Central District coach Roy Laird’s departure after seven flags ends a ‘pretty surreal’ ride for his family
Craig Laird has given an insight into growing up alongside his older brother, Roy, and what an amazing ride his incredible success at Central District has been for his family.
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Once Roy Laird’s 17-year Central District coaching tenure ends after Saturday’s home game against Port Adelaide, he will be leaving what has always been his dream job.
If you did not believe there was a sense of destiny about Laird joining the Bulldogs then winning seven flags as coach, you needed to have been in Mrs McKee’s grade six class at Elizabeth Vale Primary in the early 1980s.
“I remember when he went to school a teacher, Mrs McKee, commenting ‘Roy needs to not make everything about Centrals’,” Laird’s younger brother, Craig, says.
“It was a teacher who’d go to the footy and was a big Centrals supporter but she made the comment … either in his report card or a parent/teacher interview.
“He grew up loving the club – everything was Johnny Duckworth and Peter Jonas, and all these people.
“So then to actually play for them and get the opportunity to coach them – this was his dream job.”
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Roy’s love of the Bulldogs started when he would tag along to SANFL games with his Elizabeth Vale soccer coach Ken Woodall and Salisbury football mentor Murray Thompson.
Before long, Roy and Craig were rubbing shoulders with Centrals players during Daryl Hicks’ coaching reign, sneaking into the change rooms after a few games.
“Hicksy was such a good orator and Roy was just enthralled by the whole thing,” Craig, now 47, recalls.
The experience went full circle when Roy, who later played 87 games for the club and won a premiership as reserves coach in 2002, took the senior job in 2003, and his and Craig’s children would start going in Central’s rooms.
“When we were younger, you’d think ‘how amazing is this’ to get in there once or twice, so for our kids to be in the change rooms after winning grand finals with the who’s who of Centrals, it was fantastic,” Craig says.
Roy and Craig’s parents, John, who died in 2012, and Alison were also fixtures in the change rooms after the grand final triumphs of 2003-05 and 2007-10.
“It was a big thrill for Roy to see his dad be so happy they’d won it,” Craig says.
“Dad loved going down … and I think Roy really loved that, the family being together.”
Craig says family and footy are Roy’s biggest passions, and there have been tough moments on both fronts during the past two years.
Central has struggled on the field, finishing eighth last year and sitting there again now, and Alison has been battling breast cancer since November.
The day before the Bulldogs’ round one match against South Adelaide at Noarlunga in March, she took a turn and was “touch and go” before undergoing an operation, then was in intensive care overnight.
Roy was with Alison – a regular at Central matches with the Bulldogs’ ladies auxiliary – from 7am before heading to Noarlunga and returned straight after his side’s 59-point loss.
“People that make comments about the club (struggling) have no idea what’s been happening (off field),” Craig says.
“Thankfully, she’s going better now and she’s on the road to recovery.
“She is really proud of what he’s done.”
So too is Craig, who says he has a “tight but funny sort of relationship” with his older brother.
They chat a couple of times a week but rarely about footy.
Usually they bond over their children’s sport, laugh over something on TV – Roy is a big Seinfeld fan – or discuss their favourite soccer team, Glasgow Rangers.
The brothers are big fans of the club and regularly stay up late to watch their Scottish Premier League games.
They both grew up playing soccer for Elizabeth Vale, where John played reserves in the 1970s after the Lairds moved to Adelaide from Scotland.
Roy started at the club as a five-year-old and went on to claim six consecutive junior league titles, some with his dad coaching him.
Little known outside his close circles was Roy’s own move into junior soccer coaching last year, managing his son Harry’s side at Raiders after another person stepped down mid-season.
“I went down to see them to see Harry’s game and he’s full-on into it,” Craig says.
“You see him with his kids (Kaelan 13, Harry, 11 and Charlotte, 10) and you wouldn’t get a more devoted bloke.”
The chance for Roy to spend more time with his children is among the reasons Craig will not be surprised if his brother steps away from footy after this weekend.
Ideally, Craig wants Roy to watch Centrals games at Elizabeth as a supporter with their mates.
“I’d like to think he will come stand with us and have a beer but it’s not really Roy,” Craig says.
“He’ll probably throw himself more into his work on a Saturday so he can spend more time with his kids’ sport on a Sunday, so I can see him not being involved (in footy) at all.
“I think he’s really going to miss it … but I think it’s time for him to go enjoy something else.
“He’s done all he can do.”
Since the club announced in July his decision to step down, Roy, who is as team-first as they come, has insisted on not making his exit a farewell tour.
But according to Craig, Roy already has made one plan once he winds up – and it involves old friends, cold beers and karaoke.
“What he wants to do when this is all done is have a night at Elizabeth Vale Soccer Club, get all his mates together and have a big sing song – some Neil Diamond, Kenny Rogers, a few soccer songs, and he’d love it.
“That’s his idea of a great night.”
Craig jokes it will be great to see Roy let his hair down and reflect on what has been an amazing ride for their whole family.
“Not just for me, mum and dad, but my aunty, who goes with my mum every week, their kids – it’s been fantastic and we’re really fortunate,” he says.
“To win one premiership’s a great effort, to see him win so many … it was pretty surreal.
“We’re all just super proud of what he’s done.”