MELBOURNE legend Ron Barassi has paid tribute to former teammate Ian 'Tiger' Ridley after the five-time premiership player passed away on Wednesday, aged 74, following a long battle with emphysema.

Ridley also coached the club for three years, served as a committee member and was president when the failed merger with Hawthorn was proposed in 1996.

Barassi is adamant Ridley's contribution to the Demons makes him deserving of legendary status at the club.

"When I recall Ian I think of his character; he was just one of those guys who, if you had any brains or morals or ethics, you couldn't help but just love him," Barassi said.

"On top of that he was a great footballer and later on he became a club administrator for the Melbourne footy club. With all that he has given to the club over the years he should be regarded as one of the greats.

"He was a guy who was genuine in whatever he said to you or asked of you or recommended to you; he was never trying to get any advantage to himself … He was one of my mates and I feel very happy with memories of him; he was a fantastic man and a model sports person."

Ridley played 130 games and kicked 228 goals between 1954 and 1961 and played in the 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959 and 1960 premierships under legendary coach Norm Smith.

"I played with Ian when Norm Smith was in full flight, so to speak, and not too many players played many games unless they were selfless and Ian was one of those guys," Barassi recalled of the diminutive rover. 

"He put his body in and he didn't have a big body -- he wasn't tall or strongly built -- but he played with great courage and he had very good skills. His playing record is proof of what I'm talking about."

Ridley played football with passion and he took that trait into his coaching career in later life. Barassi recounted an occasion when that quality was on full display.

"I remember he was coaching out in the eastern suburbs and he invited a few of us old teammates to hear his pre-match address to the players," he said with a laugh.

"It was in a very small room so it was very intimate and whilst we weren't in the front row, his passionate speech ended with our suits quite wet; he sprayed a lot when he got fired up and he was extremely passionate about things that he believed in."

Barassi maintained that while Ridley was in favour of merging with the Hawks, a move that eventually failed amid much acrimony, he always had the club's best interests at heart. 

"It's absolutely correct to say that, but that applied to both sides; they both thought they were doing the right thing," he said.

"I was coaching another side at the time so I never went to that historic meeting to vote on whether they were going to join with Hawthorn. I'm glad I didn't go because there were some fiery exchanges between two great teammates in Brian Dixon and Ian Ridley.

"Eventually, of course as we know, Ian's opinion won, but that didn't come to pass because of Don Scott's defence of the Hawks."

Ridley was selected as an emergency in Melbourne's Team of the Century.