A footballing hero turns sour

Today is a day of mixed feelings for me.

First there is the great news that the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, and Marriage Equality Ireland have all joined together to launch the ‘Yes Equality’ campaign ahead of next year's referendum in the Republic of Ireland.

But also one of the greats of the time that my team Livingston spent in the Scottish Premier League has actually taken than support of at least this one football fan and thrown it in his face.

Marvin ten years ago when Livingston won the CIS Cup

Marvin Andrews, who came from Raith Rovers to Livingston before moving on to Rangers, a return to Raith Rovers and stints at Hamilton Academical, Queen of the South, Wrexham, Albion Rovers, Forfar Athletic, before currently playing for Elgin City has always been known as God's footballer. He famously in his first season at Rangers instead of taking the normal course of treatment for a cruciate knee ligament injury which should have seen him out of action for nine months turned to prayer and was back on the field in 2 weeks!

But it is his comment in defending his pastor Joe Nwokoye at Zion Praise Centre International in Kirkcaldy who has blamed natural disasters on same-sex marriage. In the defense of his Pastor, Marvin has said:

"For a man to see a man or a woman to see a woman in that way is a spiritual sickness and it is the Bible – not Marvin Andrews – that says that is an abomination.

"I am not going to contradict my beliefs. I don’t care if 100,000 people are against me – I’ll stand on the word of God."

Now if the man that we sang from the stands as "Marv, Marv, Super Marv, Super Marvin Andrews" would care to explain to me what all those natural disasters before same-sex marriage were introduced were all about. And maybe go a little further back what about the ones that occurred before homosexuality was actually legalised. Or maybe he'd like to explain why more natural disasters happen in the states in the USA that are most likely to be fighting equal marriage, or indeed in Africa which also seems to be in opposition?

Yes natural disasters are happening all around us all the time and have been since time immemorial. Now if Marvin really believes what it says in the bible he will now that the reason these things started is because Eve was tempted to eat of the Tree of Knowledge and persuaded Adam to follow suit. These were not as a result of same-sex marriage or activity in any form, so stop passing the buck on natural disasters.


Sadly it is not the first time he has said something like this. In 2006 when former Liberal Democrat MSP Margaret Smith announced her Civil Partnership plans and just before he left Rangers he said:

"There is a demon in their [homosexual's] spirits, their spirits are ill. But God can help them through his church and anyone who doubts this can check the Bible"

Such negative and prejudicial opinions from churches and their leaders is actually still doing the opposite and too often it is too late for many young people to have any such help and many brought up with such religious vitriol are tempted to commit suicide than be open about their sexuality in faith settings.

But we are also trying to rid football of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, just as we are still striving to rid it from under representation of racial minorities at the top level of management and boardrooms around the nation. Comments like this from a respected veteran of the game in Scotland do not go down well to the LGBT fans and players in the leagues.

While he is allowed to say whatever he wants, surely his believes are also that God loves everyone. There is no love in his words only condemnation. It is like the chants that opposing fans have given him through the years with the exception of him turning up at Almondvale on his first appearance in a Rangers shirt when he was applauded loudly. That is the love that is unconditional that he should be showing to everyone.

To stamp out homophobia, transphobia and biphobia in football Stonewall have for the last two years run their rainbow laces campaign. Next year when they run it, if Marvin is still playing I am tempted to send him a pair with a letter explaining how I'm upset as a gay fan who has cheered him from the stands that he is behaving in the way that he does and is lacking in Christian love when he talks about LGBT issues.

Possible new chant for Livingston

In 2009 my beloved Livingston were forced into insolvency due to a rogue owner. HMRC were after their money. We were thrown out of the league but the next day we were out of liquidation due to the bid the fans had been supporting, as well as the administrators, all summer came in to rescue the club and put it on a firm footing.

Roll on three years and another team with a number of rogue owners owes HMRC a lot more money and same goes to other creditors. Like Gretna before them they look like they will be penalised by the other SPL Clubs with full force. They will then have to reapply to join the SFL like Livingston and Gretna before them. But here the story changes.

The SPL is known as the Self Preservation League in some quarters always looking out for their own. But the SFL may now be known as the Smels Fishy League after they are saying:

"The SFL is trying to address the question of whether we are in a position to accommodate a solution to the Rangers FC scenario.

