Take my Uggs and the gaffer’s Barbour gets it

Individual commitment from each member of our squad is what it will take to achieve group success.

I know that everyone of my team-mates are fully committed. We are all willing to fight for each other and do everything we can to help one another out.

Gary Bollan has been shrewd with his signings since taking over in 2009. Not only has he signed talented footballers but boys who are team players. They want to succeed, not just as an individual, but as a team.

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The squad is small in size but what it lacks in depth it more than makes up for in team spirit. Everyone in the Livi dressing-room is great friends and has each other’s back.

This team spirit can make it hard for the gaffer at times. Everyday there is a laugh and a joke and one or two pranks and it is often difficult for the manager to find the guilty party.

No player is innocent, and at some point we have all been involved in the dressing-room wind-ups. He does have his favourites to blame and it’s usually myself, Wee Bobby, Sinky, Paul Watson, Johnny B and Mango who are his prime suspects. Mind you, the manager and assistant Scott Patterson can’t moan to much as they are as bad as the players at times.

Just last week I turned up to training sporting my new Ugg boots. I was well chuffed with them and the boys were quick to compliment my stylish footwear! After training I arrived back to my peg to find that my Uggs were missing! Now I knew it wouldn’t have been any of my team-mates as they loved them and they were all quick to help me find them . . .

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Eventually, my beloved boots were found, stashed away in the first-team kit hamper. Only the gaffer and Scotty have access to this hamper, which leaves them as the only culprits. I’m sure if the manager’s sacred Barbour jacket or Scotty’s favourite woollen cardigan went missing, they would be gutted . . . !

Perhaps our spirit is summed up by our goalkeeper Tony Bullock. Unfortunately our No. 1 has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after having extensive knee surgery. A cruel blow to Tony, who had a fantastic season last year on our way to winning the Second Division Championship.

Instead of staying away from the club and letting the injury get to him, as it would do to most of us, he is still in and around the changing-room and can be seen and heard supporting the boys from the dugout every Saturday.

He is also in charge of our weekly score predictor league and spends his weekends working out all the boys’ predictions. Come Monday, we have all the results and the winner of the weekly prize money.

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Although not playing, Bully is very much part of the dressing-room and epitomises our team spirit.

Livingston is a great club to be part of and I enjoy coming into work everyday to a happy environment, but we all know when to be serious when it comes to train and play on a Saturday.

After last week’s creditable draw up at Ross County, we have a home game against Partick Thistle this weekend.

It is another exciting and challenging game for us to look forward to. Although the Jags have hit some great form of late we will be going into the match looking for a positive scoreline.

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