**UPDATED** Livi Lions (Livingston F.C.)

Member Name: Hollz123

Product:	Livingston F.C.
Date:	11/08/01 (127 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great style of play, Positive, Wealthy

Disadvantages: They are not st mirren

By the close of season 1994-1995, Meadowbank Thistle's fiery rise from the East of Scotland League competition to the senior Scottish League had all but burnt-out. The hopes of those 4000 who had attended the first game at the capital's Commonwealth Stadium had been long unrealised and by the end only a handful of hard-core fans turned-up and watch the games played at what was generally agreed to be the least atmospheric of all of Scotland's 40 senior venues.

The were memories of course; the majority were irregular cup clashes against some of the major Scottish Clubs; a SKOL Cup semi-final appearance in 1984 and the Second Division championship success of 1986-87.

However, after 20 years in senior competition, the 'Wee Bankies' had still not managed to cultivate a broader supporter-base and, living very much in the shadow of the Capital's Big Two - Hibs & Hearts - it was accepted that Meadowbank had found a comfortable niche in the lower divisions and that they were destined to remain there and dream - always - of the occasionally commanding the football media with an unexpected 'Giant Killing'. Unless - of course - there were some dramatic changes.

‘Legend’ has it, that, during a chance meeting between Mr. Bill Hunter - then Secretary of Meadowbank Thistle - and a member of Livingston Development Corporation, which took place at Musselburgh races near Edinburgh, that Mr. Hunter informed the said member of LDC that he was planning to take Meadowbank Thistle to East Lothian where, it was hoped, a football hungry population would be willing to offer more support for the team. The LDC member - speaking off the cuff - said that he would be better advised to take the team West to the booming New Town of Livingston. The seeds were sewn - and the rest is as they say - history.

However, it was not an easy transition. Meadowbank Thistle had attracted a small - but very proactive - band of support
ers during their short existence and many were shocked to learn that the Club not only planned to move out to the New Town, but, that they were also to adopt the name of their new venue. Dropping the name Meadowbank was one thing, but to loose the 'Thistle' meant deleting a heritage which had been continued since Ferranti Thistle were founded as a works team back in 1949. For some it was simply anathama; they believed that Meadowbank Thistle's proud history was being savagely surrendered under the hammer of business speculation by the Board.

Thereafter, a tragic and, at times, extremely high profile war was waged between certain sections of the support and the Board - now completely controlled by W.P. Hunter. In the marked tradition of footballing upsets, the verbal attacks escalated into assaults and spilled into the stands where some particularly nasty, verbal abuse was hurled at the Chairman and his board.

The die was cast though: Meadowbank Thistle applied to the Scottish Football League to have their name changed to Livingston Football Club and, with the backing of LDC plans for a new, 4,000 capacity, all-seated stadium were guided through the application stages and the first sods cut.

It goes without saying that the stadium - a massive project in itself - was not completed in time for the newly launched and highly publicised Livingston to make it’s league debut.

Livingston Football are now in the Scottish Premier League after they won titles in Divisions 1/2/3. Their early season form give a positive attitude to the Scottish game.

Livvy are a true sucess story!

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