"We are trying to achieve a solution which will be in the best interests of the SFL and the wider game."

And propose:

• Rangers are to be relegated with immediate effect and replaced in the SPL by Dundee
• Television rights for Rangers matches in Scottish Football League Division One are to be bought by the SPL for £1m
• The SPL and SFL will merge into one body at the start of season 2013-14
• Play-offs between the top two divisions will be introduced in time for the coming season with one team from the top flight and three from the second tier competing for a place in the following season's SPL
• There will be an increase in the parachute payments made to clubs relegated from the SPL
• Changes will be made to the distribution model for clubs in the top two tiers with teams in the lower leagues earning a similar amount to the current set-up
• A new pyramid system will become effective from season 2014-15 that will allow a potential place in the new league format for a team from either the Highland league or newly-created 'Lowland League'
• Rangers newco's acceptance into the Scottish FA would only be approved if they accept responsibility for the football debts and fines incurred by the previous club along with their waiving of rights to a legal challenge

 I know that should Ranger Newco come to Almondvale or the Amber and Black go to Ibrox under such an arrangement rather than the path through Division 3 there will be a new chant rolled out just for the occasion. It may go something like this.

If you've been through liquidation clap your hands
If you started out again clap your hands.
But unlike the Hun we're in Division One
Having won Division Three and Two
We didn't cheat our way back here unlike you

From Belshill to Belfast #GAWA

As regular readers will know I'm a big Livingston Football Club fan, indeed one of the things I find hard about being back here in Northern Ireland is not getting along to games and hearing the Drum Beat Mafia lift the Amber and Black army. Although even when I was supporting Livi at Almondvale I always smiled when I saw a St. Patrick's flag next to a player whether home or away in the match day programme Roar.

Of course the Green and White Army when they turn out for international duty at Windsor Park also have their drummers. There may even in the past have been a 4th Bangor Boys' Brigade drum performing that duty. So I was delighted today to hear that one time Livingston Captain James McPake has finally received a senior international call up, even more delighted when the Belshill born player would be turning out for the green and white army.

Now this does leave me with a slight dilemma as in the 5 seasons worth of match programmes next to his name during his 100 appearances in the SPL and 1st Division there is a Saltire. Do I get the tippex out and a red pen to replace it with St. Patrick's cross?

Now don't panic I'm not going to deface my collection, after all they are kept in files in clear pockets. Here are just three in which James featured on the cover. I'm looking forward to adding a Northern Ireland one with him on the cover to my collection of football programmes.

So I'm forward to cheering on James after all he has played for two of the clubs I could see the floodlights of from a house I've lived in (Coventry being the other).

So on behalf of the Green and White Army welcome to the squad James. Scotland haven't used him in senior internationals so their loss has been Northern Ireland's gain, I'm looking forward to seeing him in the 'right' green shirt.

Update was doing a little bit of digging about the three young players from 2004-2008 Livingston teams. Like James McPake, Graham Dorrans made his debut at senior level for Scotland against the Netherlands on 7 September 2009. The other full international from that youth team Robert Snodgrass was due to appear the following month against Japan but injury made him have to withdraw from the squad. So he ended up making his full international debut on 9 February 2011 against....

....Northern Ireland.

We Are the Champions

No I'm not getting carried away with the opinion polls that are making the most exciting reading for this Liberal Democrat since he was old enough to vote.

I took an afternoon off the campaign trail this afternoon to watch Livingston suceed in being the first team to win the Scottish Third Division title for a second time. Although it wasn't all plan sailing, despite being the dominant team we conceded a penalty for handball in the last minute. However, Roddy McKenzie, who could some of us doubt that our player with most appearances would fail, saved it to the mass relief of the majority of the 1,621 crowd.

So I feel a little Queen is in order.

Campaign Diary - Candidates' and Agents' Briefing

Last night was my first visit to the new West Lothian Civic Centre, the building is very impressive, but I wasn't there for a tour but for the business of the candidates and agents briefing ahead of the general election.

Having been to a few counts elsewhere I have to tell voters that the team in West Lothian is one of the most well organised there is and at the same time one of the best for transparency and accuracy as well. Indeed when I turned up to the Electoral Commission meeting at conference and they heard where I was from they said, "You'll have no problems then". They went through all of the new changes that both us poor candidates or our agents and they as count staff will be having to go through. One key issue that a lot of voters are concerned with is the issue of postal votes. There will be an awful lot of these in the two seats Linlithgow & East Falkirk and Livingston.

