| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Marc James Peter Laird[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1986-01-23)23 January 1986 (age 39)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Edinburgh, Scotland | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Civil Service Strollers | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 199?–2000 | Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale | ||
| 2000–2004 | Manchester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2008 | Manchester City | 0 | (0) |
| 2007 | →Northampton Town (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | →Port Vale (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| 2008–2011 | Millwall | 75 | (6) |
| 2011 | →Brentford (loan) | 4 | (1) |
| 2011 | →Walsall (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Leyton Orient | 23 | (2) |
| 2012 | →Southend United (loan) | 12 | (1) |
| 2013–2014 | Southend United | 30 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Tranmere Rovers | 34 | (1) |
| 2015–2016 | Yeovil Town | 20 | (0) |
| 2016–2021 | Edinburgh City | 128 | (7) |
| 2021–2022 | Stirling Albion | 20 | (0) |
| 2022– | Civil Service Strollers | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:00, 16 April 2022 (UTC) | |||
Marc James Peter Laird (born 23 January 1986) is a Scottishfootballer who plays as amidfielder forLowland League clubCivil Service Strollers.
Though he began his career withManchester City in 2004, he was never used in a first-team game, though he did play inloan spells atNorthampton Town andPort Vale. He signed withMillwall in 2008, playing in the club's 2009–10promotion campaign. In 2011, he played forBrentford andWalsall on loan before moving on toLeyton Orient in the summer of 2011. He joinedSouthend United on loan in October 2012 and permanently moved to the club in January 2013. He signed withTranmere Rovers in July 2014 and moved on toYeovil Town a year later. He returned to his hometown in September 2016 to sign withEdinburgh City. He spent five years with Edinburgh before moving on toStirling Albion in June 2021. He joined Civil Service Strollers the following summer.
Born inEdinburgh, Laird was a promising talent atLothian Thistle Hutchison Vale, before he joined theAcademy atManchester City just before his 15th-birthday.[3] He signed professional forms in January 2004. Laird received his first call into the senior squad for a competitive game when he was named as asubstitute for aPremier League match versusWigan Athletic on 21 October 2006.[4] Awarded the number 39 shirt, he remained on the bench for the shock 4–0 defeat.[5] He had briefloan spells inLeague One atNorthampton Town in February 2007[6][7] and was called up again for the final game of the2006–07 againstTottenham Hotspur, but did not get on thepitch.[4] In May 2007, he was toldmanagerStuart Pearce had "high hopes" the young player would have "a really big year", however, Pearce was sacked a few days later.[3]
Laird was involved with the City first-team during the 2007–08 pre-season, and he scored the fourth City goal in a 4–0 pre-seasonfriendly victory againstCarlstad United BK on 21 July.[8] Things changed for Laird following the club's takeover byThaksin Shinawatra and the appointment ofSven-Göran Eriksson as manager in July 2007.[9] His only involvement with the first-team during the2007–08 season came on 29 August 2007, when he was an unused substitute for a 2–1League Cup second round victory overBristol City.[10][11] He never played a competitive game for the City first-team and was loaned toPort Vale in November/December 2007.[12] It was atVale Park where Laird scored his first league goal, when he netted a 25 yards (23 m) strike againstWalsall onBoxing Day.[13]
He signed withMillwall on 9 January 2008, who were managed by former Manchester City AcademycoachKenny Jackett.[14] On 23 February 2008, Port Vale again provided Laird with yet another milestone, as he scored his second career league goal and first goal for Millwall in the 44th minute of their 3–0 home win over Vale.[15][16] He played 29 games in the Lions'promotion-winning2009–10 campaign. He was an unused substitute in theplay-off final victory overSwindon Town.[17] At the end of the season Laird agreed to sign a new one-year deal with the club.[18] Laird signed on loan atBrentford in January 2011.[19][20] He was recalled after five appearances to play for Millwall in aChampionship clash withNorwich City.[21] In March he joinedWalsall on loan for the rest of the season.[22]
Laird signed a two-year deal withLeyton Orient in July 2011; "O's" bossRussell Slade described Laird as "a goodpasser and a decent athlete who will add strength to our squad."[23] He made only 11 League One starts, as Orient avoided the drop by one place and seven points. On 26 October 2012, he dropped down a division when he joined League Two sideSouthend United on a three-month loan. "Shrimpers" managerPaul Sturrock said that "we are lacking in the middle of the park... he's a good passer and he will add some strength and experience there."[24] He was named in the League Two team of the week after scoring in a 3–1 win overRochdale atRoots Hall on 26 November.[25] After making 15 starts for Southend, he returned to Orient. He was released from hiscontract by mutual consent on 4 January 2013.[26]
Having secured his release from Orient, Laird signed an 18-month contract withSouthend United in January 2013.[27] He ended the2012–13 season with 27 appearances for Southend, though played no part in the club's run to the2013 Football League Trophy final.
