David Paul Martindale (born 13 July 1974) is a Scottish football manager who manages Scottish Championship club Livingston.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Paul Martindale | ||
| Date of birth | 13 July 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Livingston (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Rangers | |||
| Motherwell | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| – | Linlithgow Rose | ||
| – | West Calder United | ||
| 2010–2011 | Whitburn | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2020– | Livingston | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
It is his first and only such role in the professional game, having played at Junior level following his release from prison for his participation in organised crime. He worked in various capacities at hometown club Livingston from 2014, becoming an increasingly important figure in its structure, before being appointed manager in 2020.
Career
editTime in prison, first steps in coaching
editUnlike most football managers, Martindale did not play the sport at the professional level. Born in Glasgow, he grew up in Govan and the Craigshill neighbourhood of Livingston, West Lothian[1] and was a promising youth player with Rangers and Motherwell[1] but by his own admission did not apply himself to make the most of his talents,[2] and was released from a contract with Rangers after fracturing his leg in an unauthorised local match with friends.[3] He played at Junior level for Linlithgow Rose and West Calder United[1] and had business interests in the hospitality sector,[2] but after a pub he owned went on fire without insurance cover he also became heavily involved in organised crime,[4] specifically the large-scale supply of cocaine as well as money laundering.[4][5] He was arrested in April 2004 following a police operation;[6][1] while awaiting trial, he enrolled at Heriot-Watt University to undertake a degree in construction project management.[2][7]
Martindale was imprisoned in November 2006,[1][8] serving four years (and also having around £100,000-worth of assets seized as proceeds of crime),[9] then completed his degree following his release.[2] In football, he played for Whitburn in the East Region Juniors[10] then became assistant manager at Broxburn Athletic.[2][11][12]
Progression at Livingston
editIn 2014, while employed in the construction industry, he became involved with local professional club Livingston as a part-time volunteer[7] based on personal recommendations and following appropriate background checks,[4] with his work initially consisting of basic training duties and ground maintenance[2] – the club's poor financial state at the time meant they were in need of assistance at minimal cost.[6] Even at that stage, his appointment was scrutinised in local press.[4] He gradually became more involved in coaching and recruitment during Mark Burchill's spell as manager, and also began to study the subject formally, obtaining his UEFA B Licence via the Irish Football Association due to them being more accommodating to applicants with convictions than their Scottish counterparts.[1]
Martindale was appointed assistant manager of Livingston when David Hopkin became manager in January 2016,[2] and when Hopkin departed in May 2018 after leading the club to successive promotions from Scottish League One to the Scottish Premiership, took temporary charge of the team;[13] several signings were made during this summer period[14][15] (during which he was offered the manager's job but turned it down for concerns of bringing embarrassment to the club due to his past and of being too inexperienced at that point)[1][16][17] but no official matches played prior to the appointment of Kenny Miller, who soon resigned in August 2018 to continue his playing career. Martindale again had interim control for a matter of days before Gary Holt took over, keeping Martindale on the staff and handing him increased responsibilities as 'head of football operations'.[2][6]
Livingston manager
editHolt quit as Livingston manager in November 2020 – again deciding to leave despite a relatively successful spell where the Lions comfortably retained their top-flight status in both seasons of his tenure[18] – and Martindale was appointed head coach on an interim basis, alongside Tony Caig.[2][17][16] He won four matches in a row during this time (including a 2020–21 Scottish League Cup quarter-final), and was officially appointed manager until the end of the season on 21 December.[19][1][7][5] His side went on to win four subsequent Premiership matches, before securing two draws against title holders Celtic[20] and progressing to the League Cup Final.[21] The Scottish Football Association's 'Fit and proper person' hearing by its Professional Game Board took place on 26 January 2021 with a positive outcome for Martindale, who had been turned down in his application to be a club official a year earlier but was supported publicly by eminent sporting academic Phil Scraton and the local MP Hannah Bardell.[22] There was also widespread support for Martindale within Scottish football from fans, players and other managers.[citation needed]
Martindale won Scottish Premiership Manager of the Month in November 2022.[23]
Despite relegation from the Scottish Premiership in 2023-24, Martindale was given a new one-year contract in May 2024.[24]
Managerial Record
edit- As of match played 12 November 2024
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||||
| Livingston | 
|
26 November 2020 | present | 187 | 68 | 44 | 75 | 36.36 | [25] |
| Career Total | 187 | 68 | 44 | 75 | 36.36 | — | |||
- Initially caretaker and appointed permanently on 21 December 2020
Honours
editManager
editLivingston
- Scottish League Cup runner-up: 2020–21
Individual
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Livingston boss David Martindale says 'judge me on who I am now' as he awaits SFA approval, Brian McLauchlin, BBC Sport, 21 December 2020
- ^ a b c d e f g h i David Martindale's journey from prison to leading Livingston, Ewan Murray, The Guardian, 4 December 2020
- ^ David Martindale on his Rangers rejection as Livingston boss reveals he was 'pied' after horror injury, Iain Collin, Daily Record, 22 February 2021
- ^ a b c d Livingston FC under fire for giving coaching role to drugs crook, Sunday Post, 24 May 2015
- ^ a b Livingston appoint David Martindale as permanent boss after Gary Holt departure, Aidan Smith, Glasgow Times, 21 December 2020
- ^ a b c New Livingston boss David Martindale reflects on journey from prison to Premiership manager, Callum Carson, Daily Record, 22 December 2020
- ^ a b c New Livingston boss David Martindale hopes his story can help inspire others, Evening Express, 21 December 2020
- ^ Cocaine dealers' 16 years in jail, BBC News, 30 November 2006
- ^ Drug dealer turned Livingston FC football boss told to cough up £34k in dirty money probe, Norman Silvester, Daily Record, 2 September 2018
- ^ Linlithgow and Whitburn win cup shoot-outs, Daily Record, 16 September 2010
- ^ Official MatchDay Programme, Tayport F.C., 21 November 2011
- ^ Linlithgow battle back to lift trophy, John Spowart, The Scotsman, 28 May 2012
- ^ Livingston start new manager search after David Hopkin departs, BBC Sport, 31 May 2018
- ^ Craig makes summer move, West Lothian Courier, 7 June 2018, via PressReader
- ^ Ryan's a Lion, Livingston FC, 25 June 2018
- ^ a b David Martindale: Livingston interim boss a changed man since prison, says chief executive John Ward, Brian McLauchlin, BBC Sport, 11 December 2020
- ^ a b Livingston: David Martindale now feels 'more capable' to take head coach role, Brian McLauchlin, BBC Sport, 3 December 2020
- ^ Livingston: How do you replace Gary Holt?, Martin Watt, BBC Sport, 28 November 2020
- ^ David Martindale appointed as manager of Livingston FC, Livingston FC, 21 December 2020
- ^ Celtic slip up again as Northern Ireland defender Ciaron Brown scores for Livingston in Scottish Premiership draw, Belfast Telegraph, 20 January 2021
- ^ Livingston 1-0 St Mirren: Scott Robinson's early winner sends Livi to final, Sky Sports 24 January 2021
- ^ Livingston: - David Martindale deemed fit and proper by SFA, Kheredeine Idessane, BBC Sport, 26 January 2021
- ^ Manager of the month is a 'collective achievement', BBC Sport, 22 November 2022
- ^ Livingston boss David Martindale targets Premiership return as he's handed new deal, Daily Record, 30 May 2024
- ^ (Livingston manager) Martindale, David, FitbaStats