They call it non-league theatre at its warmest: a dugout where paternal pride meets professional grit. At ninth-tier Street FC, father and son Craig and Scott Laird are not just family; they’re co-managers, a rare partnership that has turned a small-town club into one of the sport’s most heartwarming stories.
The appointment
When Street parted company with Ben Watson last month, the club made an unconventional choice: promote from within and bring in a trusted veteran.
Scott Laird, a former Preston and Stevenage left-back who had been serving as player and assistant manager, stepped up — and handed the other half of the job to the man who first taught him the game. Craig Laird, with years of non-league managerial experience, accepted, and the pair were installed as joint custodians of the Western League Premier Division side.
Chemistry in the dugout
“This is a dream come true,” Craig told BBC Radio Somerset, and you believe him. Scott echoes the sentiment with a grin: “It’s quite cute, isn’t it, to have my dad there on the sidelines.”
But beneath the charm is methodical intent. The Lairds were explicit about what they needed — someone who shared their footballing philosophy and mindset — and Craig was the obvious fit. Early signs suggest the chemistry is real: one win, one draw, and one loss from their opening three league outings, and a shared approach to recruitment and tactics.
Family blueprint
Football runs in the Laird blood. Craig’s coaching roots stretch back to roles at Plymouth Argyle and managerial spells at Weston-super-Mare and Bridgwater Town.
Scott, one of four brothers, carved out a solid EFL career, lifting Preston to the Championship in 2015. Siblings Callum and Jamie have turned out in non-league, while another brother played university soccer in the United States. The sport isn’t just a job for the Lairds; it’s a shared language and family legacy.
Role reversal and learning
This partnership isn’t sentimental theatre only; it’s two-way education. Craig admits he coached Scott early on, but now the dynamic has flipped in places: “He’s gone off and had other experiences which he now brings and I can learn from as well.”
Scott agrees the moment is symbolic — his father was there at the start of his career and now stands beside him as he begins life in management — “a nice full circle moment,” he says.
Realism and optimism
They’re pragmatic about the bumps ahead. “We’ll have disagreements,” Scott acknowledges, but adds that being “in sync” on player recruitment and philosophy has smoothed the transition. For Craig, the pride of working with his son is matched by the challenge of co-leading in a competitive league.
For Scott, the joy is deeper: mentorship evolving into partnership, authority shared with the man who “taught me everything I know within football.”
Epilogue
In a game often defined by mega deals and headline-grabbing drama, Street’s dugout offers something quieter and rarer: two generations steering a club together, blending experience and fresh perspective.
Whether they climb the table or simply steady the ship, the Lairds have already won something that matters — admiration, curiosity, and a storyline that reminds fans why football loves unexpected families.