Livingston goalkeeper Neil Alexander admits he has no intention of retiring after helping guide the Lions back to the Premiership – and insists his team-mates have given him a new lease of life.
The 40-year-old is among 12 first team players out of contract at the top-flight newcomers and the former Rangers and Hearts and Cardiff City is hopeful of putting pen to paper on fresh terms having already held initial discussions with the club.
Alexander, who helped Livingston beat Partick Thistle 3-1 over two legs in the play-off final, returned to the West Lothian outfit last summer following a campaign spent on the bench at Aberdeen and is thrilled by the prospect of Premiership football in the twilight of his career.
He said: “I certainly hope I’ll be there in the Premiership next season. The club have made it clear they want me to stay.
“We have not sat down and negotiated anything yet, but now it is all done, hopefully we will get something sorted.
“I’m still enjoying it and the boys in this dressing room have given me a new lease of life, it’s such a young dressing room and I enjoy coming into this environment everyday – it’s great working with the boys and it has been a really enjoyable season.
“If I had been losing three or four goals in every game I would probably be miserable and wanting to throw the gloves in and retire.
“They’re a great bunch of lads we’ve got here.”
Alexander saved a stoppage time penalty from Conor Sammon in Sunday’s 1-0 victory as the Lions clinched promotion at Thistle’s expense and the experienced keeper insists the play-off tie could not have gone any better.
He added: “The game went to plan. We knew we would be under the cosh for a while, and that is how it proved.
“But we defended really well, as we have done all season. The boys have been magnificent.
“I managed to make a few saves to keep the pressure off, and it was great to save the penalty and keep a clean sheet.
“There is an unbelievable spirit we have in this team, and I am delighted for the lads.”
