Livingston’s Premiership campaign comes at a cost as youth academy shuts down

with a scoreless draw against Kilmarnock. However, before the match, it emerged that the club were disbanding their youth academy teams due to a lack of finances.

A youth academy that helped nurture the likes of Leigh Griffiths, Robert Snodgrass and Graham Dorrans will cease to exist because Livingston have instead opted to focus their resources on their Premiership campaign.

“This has been an incredibly difficult decision for the club, but we have agreed that our focus must now be on the Premiership and the huge challenge ahead this season,” said a club statement.

“We will of course continue with a reserve team which allow for players from 16+ years of age to participate, and thus providing opportunities for young players to progress to the first-team squad.”

On Saturday that first-team squad gave a good account of themselves against the team that finished fifth in the top-flight last season. “I’m really pleased for the boys,” said Miller after a game of few chances.

“I felt we more than held our own and a draw was the least we deserved. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of players for my first managerial job.” Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke, pictured, lamented his side’s lack of cutting edge. The closest the visitors came to scoring was when a Chris Burke shot struck the post in the 29th minute. “It was a hardearned point,” said Clarke. “We knew it would be difficult coming here with it being Livingston’s first game back at home. They started well and put us on the back foot and we put ourselves on the back foot by not dealing with it better at that stage.

“We controlled the game better in the second half but didn’t really threaten. We had two or three late chances and I thought the subs made a difference by giving us a spark. We finished the better team, but we couldn’t find the finish.”