BRENT GODDE: You grew up not far from the Albury Sportsground?

LES WALDRON: I lived in Townsend Street in South Albury which is two blocks away from the ground.

BG: You used to follow Albury from a young age?

LW: I remember my grandfather used to take me to matches and can recall when Tommy Lahiff led the Tigers to the flag in 1947.

BG: You played juniors for Albury?

LW: I started off as a 12-year-old in the midgets and we used to play at the Albury High School.

BG: You relocated to Melbourne with your parents as a teenager?

LW: We lived in Drummond Street in Carlton which is not far from Princes Park. I used to go and watch Carlton and have been a Blues supporter ever since.

BG: You moved back to Albury in 1956 while your parents remained in Melbourne?

LW: I moved in with my grandparents and started playing with Albury again.

BG: For those who didn't see you play, how would you describe yourself as a footballer?

LW: I thought I was an honest player who tried to get the best I could out of myself.

BG: What position did you predominantly play?

LW: Mostly as a rover.

BG: You credit one of your first coaches at the sportsground in Jack Livesy having a big influence on your career?

LW: Our very first game Jack laid everybody's jumper on the ground and said 'when you wear the yellow and black you are representing the Albury Football Club.'

BG: It's something you never forgot?

LW: Whichever side I played for, I knew my actions both on and off the field would reflect back on the club and other people's perception of it.

BG: You made your senior debut for Albury in 1958?

LW: I won the junior best and fairest the previous year and was runner-up in the league medal to 'Redda' Wilson of North Albury.

BG: Albury coach Jack Jones invited you to train with the seniors?

LW: The seniors and reserves would train separately during that era with the reserves having to train at Noreuil Park.

BG: It was a golden era for the Tigers?

LW: Albury won the flag in 1956 and finished runner-up the following year. The Tigers still boasted a formidable side in 1958.

BG: You managed eight senior matches in your first season of senior football?

LW: If I played more than eight senior matches I was ineligible to play finals in the reserves.

BG: You played in the reserves throughout the finals series?

LW: We played Wangaratta at Wangaratta in the preliminary final and it was a draw.

BG: So you had to replay the match the following week?

LW: The bizarre thing was we had to replay the reserves preliminary final before the senior grand final. There was a massive crowd as you would expect.

BG: Albury won the preliminary final in the reserves?

LW: We did but it meant we had to play the grand final the following week. We played in front of a crowd of about 200 and got beat by two points.

BG: The following season in 1959, Albury lost quite a few players over the off-season?

LW: We did but Fred Goldsmith signed as coach. Goldsmith had become the first fullback to win the Brownlow medal in 1955.

BG: No doubt the prized signing of Goldsmith created plenty of headlines at the time?

LW: It wasn't uncommon for high profile players from the VFL to head to the O&M and coach during that era. They could earn a lot more money in the bush than in Melbourne.

BG: How did you rate Goldsmith as a coach?

LW: Freddy was a fantastic coach and an even better bloke.

BG: How did the Tigers go under Goldsmith?

LW: We battled in 1959 and again the following year. Freddy wasn't to blame, we just had a young side that was going through a rebuilding phase.

BG: You were also on the selection committee?

LW: I remember we dropped one bloke who I won't name to the reserves. After he finished in the reserves he spent the rest of the afternoon at the can bar watching the seniors.

BG: The player who got dropped wasn't happy?

LW: I remember after I had finished playing in the seniors, I went up to the clubrooms and back in those days the club used to give you a pie as you walked in.

BG: You didn't get to eat your pie?

LW: I was talking to Freddy and a few of my team-mates and the player who got dropped was 12 cans deep and approached me. He said 'I'm not happy with you Waldron' and slapped my pie into my face as I went to take a bite out of it.

BG: Were you fuming?

LW: The club wanted to discipline him but I said not to worry about it. The bloke who did it has a carpet cleaning business and still comes around and does my carpets.

BG: You had a breakout season in 1961 and won Albury's best and fairest?

LW: I also got to represent the O&M that season and we played an interleague match at Narrandera.

BG: You were also on the recruiting radar of several VFL sides?

LW: I received letters from Essendon, Footscray and South Melbourne inviting me to train over the pre-season.

BG: You decided on joining South Melbourne for the pre-season of 1962?

LW: Freddy had come from South Melbourne so that was the main reason behind my decision.

BG: Being a country boy, you struggled living in the city?

