Ford in as Livingston majority shareholder & chair

Calvin Ford wants to take Livingston "back to where they belong" in the Scottish Premiership after becoming the club's majority shareholder and chairman.

The great-great-grandson of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford has acquired all of John McIlvogue's shares in Baycup Ltd, who have held a controlling interest in Livi for around two years.

"It's become kind of an in vogue thing to become involved in European football and Scottish football. To me, it's not about that," Ford told BBC Scotland before watching Livingston complete victory over Partick Thistle in the Premiership play-offs.

"It's about being with the fans, being with the people, celebrating victories, crying in the losses, feeling the pain. It's not about the financial or the ownership part of it. That's a way to get involved."

McIlvogue said he believed "the time is now right" to on his shares.

John Ward, who is vacating the chairmanship, will continue as a director and said Ford "will bring a sea change to Livingston and the wider West Lothian community".

Ford is a director of CATCH Charity and Henry Ford Health System, chairman of the Detroit Crime Commission and vice-president of sales and marketing for Pentastar Aviation.

And he said prior to the 2-0 win over Thistle, which completed a 4-0 aggregate semi-final win: "With Scotland, you look at these clubs and these fan bases and this ion and this history and the opportunity at Livingston is something that excited me.

"There's a good foundation here, let's build this better and get this club back where it belongs, back in the [Scottish Premiership] and then let's see where we can go from there because I think there's a tonne of potential there."

Livingston will play Ross County or Dundee for a place in next season's top flight.