Livingston will ask the Scottish Football Association to overturn their relegation to the Third Division after Thursday's appeal to their fellow Scottish Football League clubs was rejected.

The West Lothian club lost a verdict against the loss of their First Division status by 16 votes to 10 at a special general meeting at Hampden.

Livi, who were punished for breaking the SFL's insolvency rules following a court's decision to appoint an interim manager to take control of their finances, have exercised their right to take their case to the SFA.

In a statement on their official website the club said: "Following the rejection of the appeal to the Scottish Football League today - and to avoid any unnecessary delay - the club has this afternoon instructed its solicitors to intimate to the solicitors of the SFL that it wishes to appeal to the Scottish Football Association.

"This has been agreed by the board in the interest of causing the least possible disruption to fixtures."

The SFL clubs' decision to reject an appeal had appeared to ratify promotion for Airdrie and Cowdenbeath - who were excluded from the vote along with Livi and associate members Annan.

Reacting to Thursday's defeat, new Livi chairman Gordon McDougall refused to rule out further appeals if an SFA ruling went against the club.

He also confirmed Livingston would not play a Third Division fixture until the appeals process had been exhausted.

That could spark fixture chaos in the SFL for the second weekend running.

While Airdrie and Cowdenbeath kicked off their campaigns on Saturday in higher divisions than initially anticipated, Livi refused to play Third Division East Stirlingshire to avoid prejudicing their appeal.

The club face further sanctions for their refusal to fulfil the fixture.

That punishment may also be severe after SFL president Brown McMaster claimed the crime was worse than Hamilton's failure to field a team nine years ago after their players refused to play, a move that saw the club docked 15 points.

SFL chief executive David Longmuir today defended his organisation's handling of the Livingston affair, which caused fixture chaos last weekend and threatens to do the same on Saturday.

He said: "A little short-term disruption for the benefit of handling things properly is something that we're prepared to accept."

The decision over a further appeal was one of the first acts facing the 'Livingston 5' consortium, who completed their takeover of the club earlier today.

Former Cowdenbeath owner McDougall and ex-Dumbarton chairman Neil Rankine led the group that secured a deal with interim manager Donald McGruther, whose firm Mazars took control from previous owner Angelo Massone.

As well as McDougall becoming chairman, ex-Livi director Ged Nixon took the post of chief executive.

Livi were put into the hands of Donald McGruther, of administrators Mazars, last month after West Lothian Council took legal action to reclaim a £330,000 debt.

McGruther said: "I am delighted that the club now has a future in Scottish football and wish the new owners every success."

The club also announced today they had been granted a safety certificate for Almondvale Stadium, allowing them to host matches this season.