Scottish Daily Mail

MILLER EXITS LIVVY

Player-manager reign ends after just seven weeks

- By MARK WILSON

KENNY MILLER has dramatical­ly parted company with Livingston after just seven weeks in charge.

The former Rangers striker took his first step into management when he was appointed as David Hopkin’s successor in June.

However, it is understood he held talks yesterday with club officials about issues behind the scenes. And those discussion­s have resulted in him leaving the player-boss role after just two games of the Premiershi­p season.

Miller was in charge for a total of seven competitiv­e matches, winning three, drawing two and losing two.

Livingston qualified unbeaten from their Betfred Cup group

before being knocked out of the competitio­n with a 1-0 home defeat from Motherwell on Saturday. That has proved to be Miller’s final match at the helm, following an opening league defeat against champions Celtic at Parkhead and a subsequent goalless draw at home with Kilmarnock. It has been suggested, however, that Miller’s exit is not connected to on-field results or performanc­es. The club are expected to release a statement today, having been plunged into a state of flux ahead of this Saturday’s visit to face fellow Premiershi­p newcomers St Mirren. Miller, who won 69 caps for Scotland, left Ibrox in acrimoniou­s circumstan­ces at the end of last season after being suspended and fined for his part in an alleged bustup with former manager Graeme Murty. Miller and Lee Wallace appealed against their respective punishment­s, with the case considered at a three-day SPFL hearing last week. Speaking in a BBC interview last week, the 38-year-old admitted the hurt from the end of his third spell at Rangers ‘will always be there’. However, Miller also spoke of the happiness he had felt since taking up the reins at Livingston. ‘We are a small club with small resources, but what a fantastic feel-good factor about the place,’ Miller told the BBC. ‘The minute I walked through the door, I knew it was going to be a good fit. ‘At the time I was still thinking: “Do I want to make that step?”. But the more I spoke to Davie Martindale (assistant manager) and the club, the more I got really excited about it.’ Just days later, however, his first managerial post has come to a sensationa­l end.

 ??  ?? Short stint: Miller only took the player-boss role at Livvy in June
Short stint: Miller only took the player-boss role at Livvy in June

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