday.”
Livingston are desperate to continue defying the bookmakers’ odds by upsetting United in this evening’s semifinal first leg at Tannadice.
With Csaba Laszlo’s side already having had to negotiate a challenging quarter-final tie with Dunfermline, Alexander hopes an extended break can work in the Lions’ favour
He added: “Second place was so vital because it gives you those two less games where you can rest and concentrate on your training.
“Hopefully it will stand us in good stead now, Dundee United have had two hard games now and hopefully we are the fitter and stronger team.
“But it’s on the night, who wants it more, who plays better, who doesn’t make the mistakes.
“Form goes out the window and it’s like a cup tie.
“This is what you play for, we’ve worked hard all season to get there so hopefully we can make it count.
“To go and finish it off, you would go down in history at this club and while we’re here, we’re going to give it our best shot.
“It’s going to be two tough home and away legs but we’re confident and looking forward to it.”
Alexander is hoping to experience more play-off glory having achieved promotion to the English Championship in 2003 with Cardiff City via the end-of-season deciders.
He said: “The time at Cardiff was brilliant because the game against Queens Park Rangers was at the Millennium stadium in Cardiff, the whole city was buzzing and there was 70,000 there.
“It was an unbelievable experience and to actually win it in your own town was phenomenal.”