However, there is verification equipment in place to check the identifiers for the postal voters. Because this verification will lengthen the verification of postal votes instead of only a few postal vote verifications they will be running one on each day leading up to the election itself. It is also because of on the day postal votes that the counts will probably all be somewhat later this year. Don't expect Sunderland South to declare before 11 this year.

By law the count team only have to sample 20% of the postal votes but West Lothian are going to treat every vote as equal and aim to verify all 100% of the postal votes that come in for both seats. I did say they are top notch for accuracy.

Having seen these guys at work on election nights and days for the past nine years I can expect them to run operations as smoothly as possible. They are aiming to have the count declared by 2 or 3 am, the only thing that might postpone that is if the verification equipment or its backup breaks down. We're all touching wood that this doesn't happen.

Jeff's Crystal Ball Not all Wonky

No Jeff has been worried that his crystal ball has been a bit wonky of late. Well I thin that on this St Patrick's night this Irishman will be able to partly put his mind to rest.

Almost 18 months ago, conveniently on my birthday so I could remember the date, he blogged:

"Stephen Glenn is expected to stand in Linlithgow and Falkirk East for the Liberal Democrats. A very tough contest indeed for the genial Ulsterman."

My response to him at the time was:

"But I'm expected to stand then am I? You know the result of the selection process before I do, do you? ;)"

Because until tonight the good Liberal Democrat party in West Lothian hadn't selected their candidates for the General Election. However, they did prove Jeff right in deciding that there wasn't "a Lib Dem better credentialed than [my] good self" in given me another turn as the candidate for Linlithgow and East Falkirk. Jeff wasn't alone both Michael Connarty and Tam Smith have asked me am I the candidate, I've had to say only that my name would be in the hat before tonight.

The West Lothian have also kept up the continuity from 2005 by selection Fauldhouse's own Charles Dundas once again as the candidate for Livingston.

You may notice one or two changes around the blog to indicate this event, one of which much as a regret doing is putting comments unto pre-moderation. The main reason for this is that I cannot be always available to check comments that go up. In light of recent events on other blogs this an action I feel I have no alternative with my current position but to face. I apologise for the inconvenience.

Sunday 14 March 2004

Six years go this day fell on a Sunday. I know because of what I was doing that day.

The M8 experienced two rush hours that day one heeading out to Glasgow the other heading back.

Livingston were in their first major cup final. The club had entered administration just before the semi-final match but we won through and found ourselves at Hampden for the final. For the first 45 minutes we sang our hearts out but you wouldn't have known three quarters of Hampden was wearing the green and white of Hibernian.

But then in two glorious minutes at the start of the second half first Derek Lilley got on the end of a Burton O'Brien pass to get the first, right in front of the Livi support. Then moments later David Fernandez played Jamie McAllister through with onlyDaniel Andersson the Hibs keeper to beat, but he curled it around, the keeper leaving the bulk of the national stadium speechless. Just not our little section. Already hoarse we could now hear ourselves sing, and sing we did til the final whistle.

I then had to walk back into George Square to meet our lift home (they'd been shopping). We passed the queue of Hibs supporters in their cars, many of them had left the stadium early. There were more of us than them at the end for the medals to be collected by the losers who had beaten Celtic and Rangers to get there.

They were happy days.

Livingston yesterday extended their lead at the top of division 3 after being dropped from Division One last year due to administration again. Yesterday we won at Elgin while East Stirlingshire lost. I wasn't here for most of the previous climb, just the last few weeks in Division One. Plus I'm missing the ride through Division three this time due to the election. But I still have hope we can do it again.

Was Robin Cook the Candidate I Never Had?

Living in West Lothian I was intrigued by Mark Thompson's article this morning that was hypothesising that Robin Cook may, had he survived, have defected to the Lib Dems. It would have been one photocall that both myself and Charles Dundas, his opponent from 2005, as the prominent faces of West Lothian Liberal Democrats would have been called in for. But would it have actually happened?

