David Martindale eyeing cash boost from top-six finish as Livingston go fourth in Premiership

Livingston manager David Martindale has his eyes on a top-six cash boost that could help keep players at the club.

Livi moved fourth in the cinch Premiership on Wednesday with a 2-1 win over Dundee United and their 17-point tally since the winter break is the highest in the league outside of Celtic, who visit the Tony Macaroni Arena on Sunday.

The likes of Alan Forrest are out of contract in the summer and the winger has been linked a potential move to Dundee United after rejecting a January switch to St Johnstone.

Martindale would not expect major changes to his budget in the wake of a third consecutive top-six finish.

“I don’t think it would make much of a difference,” he said. “Historically any profit made has been used to pay off old directors, previous owners and fix the stadium. I imagine we have still got a lot of work to do on that front.

“Over previous owners the club has gone into administration three times or something so any decision that we make is putting the club first.

“But getting into Europe or even the top six brings extra money through crowd revenue and probably gives you a wee bit more money to try to entice the players you have got at the club to stay.

“It’s those players that I would rather reward than look at spending more money and bringing new players in. I would rather reward those players that put the hard work and effort in.

“But I’m very, very conscious that we could lose the next two games and be sitting eighth or ninth.

“We have spoken about it as a group and we have four cup finals until the split.”