RECENTLY one of Melbourne’s most decorated players popped by to visit the club and take a look at the new AAMI Park facility.

It wasn’t Ron Barassi or Robert Flower on this occasion - although both remain integral and active figures involved at the club.

The man in question this time was Clyde Laidlaw, a four-time premiership player with Melbourne.

Think about that for a second. A four-time premiership player!

In today’s era, Laidlaw’s feats would be lauded.

And while his achievements are acknowledged within the club and among the hard-core football historians, they are sometimes lost in the gamut of football heritage.

Laidlaw played in the 1955-56 and 1959-60 premierships.

But he could’ve been a five-time premiership player had he not missed out on the 1957 flag due to injury, as he explained.

“It was because of a torn thigh muscle and it came out of nowhere and it was a surprise when it happened. It was badly torn and I tried to get back, but it kept tearing,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“They didn’t know what happened and bleeding took place and scar tissue developed, and then there was a feeling in the leg that didn’t allow you to run freely and it became psychological.

“I had a hard blood clot under the buttock bone, and I had to get rid of that through exercising and stretching and breaking it down with massage.”

Although Laidlaw undertook a training program “morning, noon and night” to correct the injury, he suffered another setback, which forced him to miss the 1958 grand final, which Melbourne surprisingly lost to Collingwood.

“I had quite a good season in ’59 after the disappointment of 1958.

“I wasn’t able to take the ground [in 1958], after playing in the second semi-final against Collingwood, when I tore it again.

“The doctor put a great big needle in my leg and it was cortisone … and then I went out and trained and I was hobbling. I had some more training after the normal [session].

“He said: ‘No, you’re not up to it’.”

Originally from Portland in western Victoria and now living in Mount Waverley in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, the just turned 77-year-old played 124 matches from 1954-62.

After arriving at the club as a centreman, the great Norm Smith quickly transformed Laidlaw into a centre half-forward. Laidlaw said Smith didn’t believe he was good enough to play as a centreman at the highest level.

“Laurie Mithen was ahead of me in that department, so the coach turned me into a centre half-forward, with a plan.

“I had to work to his plan, moving right up to the centre line and keeping the forward line open.

“In our case, the coach made the players. We were a combination of country and city and with his knowledge and forcefulness, he welded us into a good team.”

Laidlaw indicated Smith was a hard, but fair taskmaster.

“We were all very lucky we came under Norman Smith’s jurisdiction,” he said.

“If you didn’t like the policy and you wanted to kick up about it - you’d have to move on - that was the way it was. He was tough.

“Norm always liked a man who attacked the ball - you must not hesitate when you approach the ball and you must see the ball and not be deterred.

“If any player came to the club and showed hesitancy in going for the ball, he really bawled you out or tried to correct you. He expected you to be courageous in your endevour for the ball.

“If you could keep that in mind, he’d be for you.”

Although “frustrated with the ball ups and closing down of the play”, Laidlaw remains a keen supporter today.

“In our day, it was much more open and there were one-on-one contests - I played on Ted Whitten four or five times. And it was a one-on-one duel and you usually had one man to beat,” he said.

“People generally came along to see that.”

Of the current players, Laidlaw admirers tough-nut midfielder Jordie McKenzie and the talented Jack Grimes. He keeps a particular eye on Grimes, having presented him with the No.16 guernsey.

“I’d love to see him play a full season,” Laidlaw said.

“I feel sorry for him (Grimes) because he’s had some injuries and he appears to be doing well … he’s had that the last two seasons.”

Most premierships played in by a Melbourne player

6 - Frank Adams and Ron Barassi (equal second most in VFL/AFL history and one behind overall leader Hawthorn’s Michael Tuck)
5 - John Beckwith, Brian Dixon Bob B. Johnson, Laurie Mithen, Ian Ridley and Don Williams
4 - Geoff Case, Trevor Johnson, Clyde Laidlaw, John Lord, Jack Mueller and Norm Smith