Laird missed eight weeks at the start of the2013–14 season after damaging his medial ligaments.[28] He returned to action and helped the "Shrimpers" to secure aLeague Twoplay-off place at the end of the season, where they were beaten byBurton Albion at the semi-final stage. He was released by the club at the end of the season, after which managerPhil Brown commented that "Marc was a bit unlucky with his injury this season".[29]
Laird signed a one-year contract with League Two sideTranmere Rovers in July 2014.[30] AfterMicky Adams was appointed as manager Laird andJames Rowe shared the central midfield role withSteve Jennings in defensive midfield andMax Power in attacking midfield.[31] He played 39 games in the2014–15 season, as Rovers wererelegated out of theEnglish Football League.
On 19 June 2015, Laird signed for League Two sideYeovil Town on a one-year deal upon the expiry of his contract with Tranmere Rovers.[32] He was released at the end of the2015–16 season.[33]
On 21 September 2016, following his release from Yeovil Town, Laird signed forScottish League Two sideEdinburgh City.[34] Laird said he hoped the move would allow him the chance to raise his profile in Scotland.[35] However, after picking up the division's Player of the Month award for November he decided to extend his stay at the club and signed a two-year contract extension to keep him at theMeadowbank Stadium until June 2018.[36] This deal was then extended by a further two years in June 2017.[37] He picked up the club's Goal of the Season award for the2016–17 campaign for his strike in the 3–3 drawArbroath on 1 October.[37] He made 40 appearances over the course of the2017–18 campaign as the "Citizens" finished in ninth-place under the stewardship ofJames McDonaugh, just one spot above the relegation play-offs. With just two goals in two years atAinslie Park, Laird admitted he was disappointed in his goal tally.[38] He added one further goal over 43 appearances in the2018–19 season; City qualified for the play-offs but were beaten 4–0 byClyde at the semi-final stage.[39] He scored four goals from 31 games in the2019–20 season, which was declared early due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in Scotland, with Edinburgh second to championsCove Rangers.[40] He made 18 appearances in the2020–21 campaign as Edinburgh secured a play-off place with a second-place finish, though did not play in the play-off semi-final defeat toElgin City.[41][42][43]
Laird signed for League Two clubStirling Albion on 9 June 2021 as managerKevin Rutkiewicz looked to add experience toForthbank.[44] He wassent off after receiving two yellow cards in a 1–0 defeat toStenhousemuir at theForthbank Stadium on 5 March.[45] He played 26 games in the2021–22 campaign and was not retained in the summer byDarren Young.[46][47]
Laird joinedCivil Service Strollers of theLowland League in summer 2022.[48] He was named in the Team of the Month for April 2024.[49]
Laird is a "box to box"midfielder.[50] Kenny Jackett, his manager at Millwall, stated that Laird had a good character and positive mindset.[51]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester City | 2006–07[52] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2007–08[53] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Northampton Town (loan) | 2006–07[52] | League One | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Port Vale (loan) | 2007–08[53] | League One | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Millwall | 2007–08[53] | League One | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| 2008–09[54] | League One | 37 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 44 | 6 | |
| 2009–10[55] | League One | 20 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 29 | 0 | |
| 2010–11[56] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 75 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 92 | 7 | ||
| Brentford (loan) | 2010–11[56] | League One | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Walsall (loan) | 2010–11[56] | League One | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Leyton Orient | 2011–12[57] | League One | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 27 | 2 |
| 2012–13[58] | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 23 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 2 | ||
| Southend United | 2012–13[58] | League Two | 23 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 2 |
| 2013–14[59] | League Two | 19 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 | |
| Total | 42 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 3 | ||
| Tranmere Rovers | 2014–15[60] | League Two | 34 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 39 | 1 |
| Yeovil Town | 2015–16[61] | League Two | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Edinburgh City | 2016–17[62] | Scottish League Two | 24 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 |
| 2017–18[63] | Scottish League Two | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 40 | 1 | |
| 2018–19[64] | Scottish League Two | 29 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7[e] | 0 | 43 | 1 | |
| 2019–20[65] | Scottish League Two | 25 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 31 | 4 | |
| 2020–21[41] | Scottish League Two | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| Total | 128 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 159 | 7 | ||
| Stirling Albion | 2021–22[46] | Scottish League Two | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Career total | 367 | 20 | 35 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 444 | 23 | ||
Individual
Millwall
