Livingston midfielder Marvin Bartley insists he has got the best of both worlds at the club, despite having to work split shifts.
The 33-year-old left Hibs during summer to join the Lions on a three-year player/coaching role.
The combative midfielder is enjoying himself on the pitch, having started all eight of Livingston’s opening matches, and is relishing his first steps into coaching.
Bartley assists reserve team manager Steve Pittman, the father of team-mate Scott, when the fringe squad train in the evening and the former Brentford player has no qualms about putting in the hours.
Bartley, who is hoping the West Lothian side can at least continue their unbeaten start to the campaign at home to St Mirren today, said: “I want to play as much as I can and that was a massive part of me coming here, along with the coaching side.
“Everything has gone really well and on a personal level I’m delighted.
“I coach with the reserves helping Pitts’ dad, we train in the evenings and I’m also there for games.
“It’s good being able to pass your experience on to them, but also becoming more comfortable from a coaching aspect.
“I’ve got my UEFA B license at the moment but I want to get the hours and after three years I think I’ll be accomplished in doing that, I already feel comfortable doing that.
“It sounds like it’s time consuming but it’s all relative. I’m in for training at 10 o’clock and I’m home for maybe half one, two o’clock then back in at 6.45pm until nine.
“When you add the hours together it’s not the hardest job in the world so I don’t want people to feel sorry for me, plus I’m doing something I love. – it’s something I’ve got a passion for.”
Bartley, meanwhile, is adamant that the Tony Marconi outfit will not become complacent following a hugely encouraging start to the campaign.
Gary Holt’s side currently sit third in the Premiership behind the Old Firm, and have a Betfred Cup quarter-final against Rangers to look forward to.
He added “It’s been brilliant so far, we’ve had an excellent start and are unbeaten.
“We’re looking forward to St Mirren and trying to get a positive result in that one.
“In terms of the unbeaten run, we actually don’t really speak about it inside the dressing room.
“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, we take it one game as it comes.
“As boring as it sounds, when you’re a club that everyone fancies to go down, you’ve got to have that mindset.
“If you start overlooking it then you’ll become unstuck.”
