For some, scooters are about speed and engineering, but for Craig Thomas, it’s all about identity and the unspoken match-day culture that ties everything together, so we asked Stu Smith to find out more…
Sc: Craig, before scooters entered your life, football played a big role. What was your relationship with the game growing up?
CT: Football was everything for me from a young age. At school, it was always the main focus; watching it, playing it and talking about it. I was selected for the school team, I played centre-midfield, which is one of the most demanding positions, but also one of the most rewarding and that suited me because I liked being involved in everything, up and down the pitch.
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Sc: After school, did football remain part of your life?
CT: Definitely. When I left school, I played for several years in the Bradford Sunday Alliance League. It wasn’t just about football either, it was also about the social side and teamwork. Later on, a mate and I decided to set up our own team, Buttershaw Rangers FC, which lasted for about five years. Running a team gives you a different perspective: organising players, fixtures, kits, and keeping everyone motivated. It deepened my connection to football culture beyond just being a player.
Sc: Fashion and football culture often go hand in hand. When did that side of things start to matter to you?
CT: Honestly, probably from school. I was always drawn to the adidas brand, the look, the quality and the way it tied into football. I had a pair of adidas Predator boots that I absolutely loved, and from there it just grew. Over time, I started collecting adidas trainers, like a lot of lads do. It wasn’t about showing off logos, it was about style; terrace culture has its own rules, subtle and recognisable to those who understand it, and that stuck with me.
Sc: Before scooters, you were into motocross. That feels like a very different world.
CT: It is and it isn’t. As a teenager, I was heavily into motocross bikes. I loved the speed, the noise and the physical side of it. Compared to that, scooters seemed slow and old-fashioned. I honestly thought they were for old blokes just pottering about; that was my perception at the time, but looking back… how wrong I was.
Sc: So what changed your mind?
CT: In 2018, my brother, Lee, bought a Lambretta and a Vespa and got more involved with the scooter scene. One day in 2019, we got talking about scooters, the scene, the culture, rallies and ride-outs, and the people. Whilst we were chatting, Lee told me that he was going on a local ride-out with his club and said if I wanted to come, I could ride his Vespa.
Sc: Had you ever ridden a scooter before?
CT: No, Lee had to explain how the handlebar gears worked. After I’d had a few practice rides around his estate and once I felt confident enough, we set off. On the way, we stopped at a couple of places for a brew and a chat, and then arrived at the main meet. There were loads of scooters there, all different styles, and everyone shared the same interest. The atmosphere reminded me of football, and when I got home, I knew I wanted one.
Sc: Tell me about that?
CT: Straight away, I was searching online, and within a week I saw a Vespa PX125 I liked. After making contact with the seller, I borrowed a mate’s van and, along with Lee, we headed up to Sunderland to look at it. It was dark blue and fairly plain, it already had a 166 Malossi kit on it and a Revolver exhaust. I didn’t want anything extreme, just something lively and reliable, so we did a deal and I bought it.
Sc: At what point did you decide that you were going to develop it into a custom scooter?
CT: Pretty quickly, I started with a few simple bolt-on changes, including a backrest, footplates, levers and chrome spare wheel and flywheel covers. Those little touches started to make it feel personal, the bodywork also needed some attention and, when I’d got that sorted, it opened the door to doing something more ambitious.
Sc: How did that develop?
CT: My first thought was to do something minimal with adidas trefoil logos, branding and graphics on the side panels and front mudguard. But after speaking with Lee, he suggested I should have a word with local airbrush artist, Gatch, about it. As well as being a painter, Gatch understands football culture, and once we’d started talking about scooters, match-days, terraces and 80s casuals, suddenly it all started to make sense to go deeper.
Sc: What was the line of approach?
CT: Gatch suggested turning the scooter into a full match-day narrative; not just branding, but the atmosphere and the whole 80s casual era. I trusted Gatch completely and, once we’d agreed on everything, I left him to it.
Sc: The build took a while. How did you handle the waiting?
CT: That was the hardest part, because when you’ve handed something over and you know it’s going to be special, time slows right down. When Gatch rang to say it was finished, I didn’t know what to expect. But when I saw it, I was genuinely blown away. The artwork didn’t just look good, it was perfect. It told a story and captured the whole match-day experience, from the fashion to the feeling.
Sc: What’s it like to ride?
CT: Reliable and enjoyable, it’s smooth through the gears and good on acceleration, which is exactly how I wanted it.
Sc: Looking back, would you change anything about it, and what advice would you give to anyone thinking about starting a project like this?
CT: I’m completely happy with how it’s turned out; everything feels right, and the best advice I could give to anyone starting a project like this is to be patient and choose the right people; trust their skills and let them do what they do best.
Stu says: Casual Lads is a custom scooter that is a reflection of a life shaped by football, fashion, and culture. Craig has taken those values and translated them into a machine that’s authentic and deeply personal, and proves that the strongest builds come from experience.
Interview & Photos: Stu Smith
“…terrace culture has its own rules, subtle and recognisable to those who understand it, and that stuck with me.”
Man and machine
Name: Craig Thomas
Scooter club & town: This Generation S.C., Bradford.
Scooter model: Vespa PX125
When purchased: 2019
Kit: Malossi 166
Carb: Standard
Exhaust: Revolver