Mark bases his premise on the Comment is Free article by John Kampfner in today's Guardian, who describes his political fulcrum as based firmly around Robin Cook's left liberal leanings. Like Cook in the run up to 2005 he was disgruntled with Labour, but while Cook stayed in the party at that time Kampfner supported the Lib Dems. Robin did get on well with both Charles and myself in our dealings with him, and indeed his last letter to me was one of agreement.

But we're five years on and many of the mainstream commentators are saying that the Iraq influence has run its course. Kampfner however, does point out another driving force that progressives who have or had supported Labour may well be thinking of supporting the Lib Dems in 2010. He bases it on "a more fundamental appraisal of Labour's record, together with a positive assessment of the Lib Dems' platform".

"[Liberal Democrat] analysis of the failures of the deregulated market has been consistently, and painfully, accurate. Their tax reform plans, taking 4 million low-paid workers out of tax altogether, are the most redistributive of any party, alongside green taxes, a "mansion tax" on high-value properties anthe closing of tax loopholes (on pensions and capital gains) exploited by the rich. The Lib Dem approach to criminal justice, human rights, foreign and social policy is close to mine."

From my personal experience all of those values would certainly be held with Robin. So is that core of liberal-left looking our way. One wonders what that would mean if 30 years on from the Gang of four they had a leader in Robin Cook who would have supported all of the above, plus other areas in cleaning up politics. Of course it was he that Blair had chosen alongside Bob Maclennan to put Labour's view in the Joint Consultative Committee on Constitutional Reform prior to 1997. So events of the last 12 months and his own parties inaction may have persuaded to join the party offering serious consideration to the issue 12 years on. What if he too had left the Labour movement to find his feet as a true progressive within the Lib Dems?

Locally I think it would have made Livingston an interesting contest. One wonders who would have been the candidate, Devine wouldn't have been elected in September 2005 and wouldn't have been in the mire he is in. Looking at his record I don't think he would have followed Cook to our party. Would Graeme Morrice have managed to take the position of Labour candidate he now holds? One thing is certain I would personally be pounding the streets of Livingston trying to hold the seat for our man, and persuading those who had backed him before that he hadn't changed only the party they supported had. Pretty much the same message that Lib Dems have been putting to or hearing from Labour voters for a while really.

It is an interesting hypothesis of where Cook would stand on a number of key issues since 2005. I would love to stood on the doorstep of Clifton Terrace or at some location in Livingston flanking him and the party leader as we welcomed him into our fold. What I suspect is more likely to have been the outcome though is that even now he would still have been fighting to get Labour unto his course, he may even have been somewhat successful making it harder for the Conservatives to win or the Lib Dems to take Labour gains.

But the demise of progressive Labour politics is clearly made by the party's slogan for this election. They're saying "A Future Fair for All" not "Fairness We've Delivered".

The Not Given Interview from Jim Devine

At the end of their joint statement moments after the charges against them were announced the three Labour MPs Jim Devine, Elliot Morley and David Chaytor said they would not be available for media interviews.

However, that must mean that Devine's interviews with Sky News and the BBC didn't happen. So people didn't hear this

"I'm absolutely distraught and astonished at the decision that has been taken today. It is noticeable that there's no reference to shelving, there's no reference to mileage ... and some two new charges have been brought, both of which ... I will explain in court.

"I have just learnt two minutes ago what the allegation is. I think it is bizarre that I have been treated in this way. Tactically I've probably made a mistake because at the very beginning I referred myself to the police. The police have been through every single one of my receipts. In the Legg report yesterday other people have paid money back. If there is a problem – and I don't think there is a problem – why wasn't I given the opportunity to pay back?

"It's striking that the main allegations that were made against me were ones that I referred myself to the police for; they are not the ones that I'm being charged with."

What does strike me is Jim's pointed comment that there was no reference to shelving and no reference to mileage. Is that therefore an admission of guilt on the part of the disgraced Livingston MP? Don't worry I'm sure his Labour replacement as candidate Graeme Morrice will come up with something about Jim having to be in residential streets during the working day clearing this dirt from his name and not on the major locations doing the work for as many of Livingston as possible.

Also see: Still not not-giving interviews, Jim Devine appeared on Channel 4 News this evening, see it courtesy of Rantin Rab.

