Last week, the Italian consortium headed by sports lawyer Angelo Massone confirmed that Roberto Landi, the former coach of the Georgia, Lithuania and Qatar Under-21 sides, had agreed a two-year deal as the new manager at Almondvale.

Massone also promised at a press conference that he and his partners would pay Emmanuel Dorado, the French club captain illegally sacked in 2006 by the club's previous owner Pearse Flynn, the £50,000 he was owed for the final year of his contract.

But until an agreement is reached with Dorado, Livingston, whose 18 registered players are mostly teenagers, will be unable to strengthen their squad with new faces.

Massone claimed ten days ago that the ban would be lifted within a week but when the Scottish Football League offices closed for business on Friday evening the ban was still in place.

"We've received no confirmation from the club, the player or PFA Scotland to suggest that an agreement has been reached," said SFL operations director David Thompson.

Tommaso Angelini, the Glasgow-based agent who operates a consultant for Massone's group, was unavailable for comment.

Alexander stakes World Cup claim

GRAHAM Alexander insists he wants to play a part in Scotland's World Cup campaign – at the age of 36. The Burnley player wasn't involved in George Burley's last squad in Prague in the friendly 3-1 defeat to the Czech Republic.

But he insists he has no intention of retiring from international football.

He said: "I think I can play a part in the World Cup campaign. Even if it's only for a couple of games, or a one-off, I will still be available. The manager has got a lot of competition in those positions.

"There are a lot of good players out, but I've never let Scotland down and, if the opportunity comes, I'll take it.

"When the manager picked the squad, he explained the reasons and that was good enough for me. I was trying to get on the A licence course, anyway, but I wouldn't give up anything. If the manager decides to go another way, there's nothing I can do about that."

Brown admits SPL cash gamble

ST JOHNSTONE chairman Geoff Brown has admitted he is gambling by splashing the cash to end the club's seven-year SPL exile. The Perth outfit have shown their intent for the new campaign by quickly snapping up Jody Morris, Liam Craig, Collin Samuel, Euan McLean, Gavin Swankie and Chris Millar this summer.

Brown is renowned for his prudent book-keeping but has opened the McDiarmid Park coffers to increase the wage bill in a bid for title glory.

The cash banked in reaching three cup semi-finals over the last two seasons has helped Saints' cause, but Brown knows he is still taking a rare risk. He said: "We are gambling this season, there is no question. There is a big bit of risk involved, but it's worth it.

"The total wage bill will be in excess of the money we can bring in in a normal season. But the cup runs have assisted to generate cash. They helped finance the extra money we'll be paying out on wages this season."

Brown, however, knows even more money could have been directed towards boss Derek McInnes if the team had not lost April's Scottish Cup semi-final on penalties to Rangers.

The long-serving chief feels they missed out on a £1million windfall and added: "Reaching the final would have made an incredible impact. Losing the shoot-out cost St Johnstone £1m. That nest egg would have set us up nicely.

"Semi-finals are great, but reaching a final is a different animal altogether. "Television over two channels is good money coming in, as is a sell-out crowd, sponsorship and then whatever you can do if you reach Europe."