LW: I didn't last long down in Melbourne and was soon back living in Albury.

BG: You finished runner-up in Albury's best and fairest in 1962 as well as fourth in the Morris medal?

LW: Personally I thought I had a better season than the previous year. Our big ruckman Max Croft won the B&F and deservedly so. Corowa's Jim Sandral won the Morris medal.

BG: You missed out on playing interleague after Bob Rose decided to play?

LW: We were playing at Bendigo and Bob was under an injury cloud but decided to play on the day of the match.

BG: So you missed out?

LW: Bob took my spot and also took Bernie Leech's jumper because he was No. 1.

BG: Were you fuming with Rose?

LW: Not at all. Bob was a great player and a great bloke. I rated him the best player that I played on throughout my career.

BG: South Melbourne had another crack at recruiting you in 1963?

LW: I received a letter from the club offering me five pounds a match if I was good enough to make it.

BG: That doesn't sound like a lot of coin to play at the elite level?

LW: It wasn't. The same year George Cooper came in from Rand and offered me 20 pounds a match to coach the Pigeons.

BG: You decided to take the coaching job?

LW: I was only paid 18 pounds to work full-time at Chubbs Sportstore, so it was a fair bit of money Rand were offering me. I wasn't far off getting married either.

BG: You worked at Chubbs Sportstore during the 1960s?

LW: I remember during football season Chubbs had the contract to supply footballs to a lot of the local clubs. Every Friday morning it was my job to pump up 20 Sherrin's and get them delivered to the clubs.

BG: Brocklelsby also tried to sign you as coach?

LW: A week after agreeing to coach Rand, I was playing golf at the Hume Golf Club and Ian Schilg from Brocklesby offered me 25 pounds to coach the club.

BG: Were you tempted to take the job?

LW: Not at all, I had already shook hands with George Cooper and said I would take the Rand job. These days players break contracts all the time after signing which infuriates me.

BG: Bush clubs were offering good coin for coaches?

LW: In 1963 there was Brian Gilcrist, Bob Roennfeldt, 'Boozer' O'Connell and myself who had played interleague the previous year for the O&M, head bush to coach in the Hume league.

BG: How did you find coaching at such a young age?

LW: I think I was about 23. I learnt pretty quickly that when you have got farmers playing, don't get to training too early.

BG: You used to start training a bit later than normal?

LW: I remember the training lights consisted of one light on a post. But if you started training at 6pm there would be eight blokes. If you waited another hour there would be 20 blokes.

BG: How many stubbies did you used to drop on the way home?

LW: It was an eight stubbie trip from Rand to Albury. I used to take John Fornasierro and Tom Groch out to training. On the way home we would hook into the stubbies and sing a few songs. They both won B&Fs at Rand.

BG: Did you have much success at Rand?

LW: We made the grand final in 1964. I remember 'Flopper' Hall got thrown out of a ute while fox shooting on the Thursday night before the preliminary final and broke his arm.

BG: You played the preliminary final with only one man on the bench?

LW: We only had 19 players including Barry Mathews who did his back in the lead-up but sat on the bench.

BG: You faced Jindera in the decider?

LW: Jindera were undefeated all season and had a star-studded line-up with Bill Barton as coach. Players the calibre of Phil Molkentin, the Star brothers and Barry Lambert. We led at half-time but got rolled by four goals.

BG: The following season in 1965 you returned to Albury?

LW: Murray Weideman was appointed coach and lured me back. In hindsight, I should have stayed at Rand because I think we could have won the flag.

BG: Weideman was regarded as an enforcer?

LW: One of the first matches I played with Murray I got cleaned up by an opposition player. Murray was the first bloke to fly the flag and the opposition were intimidated by him.

BG: Weideman also did a bit of professional wrestling when he was playing for Collingwood?

LW: Murray told me when he was at Collingwood the president at the time asked him to give it away in case he got injured.

BG: Weideman continued to wrestle?

LW: Murray told the president that he got 100 pounds to wrestle and 10 pounds to play for Collingwood each week. The president said 'keep on wrestling son.'

BG: In 1966 you switched careers and joined Beaurepairs as a sales rep?

LW: I got double the money that I was on at Chubbs so it was an easy decision to make.

BG: It spelt the end of your O&M career?

LW: The job required me to leave Albury on a Wednesday and spend the rest of the week in Khancoban and Corryong and return home on a Friday night.