From Astonished to Devastated

Jim Devine, Livingston's soon to be ex-MP foretold he would be 'astonished' is he faced criminal charges. After the event he actually says he is 'absolutely devastated'. His is accused of "dishonestly claiming" money for cleaning services and for stationery using false invoices.

Maybe he should put that crystal ball about his own reactions back on the shelf. If only he can find it....the shelf that is.

This post has been sent via email therefore spacing and fonts may not appear at my usual standard. Also there may be links to other relevant blog entries or other content added later today along with adding the correct tagging.

***Breaking*** 'Astonished' Livingston MP Jim Devine Facing Criminal Charges

Earlier today Livingston MP Jim Devine (pictured left) said he would be "astonished" if he were to face criminal charges from the Criminal Prosecution Service over his expenses.

Well to his astonishment but not many of his constituents that is just what has been announced. Along with Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Lord Hanningfield he is being charged under the Theft Act.

Director of Public Prosecution Karl Starmer said:

"In four cases, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges and that it is in the public interest to charge the individuals concerned.

"Accordingly, summonses in these cases have been obtained from the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court and will now be served on the individuals in question."

I will return to this story through the day as the news unravels.

UPDATE: See more here and here.

A Word from Our Returning Officer

No doubt on election night somewhere between 1 and 2 A.M. if all goes smoothly Alex Linkston and his staff will be getting well deserved thanks for another well run count. polling day operation etc. Indeed in all the years I have known Alex and his organisational skills not once has the team let him down (machinery is a totally different issue from 2007).

Therefore he has a message for the people who can vote in either Livingston or Linlithgow and East Falkirk, in today's Queensbury Gazette and Linlithgow Gazette which I'm sure will be in the West Lothian Courier on Thursday, here it is in full.

"If you are going to be away from home before June 3 you could also consider voting by post. Now is also the time to register for a postal vote. A snap election is a possibility , so it's worth remembering that all applications to vote by post and to register to vote must be received by 11 working days before polling day.

"It is therefore important that all eligible electors check that they are registered to vote now. And if you know you will want to use a postal vote to apply now, rather that wait for the deadline to arrive."

To learn more you can check out the council's website: www.westlothian.gov.uk/aboutmyvote You can also check whether you are registered on the electoral roll at Council Information Services (CIS) centres.

Edinburgh South Labour Looking for Candidate as Livingston Announce Theirs

On the day that Edinburgh South Labour Party start the hunt for their candidate for a candidate to replace Nigel Griffiths MP, Livingston have announced that Graeme Morrice will be their third candidate in three consecutive Westminster Elections in 5 years. The former council leader will step up to the plate to replace the disgraced Jim Devine who was deselected before the party's 'star committee' over his expenses. He beat fellow councillor John McGinty, community education officer Gordon Connolly and Haackney activist Adenike Abimbola-Akindele to the selection. I don't rule out seeing the latter appear on the Edinburgh South shortlist, it would only be the sixth that I know of.

Meanwhile trade unionist Michael McCann has been unveiled as the Labour candidate in East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, after former defence minister Adam Ingram (whose career had a rather big part in last nights Channel 4 Drama Mo).

Compare the Feetball Dot Com Not so Simples

As a fan of the team whose history included the SFL demanding a name change name back in 1974 as they didn't want the financial connection with Ferranti to lower the tone of the place, this story of Stirling Albion doesn't surprise me but kind of brings a smile to the face at the same time.

Fellow strugglers financially Stirling Albion are also a club that the supporters trust is heavily involved came up with a plan to help them survive. Buy the club and selling naming rights to comparethemarket.com for £50,000. For a club £1.5 million in debt and surviving two winding up orders in the last few months it is a small drop in the ocean to rename yourself Stirling Albion Meerkats.

However the SFA said no:

"Any proposed change of name would require to be submitted to the board for consideration and approval.

"Given that a name change for commercial purposes would have huge implications, the integrity of the game would be paramount in any decision-making process."

As a Livingston, formerly known as Meadowbank Thistle, formerly known as Ferranti Thistle, fan you can almost imagine me half crying out now you talk of integrity of the game. But as the SFA took our side over the SFL after the latter's tardiness to decide Livingston's fate before the first ball of the season was kicked.

However, decisions make by the SFA and SFL over the summer, promises made which were later reneged make a claim of integrity to stop a set of fans trying to help their club survive seem hollow. Although if we were to follow the American example, Livingston already known as the Lions would face a tough time selling the naming rights. Either Nestlé and the Lion Bar (which would have Caron and myself up in arms) or Lyons* tea or Ice Cream.

