Dougie Imrie appointed as First-Team Coach & Head of Academy Professional Programmes
Livingston FC is delighted to announce that Dougie Imrie has joined the club as our new Head of Academy Professional Programmes and First-Team Coach.
Dougie has spent the last seven years as a player and coach at Hamilton Academical after retiring from playing at the end of 2018-19 season but departed the club on Sunday following their relegation to the Championship.
Having started his career in the amateur ranks at Kirkfield United, Lanark Thistle and Symington Tinto, he then joined Junior side Lanark United where he was spotted by then Clyde boss Graham Roberts who signed him for the Bully Wee in 2006.
From then, Dougie became a well-known face in the Scottish game, playing for Clyde, Inverness and Hamilton before moving to St Mirren for a reported £35,000 in 2012. After a season with the Buddies, Imrie then moved to Greenock Morton before returning to Hamilton in 2014 where he has remained ever since.
After retiring in 2019, Dougie joined the coaching staff at Hamilton as a Development Coach, working with the younger teams at the club, predominantly the U18 side, as well as supporting first-team manager Brian Rice.
Dougie has his UEFA A Licence, is an Elite Youth A and B Licence Holder, and holds a Diploma In Applied Football Management.
Welcome to the club, Dougie!
Manager David Martindale said: “I’m really happy to bring someone with Dougie’s experience to Livingston FC. Unfortunately, Dougie fell victim to Hamilton’s relegation to the Championship, hence why he is available.
“I felt it was too good an opportunity to turn down as Dougie brings a wealth of coaching and experience within the club academy Scotland programme and has worked with Hamilton as first-team coach since hanging up his boots.
“Dougie is going to perform a similar role here as we look to reintroduce the academy back into the Livingston FC structure. Dougie is going to be vital in this process and will also come into the first-team set-up as a first-team coach.
“I’m really excited at the progress the club has been making behind the scenes in the face of a pandemic. By committing to youth football at Livingston FC, it most certainly can only be good for the success of the first-team in years to come, but also the wider local community by providing a pathway to our first-team for youth footballers.
“It is an important cog in the future success of Livingston Football Club.
“On the whole though, I’m really pleased to bring Dougie on board and I’m looking forward to working with him on a daily basis and seeing the progress he will make with academy football at the club. Dougie’s official title will be Head of Academy Professional Programmes & First-Team Coach.
“I’d like to put on record my thanks to Colin McGowan and Brian Rice from Hamilton Academical for their help in us being able to bring Dougie to the club.”
We’ll have an exclusive interview with Dougie on LFC Live later tonight.
