| Club: | Livingston |
| Season: | 2023–24 |
| Manager: | David Martindale |
| Chairman: | John Ward |
| Stadium: | Almondvale Stadium |
| League: | Scottish Premiership |
| League Result: | 12th (relegated) |
| Cup1: | Scottish League Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Quarter-final |
| Cup2: | Scottish Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Quarter-final |
| League Topscorer: | Bruce Anderson (7) |
| Season Topscorer: | Bruce Anderson (10) |
| Highest Attendance: | 8,396, vs. Celtic, Premiership, 31 March 2024 |
| Lowest Attendance: | 872, vs. Clyde, League Cup, 29 July 2023 |
| Pattern La1: | _livi2324h |
| Pattern B1: | _livi2324h |
| Pattern Ra1: | _livi2324h |
| Pattern So1: | _blacktop |
| Leftarm1: | FFD200 |
| Body1: | FFD200 |
| Rightarm1: | FFD200 |
| Shorts1: | FAC70F |
| Socks1: | FFD200 |
| Pattern La2: | _livi2324a |
| Pattern B2: | _livi2324a |
| Pattern Ra2: | _livi2324a |
| Pattern Sh2: | _livi2324a |
| Pattern So2: | _livi2324a |
| Leftarm2: | 000000 |
| Body2: | 000000 |
| Rightarm2: | 000000 |
| Shorts2: | 000000 |
| Socks2: | 000000 |
| Prevseason: | 2022–23 |
| Nextseason: | 2024–25 |
The 2023–24 season was Livingston's sixth consecutive season in the Scottish Premiership, the top flight of Scottish football. Livingston also competed in the League Cup and the Scottish Cup.
On 1 June it was announced that chairman Robert Wilson would retire from his position.[1] The following week the club promoted Chief Executive John Ward to the position of Chairman, with Dave Black becoming the new Chief Executive, having previously been Business Development Manager and Head of Commercial & Media Operations - Black had in fact once been a ball boy for the club.[2]
On 24 September 2023, Livingston announced a takeover of the club with new ownership led by businessman John McIlvogue and his company Baycup Ltd. McIlvogue would be taking up the role of chief commercial officer.[3] [4] The move was cast into doubt weeks later as former directors launched a legal challenge to the sale of the club.[5] Manager David Martindale reported that the dispute was still ongoing at the end of the season, and his future was likely to be determined by the outcome of an upcoming court case.[6] As of 4 June 2024, the case remains unresolved - no changes have been made in respect of the ownership or directors of the club resultant from the 'takeover'.[7] There have however been changes to the board of the club's majority owner, Opcco6 Ltd, in January 2024 with the removal as director of the club's chairman John Ward. At the same time the company reported the appointments of Neil Hogarth and Carolyn Sumner as directors and, in March, Neil Rankine as company secretary. [8] Rankine's appontment came shortly after the club reported that they had been able to settle a long-running feud with the former director in court.[9]
On the pitch, the club enjoyed a strong showing in the League Cup, winning their group after three wins and a draw (losing the bonus point in a penalty shootout) against Hamilton Academical. In the second round they defeated Ayr United before succumbing to Glasgow giants Rangers in the quarter-finals.
In the Scottish Cup, they suffered a similar fate, succumbing to Celtic at the quarter-final stage after wins over Championship sides Raith Rovers and Partick Thistle (after extra time).
In the Premiership, Livi made a reasonable start but, after beating Motherwell on 7 October, failed to win again in 2023. They entered the winter break after a home defeat by Hearts, completing a run of two points from 13 games. During this run the team suffered seven losses in a row, including six successively without scoring, making them the first team to suffer six successive top-flight defeats with no goals since Aberdeen in 1999.[10]
By February the team had surpassed the club's previous longest-ever winless run in league games, lasting 17 games between 21 October 2023 and 7 February 2024. The club's previous longest winless run in league games was between 14 May 2005 and 5 November 2005, stretching 16 games across the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons. This was brought to an end with a 1-0 home victory against St Mirren on 17 February.
Another winless streak followed, with the Lions reaching the Premiership's 33-game 'split' at the foot of the table, 12 points adrift of Ross County with five games to play.
After the split, the Lions managed to pick up a win in the first match, beating Ross County 2-0 at home, but they were relegated following a 4-1 defeat away to Motherwell the following week.[11]
They also picked up a come-from-behind 2-1 win at home to St Johnstone, before finishing bottom of the table, 10 points adrift of County.
See main article: 2023–24 Scottish Premiership.
See main article: 2023–24 Scottish League Cup.
See main article: 2023–24 Scottish Cup.
As of 19 May 2024|-|colspan="10"|Players who left the club during the season|-|}
See main article: List of Scottish football transfers summer 2023 and List of Scottish football transfers winter 2023–24.
List of Livingston F.C. seasons
