⚽ The Kick-Off - Friday 8th May 2026
Marvin Bartley resigns from Livingston. Elgin City suspend manager Alan Hale. Signings for Montrose and East Kilbride. Derek McInnes named SPFL Premiership Manager of the Year. McGinn scores twice.
Random Scottish Football Fact #305:
Inverness Caledonian Thistle are the first club to win a Scottish league title after a points deduction.
NEWS
🔚 Head Coach Marvin Bartley and assistant Neil Hastings both resigned from Livingston yesterday. The club’s statement was brief and included that Scott Arfield will take interim charge for the final three games of the season. - Livingston FC website
Marvin Bartley released his own statement after the news was made public. He stated that promises made to him when taking the role, about being in charge next season if they were relegated, have been broken, and that both he and Neil Hastings were told they would need to reapply for their jobs. - BBC
And if you thought that was the end of updates and statements at Livingston yesterday, you would be wrong. Chairman Calvin Ford then subsequently released his own update, where there was zero mention of Marvin Bartley or Neil Hastings.
It did, however, say: “It is of paramount importance that we transition into an operation that is not reliant on one individual making all of the footballing decisions.” - Livingston FC website
⚫️ Elgin City have suspended manager Alan Hale pending an ongoing investigation. The club said they will make no further comment until the investigation is completed. - Kieran Fleming, STV
✍️ East Kilbride announced the pre-contract signing of 20-year-old midfielder Ally Spalding from Arbroath. - East Kilbride on X
🔵 Montrose have signed Declan Glass on a two-year contract after he departed from Cove Rangers. - Montrose FC website
🏅 Hearts manager Derek McInnes has been named the Glen’s Vodka Premiership Manager of the Year. - SPFL website
⚽️ Super John McGinn scored twice last night to send Aston Villa into the UEFA Europa League Final. His second-half double sealed a 4-1 aggregate win over Nottingham Forest.
🔵 Cove Rangers announced that Grady McGrath, Declan Glass, Justin Eguaibor, and Mackenzie Strachan are all leaving Balmoral Park at the end of their contracts. - Cove Rangers on X
📝 Greenock Morton announced that Cammy Ballantyne has signed a new contract for next season. - Greenock Morton website
🔵 Forfar Athletic announced a wealth of contract extensions last night. Aron Lynas, Jamie Richardson, and top scorer Martin Rennie all signed new deals ahead of the second leg of their play-off against Hamilton tomorrow. - Forfar Athletic on X
🏟️ The SPFL has approved Hamilton Academical’s return to New Douglas Park next season. - Hamilton Academical website
🏟️ Dumbarton are replacing their grass pitch at The Rock with an astroturf surface. Fans had the chance to head along to the ground and dig up their own piece of the pitch at £20 a square yard. All money raised is going to their youth pathway. - Dumbarton FC website
🏟️ Raith Rovers have begun work on replacing their 3G surface at Starks Park ahead of next season. - Raith Rovers website
⏳ There are now just two team spaces left for The World Cup Quiz at The Clubhouse in Glasgow on Monday, 1st June. Rory Hamilton will be on hosting duties, and every participant will receive a free copy of Nutmeg magazine. - enter your team here
🌎 Days until Haiti v Scotland at the World Cup: 36
SCOTTISH FOOTBALL FIXTURES TODAY
➡️ William Hill Premiership Play-Off Quarter Final Second Leg
Arbroath (0) v (1) Dunfermline Athletic (7.45pm)
SCOTTISH FOOTBALL ON TV THIS WEEKEND
📺 Friday
Arbroath v Dunfermline Athletic (BBC Scotland: 7.45pm)
📺 Saturday
Five play-off matches all on Premier Sports Player at 3pm
Motherwell v Hearts (Sky Sports Main Event: 8pm)
Sportscene: Premiership Highlights (BBC One Scotland: 10.20pm)
📺 Sunday
Celtic v Rangers (Sky Sports Main Event: 12pm)
Partick Thistle Women v Rangers Women (BBC iPlayer: 2pm)
Celtic Women v Heart of Midlothian Women (BBC Alba: 4.10pm)
Sportscene: Premiership Highlights (BBC Scotland: 7.15pm)
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