Livingston was a professional basketball team that was based in Livingston, Scotland. The team was founded in 1977, under the name Edinburgh, by steel magnate David Murray, and was backed by a sponsorship from his company, Murray International Metals. Using the name Murray International or MIM Livingston, they went on to be one of the most successful clubs in Scottish basketball history, playing first in Edinburgh, and then later moving to Livingston.
History During the height of its success, Livingston were Scottish National League Champions seven times between 1979 and 1987. The club was founded by members of the British Basketball League, a professional league established in 1987 by leading clubs from England and Scotland. Playing out of the newly built 3,000-seat Forum Arena, Livingston were successful in their inaugural season and with an 81–72 victory over regular season champions Portsmouth, were winners of the first Carlsberg League Championship Final.
In 1988 Murray acquired Rangers Football Club and inherited plans to form a 'sporting club' as the previous owner had bought Carlsberg League club Kingston for £100,000 and moved them to Glasgow. The Glasgow Rangers basketball team made their first appearance alongside Livingston in the 1988–89 season, becoming the league's second Scottish club. Rangers dominated the campaign, pipping Livingston to the regular season title and then beating them in the final of the Championship Play-offs, winning 89–86. Livingston also finished as runners-up in the NatWest League Trophy, losing 89–81 to Bracknell in the Final.
Despite the success of his two basketball teams, Murray was rumoured to have had a fall out with the basketball authorities in 1989 over a proposal to have both teams playing at The Forum Arena on alternate weekends, meaning a home game would be staged every week. The move was blocked and so Murray withdrew his financial support. The Rangers team was sold and moved back to Kingston-upon-Thames in 1989, whilst the Livingston club briefly returned to the Scottish League before becoming the Livingston Bulls.
Notable players
Bobby Archibald Alton Byrd Alan Cunningham Vic Fleming
Record in European competition
SeasonCompetitionRoundOpponentHomeAwayAggregate1978-79FIBA Korać CupFirst round Stockport Belgrade84-8370-73154-1561980-81FIBA European Champions CupGroup Stage EBBC73-67106-64Group Stage Inter Slovnaft75-6380-76Group Stage Hageby94-8082-851981-82FIBA European Champions CupGroup Stage FC Barcelona80-104116-90Group Stage ASVEL67-8187-79Group Stage Honvéd76-7288-821982-83FIBA European Champions CupFirst round Fribourg Olympic74-7877-71145-1551983-84FIBA European Champions CupFirst round Torpan Pojat100-8582-89189-167Second round FC Barcelona93-9491-85178-1851984-85FIBA European Champions CupFirst round Oostende80-7689-79159-1651985-86FIBA European Champions CupFirst round Real Madrid72-7675-65137-1511986-87FIBA European Champions CupFirst round Milan83-10183-83166-1841987-88FIBA European Champions CupFirst round Saturn Köln88-9198-82170-1891988-89FIBA Korać CupFirst round Den Helder77-7393-87164-1661989-90FIBA European Champions CupFirst round Skovlund86-5962-74 160-121Round of 16 Split Jugoplastika84-97 122-65 149-219
See also Midlothian Bulls British Basketball League
References