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Livingston drew 1-1 with Carlisle in their final pre-season game, played behind closed doors in St Andrews.

Stephen Kelly opened the scoring, before Carlisle, promoted to League One last season, equalised through Ryan Edmondson.

David Martindale's side are back in action on Saturday, hosting Hamilton Academical in the Viaplay Cup group stages.

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Michael Nottingham has joined Livingston following his exit from Accrington Stanley.

The defender, 34, has agreed a one-year deal with the Scottish Premiership club. He has made more than 100 English Football League appearances, having also turned out for Blackpool and Crewe Alexandra.

"I'm delighted to get Michael's signature as I know he had a few options in League One and Two in England," manager David Martindale told the Livingston website.

"He can play a variety of positions, predominantly in the defensive areas - centre defence, right-back and right wing-back and has also played defensive centre midfield.

"I felt at times last season we were a bit vulnerable away from home at set plays and conceded far too many goals on the road in open play and set plays. Michael will definitely help us to improve on this.

"His competitive nature, desire to defend and undoubted experience will be a huge benefit to the group and I'm looking forward to working with him."

���˿��� Scotland has extended its rights deal with the SPFL until 2029.

An existing UK only deal, which includes Premiership highlights on Sportscene and radio coverage of top-flight action, was due to expire in 2025.

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: "This long-term extension of our partnership with the ���˿��� is great news for fans, for our clubs and for the SPFL."

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David Martindale was pleased to see the goals being shared against Brechin City as he admitted that Livingston are "never going to attract a 20-goal-a-season striker".

The manager was speaking to the club's Twitter account after they started the Scottish League Cup group-stage with a 3-0 away win against the Highland League champions.

After striker Joel Nouble slotted the opener, midfielder Sean Kelly curled in a free-kick then winger Cristian Montano headed the late third.

"At the top of the park, it costs money to bring them in," Martindale said. "You're never going to change that and the pleasing thing is three different goalscorers."

Martindale said it also "brings a smile to your face" to be able to hand a first-team competitive debut to 16-year-old defender Calan Ledingham for the final eight minutes.

Livingston play a friendly against Carlisle United on Tuesday in St Andrews ahead of their next League Cup group game at home to Hamilton Academical on Saturday.

Livingston manager David Martindale says he will be ecstatic if he holds on to Joel Nouble, who scored in Saturday's 3-0 win over Brechin City, but fears losing the 27-year-old striker. (Sunday Post, print edition)

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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Livingston opened their Viaplay Cup campaign with a comfortable 3-0 win away to Highland League side Brechin City.

Joel Nouble struck Livi's opener in the 41st minute. Sean Kelly's free-kick doubled that advantage early in the second period and Cristian Montano headed a late third.

Elsewhere in Group C, Hamilton Academical beat hosts Clyde 3-1.

Brechin visit Hamilton on Tuesday. Livi's next fixture is at home to Hamilton on Saturday.

Mikey Devlin is ready to show "the best version of myself" in a fresh start at Livingston after three years of injury troubles.

"I feel good within myself,” said the former Aberdeen and Scotland defender.

“It has been a good couple of weeks since I started back and I have had some game time in pre-season.

"Probably the best thing that has come out of the last few months is the confidence in my body.

"That has come back and I can play a little bit more free than what I have done in the past and try to play my natural game as opposed to being a little more protective of myself.

"I feel confident and excited, I feel I can start to show the best version of myself."

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Scottish football returns this weekend with the group stage fixtures of the Viaplay Cup getting under way.

David Martindale’s Livingston travel to Glebe Park on Saturday to face Highland League side Brechin City.

Who would you pick for your starting XI? Choose your team here.

The Scottish Premiership fixture between Livingston and Celtic at the Tony Macaroni Arena on Saturday, 23 September has been selected for TV coverage.

The game will now kick-off at 12:30 BST, and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

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David Martindale outlined the difficulty he’s facing in the transfer window with budget cuts at Livingston and says he has missed out on seven targets to other Premiership clubs.

With mainstays Nicky Devlin, Jack Fitzwater and Stephane Omeonga having departed Livi this summer, Martindale is seeking three more signings after adding defenders Mikey Devlin and Miles Welch-Hayes and midfielder Mo Sangare.

“It’s been a difficult transfer window, we’ve had to shave a considerable amount off of our budget which has made recruiting players a little bit more difficult,” said the manager.

“It's probably made me more creative in terms of who I'm trying to bring in and where I'm trying to bring them in from.

“We’ve lost seven targets to other clubs within the league but I'm extremely happy with what we have brought in.

“I want to be active and I've got another two or three to bring in after the players we’ve lost.

“We lose three or four big players every season so we’ve got to do a rebuild. Trying to replace them is not easy with the finances and salaries that these players were on, and there’s been budget cuts so I’ve not even got their salary to spend.”

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Livingston boss David Martindale has been speaking to the media before his side's Viaplay Cup opener against Brechin City this weekend.

Here are the key lines:

• He’s “hugely impressed" with new signing Mikey Devlin's "character and ability” and says spending the final months of last season with Hibs “gave him the basis to get his fitness back up".

• It’s been a difficult transfer window and Livingston have had to "shave a considerable amount off" off their budget but it’s made Martindale “more creative".

• Key players have moved on this summer but Martindale is “extremely happy” with his three signings so far and is looking to add three more.

• It’s been a “difficult process” with a new chairman, chief executive and squad upheaval but “it doesn’t feel different to any other year.”

• Touched on the pressures of elite-level football as he joked even though he was on holiday he would still be on Whatsapp while pretending to read a book and says “you don't really get a chance to relax, you're probably just doing working in the sun.”

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Right-back Nicky Devlin feared he would regret it if he did not join Aberdeen from Livingston.

Friday's Scottish Gossip

Livingston have added to their backroom staff with Eugenio Sena, who joins as a first-team coach and analyst, and Macauley Kenney being appointed head of sport science.

Sena, a UEFA A licence holder, has coached in Greece, Saudi Arabia and Australia and worked in academies at clubs including Juventus, Internazionale, Chievo Verona and Debrecen.

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We asked you what would represent success for Livingston in the coming season...

Stuart: A solid defence has always been key to what we do and it's even more important this season with teams again having much more spending power than us and using it well.

We've never been prolific, but we'll get enough (just) goals to win games from Bruce Anderson and Joel Nouble. Watch out for Stephen Bradley contributing a few I think too. Our midfield looks to be as industrious as ever and if we can keep Mikey Devlin fit then we'll have an even better shot at defying the odds.