Airdrie United boss Kenny Black believes the Scottish Football League have set a "dangerous precedent" in allowing Livingston to remain in the First Division.

The West Lothian club were hauled back from the brink of extinction on Sunday after the SFL approved a unique deal which will allow them to survive.

"It has set a dangerous precedent for clubs to do what they want," Black said. "We have to find out if rules are to be adhered to or not. Nothing against Livi, we don't want to see teams go to the wall and times are hard, but they are hard for everyone."

Livi looked doomed after chairman Angelo Massone refused to accept the £25,000 offered to him by interim manager Donald McGruther, of administrator Mazars, to walk away from the club, although the Italian today accepted a deal reported to be worth twice the original offer.

McGruther, appointed by the Court of Session after West Lothian Council took legal action to reclaim a £330,000 debt, was on the brink of liquidating Livingston.

However, following a three-hour meeting with the SFL's management committee at Hampden, a rescue package led by former Cowdenbeath owner Gordon McDougall and ex-Dumbarton chairman Neil Rankine was given the green light.

Former Livi director Ged Nixon, who is currently head of supporters' group 'Livi for Life', is the third member of the consortium who will give the SFL a number of assurances, chiefly the payment of a "substantial" bond and a commitment to fulfil the club's fixtures this season.

Airdrie finished second bottom of the First Division last season and went down via the play-offs, but had Livingston folded or been demoted, then they would have had a strong claim to be reinstated and that has irked Black.

"Livi didn't pay the council what they were due and there have been problems with salaries at the club," he added. "I think our directors are disappointed in that we have abided by the rules. Airdrie have cut their cloth and made sure salaries and bills have been paid on time.

"We have been in limbo in recent weeks but now Mr McDougall and Mr Rankine have put a package together that will guarantee them fulfilling their fixtures in the First Division next season. We have got to accept it. We we have built a squad to get us out of the Second Division and as far as we are concerned that's where we will start next season unless we are told differently."