The hurt of last season will drive Livi on this term
Sean Kelly admits Livingston were left with a feeling of what might have been after watching Dundee United shine in Europe this week.
But he insists those regrets will only fuel the Lions as they strive to shake off the bitter disappointments of last season.
The Almondvale defender admits Livi’s failure to make the top-six back in April was one of the lowest moments of his career.
The West Lothian outfit were just seconds from finishing the campaign in the top-half of the Premiership when an injury-time Motherwell equaliser dealt a bodyblow.
Watching the Steelmen and this afternoon’s opponents, United, go on to qualify for Europe only made things worse.
With the Tangerines impressing in Thursday’s 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar, Kelly said: “That Motherwell game before the split was probably one of the lowest points I’ve had in football.
“At the time, just the way the game went, it was hard to get over that.
“For the squad, it didn’t linger but everybody knew just what had happened.
“I don’t think we took it into the games after that. We put it to bed pretty quickly and we were unbeaten after that in the rest of the league campaign.
“But it was bitterly disappointing at the time and you see the opportunities that the teams who qualified for Europe got on the back of that.
“You watch them and think: ‘that could be us’.
“It just gives you more motivation this season to try to go one step further.”
With such small margins at the split, and between battling for Europe and fighting for pride, Kelly knows that a poor start to last season cost Livi.
David Martindale’s side lost their opening four league games and accumulated just four points from a possible 24 before going on a five-match unbeaten run in October.
Having succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to Rangers in an otherwise encouraging curtainraiser to the new campaign last weekend, Kelly accepts the importance attached to this afternoon’s trip to face United at Tannadice.
The 28-year-old, elder brother of Scotland and Motherwell keeper Liam Kelly, added: “Looking back, I think the start to last season’s campaign probably killed us a little bit. We didn’t pick up enough points at the start.
“Knowing that going into this season, we’re looking to start a wee bit quicker this year and try to get as many points on the board as early as possible, rather than playing catch-up.
“This year, there’s probably been less turnover of players coming in and most of the team who played last weekend were here last season. I think that helps.”