*See what I did there? Subtle, or what?

Serial Applicant Heading (or Not) to Livingston

Was just doing a little bit of digging on the Hackney based Adenike Rachel Abimbola-Akindele who has made the short list for the Livingston seat to replace Jim Devine. Hat tip to Blood and Property a Hackney based blog for this comment on LabourHome.

"Adenike Rachel Abimbola-Akindele is a serial applicant who is putting her cv for most seats, she does not turn up at selections or go to the area but because she is a woman and BAME is always shortlisted. It’s a shame as it is blocking places for more worthwhile applicants who have worked the area for many weeks before nominations. Also, as can be seen in Barrow, she is being tactically nominated by some branches to ensure that their man (John Woodcock – Gordan’s Spad) faces less competition."

As even my brief research showed this is the fifth seat in recent months she has been mentioned as being on the shortlist for. You can see why she ticks two boxes a minority candidate and a woman. Again in Livingston she stands out as the only shortlisted candidate to fit either of those criteria. However the last comment on that post tallies with this comment on Jeff's blog last week. It may explain why Ian Murray (who interestingly only blogs in election years) wasn't on the shortlist, then again maybe not.

Of course if Ms Abimbola-Akindele doesn't show the people of Loganlea and Addiewell will hardly notice and the Labour candidate failed to turn up at the hustings in the either the General Election or By Election in 2005.

Short List for Livingston Labour Candidate Announced

A short list of four to replace disgraced Livingston MP Jim Devine has been announced. Senior Labour Councillor Ian Murray who is understood to have put his name forward is not on the list.

The four are:

• Graeme Morrice former West Lothian Council leader
• John McGinty West Lothian Councillor
• Gordon Connolly community education worker
• Adenike Abimbola-Akindele former House of Commons worker

Morrice is Councillor for Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh to the north east of the constituency. He currently serves on the Local Area Committee, Avoidance of Disputes Committee, Policy and Resources Policy Development and Scrutiny panel and the Joint Consultative Group. He had acted as leader on the Labour controlled Council until the SNP took over as largest party in 2007. In 2007 he was the fourth elected Councillor of four under STV in an area he had represented part of for 20 years.


McGinty is actually one of my local councillors in Bathgate, outwith the Livingston seat, but only just you would say. He serves on the Education Executive Committee, Audit Committee, Local Area Committee, Appeals Committee, Education Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel, Health and Care Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel and the Joint Consultative Group (Teaching Staff).


Connolly is theInternational Partnerships Development Officer with West Lothian Council.

Abimbola-Akindele is the outsider coming from Hackney. She is a school governor and a committee member of Africans for Labour. Looking for that 'safe' Labour seat has already sought selection in Thrurock to replace Andrew Mackinlay only last month. Previously seeking to stand in the next general election for Bury in October, Carlisle, Barrow.

A Short Time Ago, In a Company Not Far from Here

Episode IV

A New Hand

The Federation will in centuries know, or should that be already know, darn it is so hard to decide when Linlithgow's most famous future son managed to help invent transparent 'aluminum' [sic]*. All of course in order to transfer a humpback whale from 1986 to the 23rd Century to save mankind.

Heck even in Bathgate we had a company that made more slimline and similar in manufacture communications devices to those used on the Enterprise NCC1701. Indeed the phones that came out of the Motorola factory in the 1990s and early 21st century were probably more reliable than some of the communicators that Kirk and his crew ended up using.

Little did we know that the Rebel Alliance would also benefit from the know how of West Lothians elite scientific minds. Yes indeed! None other than Jedi Master Luke Skywalker himself may well have benefited from the inventiveness of the people around here. To be precise Touch Bionics who have just released unto the market the first bionic fingers. The myoelectic bespoke prosthesis can pick up electrical signals from the nerve endings of severed fingers or hands to enable the user to handle a fork, glass or light saber.



Of course the pedants amongst you will no doubt want to point out that the Rebel Alliance took on the Empire a long time ago, in a Galaxy far, far away. So maybe that just means that some descendant of Tatooine's most famous son is now living and working in Livingston.

