Livingston boss David Martindale reckons fan abuse has crossed the line – after entering the stand to confront some angry supporters that he says have been on his case since last season.
The Lions have lost just one league game all season, a surprise 3-0 defeat at Dunfermline last Tuesday, but Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Queen’s Park left them six points adrift of leaders Falkirk.
Stevie May gave Livingston the lead in 50 minutes, finishing a Matty Clarke cross from close range, but that was cancelled out in 59 minutes by Seb Drozd, four minutes before the Spiders’ Roddy McGregor was shown a straight red card when his high boot caught Jamie Brandon in the head.
Martindale entered the stand behind the home dug-out to confront fans he says were ‘waiting on a negative’.
He said: “There has been an element, and it’s an overhang from last season, that are constantly on the case of the players and myself.
“We have a group of fans that are waiting on a negative to jump on it. I genuinely wanted to speak to them to find out what they feel we should be doing, because we’ve lost one game, yet get dog’s abuse.
“I apologise to any fans if I’ve hurt their feelings, but I care for this club, and I think we can do more as a group – myself included – to help the players on the park.
“If we were sitting eighth in the Championship, and maybe won three games, I could probably half-understand a bit of the negativity.
“But we have no divine right to get anything from this league. We don’t have an entitlement to get back in the Premiership, or to beat Queen’s Park. We’re Livingston, we’re a community club.
“This is a really tight league and this group of players have lost one game – you would think we were bottom of the league.”
Martindale reckons fan abuse is a wider problem in society.
He said: “Something has to change in football, because I don’t buy into the narrative that ‘I pay my money, so I can abuse you’.
“It’s getting to a point where lines are being crossed on a weekly basis, on social media and in the stands.
“Why would you want to turn up to shout abuse at players and staff?
“It’s not just Livingston, I think this is a problem in football. Social media is a cesspit, and it’s a minority that want to batter players.
“I felt we should have got more from the game, I think we were a wee bit unlucky, but we were the architects of our own downfall, because we didn’t take our chances and we gave away a sloppy goal.
“I don’t think we started the game well enough, we looked a wee bit nervous, but my message to fans is let’s all get on the same page, push together, and see where it takes us.”
Livingston head to Hamilton Accies on Saturday, having already beat them 3-0 this season.
However, John Rankin’s side have picked up form recently, with wins over Airdrie and Morton.
Martindale said: “They open the park up well, like to keep the ball, and I think it will be a tough game.
“I would argue that most teams are stronger at home in this league.
“I don’t think we’ve had an easy game this season. Even the Hamilton game that was 3-0, it was two late goals, it wasn’t easy within the game.
“Going into this, I think we’ve got to be a wee bit more clinical, and better with our execution.”
• Meanwhile, Livingston have been drawn at home to Highland League outfit Brora Rangers in the third round of the Scottish Cup.
The draw was made at Hampden last week and the Lions will play host on Saturday, November 30. Kick-off in that one will be 3pm.
Livingston also host Morton in the SPFL Trust Trophy quarter-finals on Tuesday, with a 7.45pm kick-off.