Livingston manager David Martindale has backed Marvin Bartley to be a success at Queen of the South and insists he is surprised his former number two has not started at a higher level.
Bartley left his post as assistant to Martindale at the Lions on Sunday to become the new boss at the League One side, who recently parted company with WIllie Gibson in the dugout.
The former Hibs, Burnley and Bournemouth midfielder Bartley initially moved to Livingston in a playing capacity in summer 2019 before making the transition to coaching.
Martindale is in no doubt that the 36-year-old will now flourish as he takes the first steps going out on his own.
Martindale said: “When I sat down and spoke to Marv over three years ago, one of the selling points for me when he came in was to come in and work as my coach.
“He came in as captain and I then gave him the responsibility in the reserves, he was captain for two years and then my assistant manager for the last 18 months.
“Over those 18 months, I’ve kind of put him in for jobs if folk phoned me, I would say, ‘have a look at Marvin’.
“I think he’s an outstanding individual, my initial conversation with Marvin was, ‘come in, use me as a stepping stone, try and get yourself into coaching’, because that was his ambition.
“I’m a wee bit surprised it has taken this long but I’m delighted for him.
“There is sadness there that he will not be working with me on a daily basis but he's still a close friend and I think he will do a fantastic job.
“He is a big character, very positive he will be a loss but I think over the last two years I’ve lost my goalie coach, Tony Caig, I lost (coach) Dougie Imrie, I’ve lost (assistant) Liam Fox, I’ve lost Marv.
“I’ve lost a lot of influential people over the years and that is just the coaching staff but we’re well set up to keep doing what we do.”
Martindale’s former coach Imrie is now excelling in the dugout in charge of Championship team Morton, while ex-number two Fox is now in charge of Dundee United after initially leaving the Lions to be assistant to then boss Tam Courts at Tannadice.
And Martindale thought Bartley might have been picked up by at least a Championship club.
He added: “The only surprise for me is that he is managing in League One, for me Marv can manage at a higher level.
“I don’t mean that disrespectfully to Queen of the South as I have a lot of time for Queens and I have a good relationship with (chairman) Billy Hewitson and the boys down there.
“Given time, Marv will make a good fist of it. I’m more than comfortable if he is given the time and resources he will get them back to the Championship at the earliest opportunity.”