* Why Montgomery Scott has the American way of pronouncing aluminium I dinnae ken.

No Longer Through the Looking Lens

Five hundred jobs are set to be lost by the closure of the Bausch & Lomb contact lens plant closes in Livingston. The phased closure of the factory over next year and into 2011 comes from strategic decision to focus production in just two of its three plants globally.

The two other sites are the company's base in Rochester in up state New York and Waterford in Ireland which hosts the companies research facility. This is the same number of jobs that Diageo is planning to axe in Kilmarnock, and the same fate that affect the Motorola, NEC and other production plants locally. The reason. The net effect of previous closures in that the once proud Silicon Glen is suffering its highest unemployment in a decade and 500 more people will slowly over time be added to that number.

Gerald Ostrov, chairman and chief executive officer of Bausch & Lomb said it was "not a reflection of how our people in Livingston have performed, their professionalism, or their dedication". However, the lose of another major employer from the West Lothian area is another body blow to people in the area.

My Garden Shed Another Footballing Day

Callum Leslie did warn the LYS readers that visiting my blog they would have to endure Livingston news well the news from my club recently it's been busy, its whinger gone and phenominal.

Yesterday there were three pieces of news in order:

• Almondvale was granted its Safety Certificate to host matches.
• The Livingston 5 consortium took control of the club from the Administrator (before the last piece of news was finalised.
• The SFL voted 16-10 in favour of upholding their earlier decision to relgate Livingston to Division 3 in Scottish Football.

Basically although the club did appeal immediately the SFL decision to the SFA to avoid too much more fixture confusion it look likes the club has been saved no matter what by the investors even if the fans will be singing a lot about the size of garden sheds*.

On a lighter note one of my fellow fans favourited this on You Tube and it is hilarious. See we are starting to laugh about it now, good sign.

*As in the chant:

My Garden shed, is bigger than this,

My Garden hed is bigger that this

It's got a door and a window

My Garden shed is bigger than this.

Time to Rethink a Rivalry Chant?

I feel we may need to change a terrace chant:

We are the Livingston FC,

We hate the Pars and we hate ******

The last word used to refer to the team at the west end of Tannadice Street who play in blue. Ever since Kachloulgate there has been a bitterness to the rivalry. However, while John Yorkson the Dunfermline Chairman may well indeed still be a bawbag* the same cannot be said of Dundee Chairman Bob Brannan.

He is prepared to look beyond the past like so many other SFL Chairman have, look to the future and realises:

"It's been suggested that Livingston could go out of business if they are relegated to Division Three, but that would be true for a good number of clubs."

"We have to try to help people who are trying to save football clubs, not obstruct them.

"Many Scottish clubs are technically insolvent. Lots of us - and I include Dundee - run at a loss and are only kept going by directors' donations and help from other benefactors.

"In the current economic situation, a lot of clubs are balancing on a financial tightrope."

He has also said regarding Livingston, their relegation to Division 3, the possible impending death of the club and their refusal to play until their appeal is heard:

"The people who are being punished here are Livingston's genuine fans.

"Not the people who got the club into his mess and are now away from there."

He also goes further to the issue of the £720,000 bond that Livingston had been asked to come up with initially to ensure that even if they failed to fulfil their Division 1 fixtures no club would be out of pocket.

"I can't think of too many SPL clubs who could come up with £720,000 at short notice."

"Celtic, St Johnstone and ourselves are the only clubs in the Scottish game that have paid a transfer fee this close season.

"Clubs just don't have cash and asking Livingston for a huge amount of money like that is just astounding."

It is refreshing to here the opinion of someone whose club have been a close rival on a number of occasions (including an cup tie that went to penalties at Dens Park) speak not acerbically with self interest like Jim Bannatyne of Airdrie.But Banner is looking out for the best interests of football and all Scottish clubs’ fans. Just like Spencer Fearn the Chairman of East Stirling who were also set to benefit from the relegation but who had said while supporting point deduction over relegation for Livingston:

"It's a complete farce and a resignation issue for every single person who made the decision to turn Scottish football into an embarrassment just three days before the start of the season."

Tomorrow is the day when the SFL yet again setting about are breaking their own rules by calling a meeting without 21 days notice to hear Livingston’s appeal that was only lodged on Friday of last week.

*Translation from the Scots for other readers: A scrotum.