Pre-season match #3
Wednesday 12 July 2017, kick-off 7.45pm
Livngston FC
Almondvale Stadium
Livingston provide Sunderland with their second test north of the border as pre-season preparations continue to heat up.
A trip to Bury on Friday 7 July sees the Black Cats in action for the first time since their final match of last season.
Gigg Lane will then be followed by a six-day stint in Scotland in which time the Lads will face three more fixtures.
How they fared last season?
Livingston, like Hibernian, enjoyed a promotion winning campaign last term. The Lions topped the Ladbrokes Scottish League One table, 19 points clear of Alloa Athletic in second. Losing just seven of their 36 league matches, David Hopkin’s side won 26 of them on route to the title. Livingston ended the season with nine straight wins and 11 victories in their final 11 games.
Topscorer – Liam Buchanan
The 32-year-old enjoyed a fine goalscoring spree last season, netting 22 goals in all competitions. Having joined Livingston in 2015 from Alloa Athletic, Buchanan has scored goals wherever he has gone and that has been no different at the Almondvale Stadium, striking 33 times in 71 league appearances.
The manager, David Hopkins
While relegation from the Ladbrokes Scottish Championship left Livingston facing an uncertain future, Hopkins has worked wonders and managed to get his side promoted back to the second tier at the first time of asking. The 46-year-old stepped up from assistant head coach in December 2015, signing a one-year deal. Despite the season ending in relegation, Livingston stuck by their man and kept faith with him to get them promoted. And he passed with flying colours.
Last time out between Sunderland and Livingston – BORINIIII!
It may have been a behind closed door friendly at the Stadium of Light, but the last time these sides faced each other Fabio Borini did this…
