HOLT STILL WARY OF RELEGATION THREAT
GARY HOLT is a big believer in the old adage that the league table never lies. But the Livingston manager is willing to make an exception when he sees Aberdeen sitting one place below his side ahead of tonight’s meeting at Pittodrie. During the Derek McInnes era, Aberdeen have consistently finished second in the Premiership and have reached four cup finals. And Holt believes only the presence of the strongest Celtic team in a generation has stopped McInnes securing more silverware to add to the 2014 League Cup. ‘I am firm believer that the table does not lie — but Aberdeen are strong and they’ll come again,’ he said. ‘I played against Derek McInnes when he was at West Brom and I was at Norwich, and when he was at Rangers and I was at Kilmarnock. We always had good battles and he’s done phenomenally well as a manager. ‘You’ve got to give him a lot of plaudits for what he and his staff have managed year-on-year. ‘They finished second in the league to a team that’s gone unbeaten one full season with the budget that Celtic have got and they’ve been to cup finals as well. ‘Derek’s maybe thinking if they could win a couple of trophies it would be the icing on the cake. ‘It will be no consolation he’s come up against Celtic’s Invincibles, yet what he’s done over the years at Aberdeen speaks volumes. ‘They’ve just had a great victory at Ibrox and been in a cup final. ‘They’re a really strong side and they’ll be up there towards the top of the league by the end of the season.’ Despite a surprisingly good start to the season, Holt refuses to set ambitions for Livingston higher than avoiding relegation and the play-offs. For now, at least. ‘The big boys will be looking at the top and at Europe but we’re not interested in that,’ he said. ‘We’re looking at survival. Our aim is to mathematically confirm at least tenth place. If we’re sitting eighth or ninth and clear then brilliant, we can push on but the aim is tenth. I don’t set a points target. ‘Do we pinch ourselves at how we’ve started the season? Yes, we do. We’re doing really well but this team has so much more to give.’