JOHN McGLYNN, the Livingston manager, insisted he has nothing to prove as he prepares to take on top-flight opposition for the first time since his frustrating spell in charge of Hearts came to an end.

His new club host Motherwell in the League Cup this evening, looking to build on their first SPFL Championship win of the campaign at Dumbarton on Saturday. It is a competition in which McGlynn has thrived in the past; he led Hearts to the final last season, although his eight-month term at Tynecastle was ended before he could lead the team out against St Mirren.

McGlynn, though, insists that bringing success to Livingston is more important than proving a point to his former employers. "I don't look at it as having to prove myself again," he said. "I just look at it that it's Livingston and it's a new challenge.

"It's not about me proving myself. I have to do well in the job, I have to make a success of it and I do believe that. That goes without saying, I want to be successful but I'm not out to prove anyone wrong. That's not my style, I'm looking forward to the challenge I have here now."

McGlynn was unbeaten in two games as Hearts manager against Motherwell last term, winning one, but knows Livingston face a tough test against the Fir Park side.

"It will be good to get a look of the players against Premiership opposition," he said. "We welcome Stuart McCall and Kenny Black, who I have the greatest respect for, they've done a great job at Motherwell. They had a great finish again last season. They're a good side; they have changed players around but they've done it again in bringing in players, John Sutton is scoring goals for them now instead of Michael Higdon.

"We anticipate a difficult game but one that we're certainly looking forward to."

Simon Ramsden, the Motherwell defender, is also looking forward to the game and is determined to make amends for his side's poor displays in recent cup competitions. The visitors have fallen at the first hurdle in the last five cups they have entered, with defeats to post-liquidation Rangers and Aberdeen particularly painful.

"It's a very big game for us," the Englishman said. "Last season we let ourselves down in the cup competitions so we are determined to put that right. The league side of things was tremendous last season but this is something we want to put right.

"The league is obviously your bread and butter but last season was very disappointing because we felt we should have done a lot better in the cup. The manager stressed that [Rangers game] was probably our most disappointing performance of the season. But with the quality we have in the team, there is no reason why we can't go far."