Former Premiership duo Lawson and Anderson team up in Highland League

Paul Lawson playing for Formartine United in the Scottish Cup against Partick Thistle

Former Ross County player Paul Lawson says becoming Formartine United player-manager depended heavily on having Russell Anderson as assistant.

Lawson, 33, will continue playing while ex-Aberdeen captain Anderson, 38, watches from the dugout.

"We both get on really well, we can bounce ideas off each other and his experience obviously speaks for itself," Lawson told BBC Scotland.

"I hope it puts a few hundred on to the gate as well."

Lawson signed for the Pitmedden club in 2015 after a senior career that also featured spells at Celtic, Motherwell, St Johnstone and St Mirren.

He replaced Kris Hunter as boss and his first official game in charge is against Keith at North Lodge Park on Saturday.

Anderson retired from playing with Aberdeen in 2015

The midfielder is former Scotland defender Anderson's brother-in-law.

"I spoke to Russell; him accepting my offer was a big part of me taking the job, because I want to keep playing," said Lawson.

"It's important I have someone on the sidelines, along with Jerry O'Driscoll, that I can trust 110% to make decisions while I'm on the park.

"It was an opportunity I couldn't turn down and it was important for me to get my backroom team in place to hopefully allow me to continue playing.

"It's not something Russell thought he would get into but when we discussed it, he started to get really excited about it.

"We've both got that nervous excitement feeling about it. I'll be more nervous as a manager than I ever was as a player."