Massone maintains there are no financial problems at Livingston

Livingston chairman Angelo Massone has offered to open up the club's accounts to inspection by the fans in an attempt to allay fears about the future.

Payments to players and other staff at the Division One club have been late on several occasions this season.

But Massone has consistently played down suggestions of financial problems.

And he made the latest offer in response to the club's fans' trust, which wants it to be renamed Livingston Community Football Club.

Livingston's 1-0 win away to Clyde on Saturday lifted the team into third place in the Division One table, just seven points behind leaders St Johnstone in the race for promotion to the Scottish Premier League.

But, off the field, there have been question marks raised about the club's future, with debtors having taken the club to court for non-payment of bills.

And Massone, who heads the consortium that took control of the club in the summer, attended a meeting of Livingston Fans' Football Trust in an attempt to allay their fears.

I reassure our loyal fans that Livingston Football Club is not in serious financial trouble and it is not facing going into administration Livingston chairman Angelo Massone

The supporters' body presented its own proposals for the future of the club and stressed that it was crucial that any financial problems were resolved.

Massone told the gathering that there would be no club if it was not for his consortium's financial backing because of debts inherited from previous owner Pearse Flynn.

The Italian had last month released a statement on the club's website outlining his financial commitment to Livingston.

"Over the past few months, I have made regular five-figure contributions from my own personal money so that the club can continue to pay what it owes," he said.

"In the last month alone, I have invested £50,000 of my own money to ensure the future of the club.

"I put in £30,000 at the beginning of this month, £5,000 a few days later and then £15,000.

"I want the Livingston supporters to see these figures and see what contribution I am making."

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Massone called on the fans to give their backing rather than listen to what he describes as rumours and speculation in the press.

"I am not going to walk away from the club," he said. "I am 100% committed to the project.

"Again, I reassure our loyal fans that Livingston Football Club is not in serious financial trouble and it is not facing going into administration."

Livingston last month opened talks with Parma about a possible link-up with the Italian Serie B club.

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