David’s still in the dark – but his daughter isn’t
David Martindale knows there is a fair chance he can lead Livingston to the Betfred Cup Final yet still not be deemed “fit and proper” to be a manager.
Under SFA rules, the Association’s board must be satisfied the Lions boss fulfils the criteria before he is allowed to take on the role on a permanent basis.
Sent to prison in 2006 for six-and-a-half years for drug offences, Martindale knows he cannot take it for granted that he will get the all-clear.
And with his hearing postponed again last week, the 46-year-old Scot has been left in limbo – a fact not missed by his family members.
“I have been told it will be a threeman panel, so it is probably just trying to get a date and a time that suits everybody,” said Martindale.
“Personally, I am quite relaxed about it, but my wife and my wee one keep saying to me: ‘What’s happening?’.
“Georgia is eight years old, so when all this came out, I had to sit her down because she’s using Google, she’s got her ipad.
“So she’s now saying: ‘Dad, Dad, Dad, what’s happening? Are you the manager yet?’, and I am saying: ‘I don’t know, darling, I need to go to a meeting’.
“I had to explain to her what had happened previously before she was born, so she now knows all about my past. This was only over the last three or four weeks.
“I thought it would be a difficult conversation to have, but it really wasn’t.
“She is really inquisitive, but she never really asked and dug into it. I thought maybe when I left the room she would talk to my wife, Martha, about it, but no.
“She just said: ‘Thanks for telling me’ and ‘Was it scary, Dad?’. Stuff like that.
“It wasn’t anything about the crime or anything, and she has never really elaborated on it, which is really surprising because she is very inquisitive – or really nosy!”
While Martindale’s managerial ability is not in question – Livingston will go into today’s semi-final against St Mirren on the back of a startling 10-game unbeaten run – to what extent his past crimes will count against him remains to be seen.
“My wife worries about stuff like tha,t but I am a big believer in what will be, will be,” said the Glaswegian.
“I can’t physically do anything to change that decision. I try not to worry about things that are outwith my control.”
It is an attitude that has served him well on an improbable journey from jail to one of the most high-profile jobs in the country.
“I never imagined I would get here, where I would be leading a team into a massive occasion like this semi-final,” he said.
“I thought I would finish my degree and go into construction – but this kind of fell In my lap.
“I have always been involved in football, whether it is at Amateur or Junior level, and always done quite well.
“Even when I came in here initially, there was no great plan and I was just happy to be involved.
“I have always said – and I say it to the players to this day – don’t try to work to get somewhere.
“Don’t come in here wishing you were playing for Celtic because all you will do is think about playing for Celtic.
“Come in, work hard, train hard every day, and let’s see where it takes you.
“You get a lot of players that come in and, from day one, see Livingston as their stepping stone. I do get that, but if they think that way, they are in trouble.
“Come in, get your head down and work hard and see where it takes you. If you do your job properly, you never know what can happen.”