David Martindale admits he is ‘shopping in Primark’ for Livingston recruits

Livingston manager David Martindale hopes he can find some bargains to help rescue their Premiership status but admits he is “shopping in Primark”.

Livi fell to a 3-1 defeat at Motherwell on Saturday which leaves them six points adrift at the bottom of the table.

Martindale admits his summer transfer business has not had the desired effect and the January transfer window looks like being crucial for a club that have only collected two points from their last 12 games.

Martindale said: “The budget cuts have not helped us. The recruitment has not been great, the players who have come in have not pushed the players that were in the building so it’s probably led to a bit of complacency. I’d caveat that with Mick Devlin, but the group that’s come in haven’t strengthened the group.

“I’m kind of shopping in Primark just now. The money I have got to go and recruit opens you up to a certain level of player.

“You’re asking them to come in and hit the ground running but the market you are shopping in… it’s really difficult to do that.

“I am not trying to absolve myself from any responsibility because I am the leader and I have to take responsibility.”

Martindale, whose side host Hearts on Tuesday, added: “I felt as a group we had enough to stay in the league. I feel as a group we probably still have, but the points are slipping away and there are less and less games.

“I do think the group needs a hand. We probably need another three players, but three players that are able to start games in the Premiership, three players that will drive the standard and help in the quality in the dressing room.”