Kernaghan appointed assistant manager at Livingston

FORMER Republic of Ireland international Alan Kernaghan has quit as Clyde manager to become Allan Preston’s assistant at Livingston.

The move finally ends speculation over his future following a hugely successful spell at Broadwood as player-boss.

Kernaghan took Clyde to within one point of winning the Bell's First Division championship last season, only to lose out to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on the final day of the campaign.

He has been linked with a number of vacant positions since the end of the season and was believed to be a front-runner to replace Bobby Williamson as Hibernian manager until Tony Mowbray's shock appointment.

Ironically, Kernaghan was expected to take Preston to Easter Road as his number two had he succeeded in landing the Hibs job after the pair forged a strong bond during their time together as players at St Johnstone.

Instead, it was Preston who was handed the managerial reins when Livingston's new owners, the Lionheart Consortium, favoured the first-team coach over then boss Davie Hay who took over as Dunfermline manager yesterday.