LAIRD IS LOOKING FORWARD
Weston assistant revels in new role
SCOTT Laird believes his decision to call time on his professional career has been well and truly vindicated.
After a lifetime in football playing for the likes of Preston North End, Stevenage and Scunthorpe United, the left-back decided it was time for fresh adventures after leaving League Two outfit Forest Green Rovers last summer.
He joined Southern League Premier South outfit Weston-super-Mare as player/assistant manager to Scott Bartlett and combined it with coaching the first team at Millfield School.
“It was just the right time,” the 32-year-old told The NLP. “It was a really hard decision, but also a really easy decision, if that makes sense!
“It was hard because all I had known was being a football player. From 15 or 16 until I was 31, that was what I did.
“On the other hand, life in the lower leagues can be tough. You’re on one-year deals and in January you’re wondering if you’re going to get another one. You could be 35 and a professional footballer, but what have you got after that?
“I got offered the coaching work at Millfield
School, I could do my NonLeague coaching and still play.”
Family ties also made Weston a good fit.
“My dad (Craig) was manager there and my three brothers played for the club,” he explained. “I’m back home family wise, we are from down this way.
Weaknesses
“Scott was also a big factor. I worked with him at Forest Green and he’s been brilliant in terms of giving me jobs to do to help me learn.
“Our first season was a great learning curve. We had just been relegated and a lot of players had left, so we had to bring in a whole new team.
“In any league, you have to work out the level, to figure out the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents.
“It took us a while to get used to the level, but by the end of November we realised what we needed.
“We made a few signings, a few left and from the beginning of December to the end of the season, we must have been top of the form table. We were just coming into a really good vein of form.”
A tenth-placed finish in the shortened campaign gives the Seagulls something to build on, but Laird won’t get carried away with any talk of promotion.
“Everyone will want to do that and we are no different,” he said. “But we’re not going to shout from the rooftops.
“I have played in virtually every league and it’s always hard, whatever the level.
“There are some very good players in this league, players who could be playing higher. Maybe they have a good job, too, and are quite happy.
“I loved playing last season. I scored 14 goals from centre-midfield and centre-back and I think I would have got 20 – I was aiming for that. Hopefully next season!”