LIVINGSTON celebrated a rare victory off the pitch yesterday after former chief executive Ged Nixon lost his £311,000 court case against the club.
Nixon was seeking a decree that would force Livingston to repay all of his director's loan on demand.
As well as ruling in favour of the club, Lord Tyre, who heard the case over three days at the start of February, also reduced Nixon's claim to £215,367.
Nixon, who helped to take the Lions out of administration in 2009, is still due the amended amount but will now not get any of the cash until the club are in a financial position to hand it over.
In Livingston's accounts for the year ending June 2014, it was revealed that the troubled West Lothian outfit are £1.63 million in debt, although all of that money is due to current and former directors in the form of loans.
A Livingston statement read: "In the Judgement, Lord Tyre, on page 10 (22) stated that he was satisfied on the evidence taken as a whole that agreement was reached on 16th September 2010 that the loans made by the 4 investors, including the Pursuer, were not to be repayable on demand but only when the Company could afford to repay them, and that this agreement crystallised what was already a common understanding among them."
Nixon, who left his post in October 2013 following a bitter fall out with majority shareholder Neil Rankine, refused to comment on the verdict but it is understood he discussed the possibility of an appeal with his legal team yesterday.
Rankine had claimed that the club would be forced into a third administration if they had lost the case, although Nixon has denied that suggestion.
Livingston have been plagued by a long list of off-field problems this season.
The Championship basement outfit were fined £10,000 and docked five points by the Scottish Professional Football League last November over tax irregularities.
The Scottish FA meted out a £5,000 penalty and signing embargo two weeks ago after finding Rankine guilty of breaking dual interests rules over his involvement in League Two side East Fife.
Rankine has been given until May 15 to dispose of his shares in either club or face further punishment from Hampden officials.
And a SFA arbitration panel recently ruled that agent Scott Fisher was due £30,000. The club was also ordered to pay £15,000 in legal costs.
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