Holt had to let Miller return to boss Falkirk

LIVINGSTON manager Gary Holt insists he would have been unable to sleep at night if he denied Lee Miller the chance to take the reins of his beloved Falkirk.

The 36-year-old was this week named interim co-manager alongside David McCracken after agreeing to annul the final seven months of his playing contract at Livingston.

With Miller’s exit, the West Lothian side have lost one of their dressin-room leaders and a valuable attacking option ahead of tomorrow’s onerous trip to face Celtic.

Nevertheless, Holt is adamant he did not think twice when Miller expressed an interest in stepping into the dugout – albeit he has told the former Scotland international to expect a baptism of fire.

Holt said candidly: “As you get on in years, and see someone else getting an opportunity like that, you just have to be a bigger man.

“If we said ‘no you can’t go, we need you at the moment’, and then that opportunity doesn’t come again for Lee, I don’t think I would be able to sleep at night. That would actually be quite cruel.

“It’s a great job and hopefully he does really well.

“My only advice for Lee was ‘enjoy the sleepless nights!’ That’s all you can say.

“There is no manual for management. You do your badges, your education, then the Pro Licence, which is all a massive help. However, nothing tells you how to deal with everything else.

“The on-field stuff is the easy bit. The challenge is dealing with injured players, man-management, handling the mentality of players and all the things that are going on away from the pitch.”

Holt is speaking from experience. Falkirk was also his first job in management, taking the reins in April 2013 following a stint coaching within the academy at Norwich.

Holt said: “Granted, Falkirk have just been in the doldrums a little bit. But you only have to look at Livingston. They went down to League One as well but, when you get everyone on board and pulling in the right direction, the world is your oyster.

“The fans will come with you at Falkirk if they see the players putting a shift in.”