FORMER Cowdenbeath chairman Gordon McDougall has emerged as a possible saviour of Livingston after revealing he has entered into talks over a takeover of the troubled club.
McDougall was removed as chairman at Central Park last year after selling his controlling interest 12 months previously and has since been co-opted on to the board of Dunfermline.
However, the 64-year-old, who earned a reputation during 18 years
at Cowdenbeath for his work with the local community and in youth development, is now eyeing up a return to the front line with Livingston.
Almondvale chairman Angelo Massone is struggling to keep the West Lothian club afloat, with wages having repeatedly not been paid to players and staff, and the local authority threatening to pull the plug on the Italian lawyer unless around £200,000 in rent arrears for the stadium are cleared.
Massone bought Livingston for only £1 from Irishman Pearse Flynn 12 months ago but has had to plough six-figure sums of his own money into the club to stop it from going out of business. With Italian investors apparently walking away from an agreement with Massone, it is feared it is only a matter of time before the club goes into administration for the second time in only five years.
However, McDougall believes he can turn around the stricken club's fortunes if he can persuade Massone to sell up and hand over full control to him.
He said: "I would very much like to take over the reins, if a reasonable deal can be settled. I would only be interested in sole control and I would hope we could sort something out before administration.
"Times don't look good for the club – in common with many other clubs in Scotland at the moment. We discussed figures tentatively and, if in fact these figures are what was being asked for the club, I would cease to have an interest in it. We're not talking millions but a substantial six-figure sum.
"I think I've got a fair grasp of what clubs make and what they lose in Scotland and it's a difficult climate. There's not much coming in commercially. Livingston is local to me and I've still got the passion for the game. I'm desperate to work with young players and try to help the game in this country."
Livi For Live Supporters' Trust spokesman Ged Nixon said: "The Trust welcomes anybody that is interested in taking the club on. The ball is in Angelo's court and he shouldn't let his ego get in the way of things. He cannot turn around the situation without a major capital investment and I know he's been trying to achieve that for some time without any forthcoming.
"However, Massone told BBC Scotland last night: "We are not interested in selling the club at the moment. Maybe for £10m yes, but this is a non story. Mr McDougall said he would like to be involved but he made no offer.
"I am ready to buy the stadium. I will decide in the next week. I must and will pay the rent arrears."
The full article contains 527 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
