Pride for Lions boss as JET set for Aberdeen
David Martindale has blamed a heavy defeat to Celtic for missing out on Europe.
His toothless Lions had to settle for sixth place after failing to beat a St Johnstone side with the backstop of a two-goal superior goal difference.
Their form has nosedived after a midterm 14-match unbeaten run.
Martindale said: “There was a part of me with trepidation if we finished fifth and the club couldn’t have gotten into Europe.
“It would’ve brought a massive negative to us. So there’s relief and disappointment.
“It’s down to club licensing – we’ve not got a youth academy.
“It was meant to get started up last March/April, but then Covid hit and part of the UEFA criteria is having a youth academy through the SFA.
“It’s something we have been working on but finances, fans returning to stadiums, it’s been extremely difficult to do that, and kids’ football has only returned recently. There were loopholes in the UEFA regulations that potentially could have sneaked us through the back door if we’d finished fifth.
“But part of me thinks we wouldn’t have made it and that would’ve been a massive negative.
“Let’s be honest, we lost fifth place by two goals. The six goals we lost at Parkhead to Celtic is probably where we’ve let ourselves down slightly.
“But it’s been a fabulous season and the boys have to take massive credit.”
Martindale is resigned to a major rebuilding job over the summer.
“There’s going to be a massive turnaround of players due to various reasons, mainly financial, but the flip side of that success brings other clubs looking at your players and staff,” he said.
And he confirmed Aberdeen are closing in on a deal for Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.
He revealed: “With the finances at Livingston, there’s no way a player of that ability should be playing for us.
“I got him due to Covid. It took us a long time to get him up to speed, so I think everybody’s seen what he’s capable of in the last six weeks to two months.
“By JET staying in Scotland, I’ve also got a handshake with him that we would command a fee if that was a possibility.
“JET’s agent has been dealing with that. I’ll pick that up this week.
“They’re not getting him for nothing!”