Davie Martindale was never supposed to succeed.

Born into poverty and raised in the schemes of West Lothian, Martindale went from a prison cell to managing Scottish Premiership side Livingston FC, along the way undertaking a journey that few could have imagined.

Raw, unflinching, and impossible to ignore, Prison, Poverty, Premiership is the remarkable story of Davie’s life. It’s the story of how a broken leg and bad choices derailed a promising youth career, how crime and addiction nearly ended everything, and how football became an undeniable route back. This is the story of his rise from cleaning the terraces as a volunteer, to leading Livingston’s climb through the leagues, as both man and team defied every expectation to earn their place at Scottish football’s top table.

More than a football memoir, this is a powerful account of Scotland’s class divides, the realities of poverty, and the resilience needed to overcome the odds. Martindale’s journey is Livingston’s journey - and together, they show how believing in second chances can lead you to the truly extraordinary.

Davie Martindale is the manager of Livingston FC. Born and raised in West Lothian, he overcame poverty, prison and addiction to rebuild his life through education and football. Starting as a volunteer janitor at Livingston in 2014, he worked his way up to become manager, leading the club to stability in the Scottish Premiership and earning plaudits for his remarkable journey.

© 2027 Davie Martindale (P) 2027 DK Audio