BG: It cost you playing in a flag with Albury?

LW: Because I couldn't train on Thursday nights I left the sportsground. Albury won the flag that season.

BG: You returned to Rand as assistant coach but trained with a few Upper Murray clubs?

LW: I used to stay at the Corryong Pub on a Wednesday and Thursday night. So I would train with Federal on a Wednesday night and either Corryong or Cudgewa on a Thursday night.

BG: You became good mates with David and his brother Ross 'Snags' McKimmie who played for Federal?

LW: They were ripping fellas. I used to train and then quite often get on the longnecks with the two brothers.

BG: You noticed that the brothers had a big pot of water boiling in the clubrooms one night after training?

LW: I knew it wouldn't be for a cup of tea but I didn't know what was going to happen.

BG: You soon found out?

LW: After a couple of longnecks, 'Snags' said 'come with me Les' and we went for a drive.

BG: It was tea time?

LW: We went out the road past the butter factory in Corryong and we had to climb this six foot barbed wire fence. 'Snags' then led me to a chook pen which was hard to see in the dark.

BG: It sounds like chicken was on the menu?

LW: 'Snags' said 'grab a chook and I will too, make sure it's a fat one.' The chooks start squawking and the next thing I hear is some farmer yelling 'bloody foxes, I'll fix you.'

BG: You soon realised the farmer had a shotgun?

LW: We both started running back to the car and I heard the shotgun go off and the pellets going flying above our head.

BG: You got back to the clubrooms safely with a couple of chooks?

LW: We plucked them, boiled them in the hot water for a couple of minutes and then fried them. It wasn't as tasty as KFC but tasted better than I expected.

BG: You also became close mates with Tony Smedley from Cudgewa?

LW: I now play bowls against Tony who plays for Wodonga. I often joke Tony must have got dropped on his head as a baby. He played for Cudgewa and wore the best guernsey you could ever see with the navy blue and CFC emblem, yet barracks for Collingwood.

BG: In 1968 you returned to Albury?

LW: I got the sales rep job in Albury and didn't have to travel any more. I was captain of the reserves.

BG: The following season you joined Balldale in the Hume league who were coached by Ken Cain?

LW: I loved the Hume league and was lucky enough to finish runner-up in the Azzi behind Jimmy Anderson from Rand by one vote.

BG: You were forced to miss the last match of the season?

LW: There were floods in Albury and we couldn't make finals so I gave the father-in-law a hand to sandbag around his house.

BG: You were appointed coach of Balldale in 1970-71. Did you land many recruits?

LW: I shook hands with the North Albury ruckman who agreed to come to Balldale. A week later I picked up the paper and found out he had since joined Jindera. I was fuming at the time.

BG: You crossed paths with Jindera's coach Ivan Bennie not long afterwards?

LW: I was having a few beers at Lavington Sportsclub and Ivan walked in. I couldn't help myself and we ended up having a few words about him signing the North Albury ruckman.

BG: You came to blows with the Bulldogs coach?

LW: Ivan gave me a shove and I retaliated by throwing a punch and was grabbed by security.

BG: You had to front the board for your behaviour?

LW: I copped a three month ban. Funny thing was I was captain of the Lavington Sportsclub squash team.

BG: You still played squash?

LW: Col Donnelly who was secretary/manager of the club let me sneak in and still play squash but I wasn't allowed to go to the bar.

BG: Bennie did you a favour not long after?

LW: I got talking to Ivan after our incident. Anyhow he said there was a new bloke in town that I should sign. He was a rover and wanted to play for Jindera but the Bulldogs had too many small blokes.

BG: So you signed him?

LW: His name was Fred Aliendi and he won the Azzi medal that year.

BG: You were offered the Balldale coaching job again in 1972?

LW: I played golf with Dick Grimmond and he told me Mitta United were chasing him as coach.

BG: Grimmond was a star player who played for Richmond and Wodonga?

LW: I went to the committee and said I was confident I could get Grimmond to coach and I was happy to stand down. I just thought Dick could get the recruits we needed to be a flag threat.

BG: Balldale took your advice?

LW: Dick signed as coach and landed about half-a-dozen recruits which is exactly what we needed.

BG: History says Ballade went through the season undefeated?

LW: We dominated throughout the home and away season. I think our average winning margin for the season was 20 goals.

BG: You faced Walla in the grand final?

LW: To the Hoppers' credit, they certainly came to play and were a couple of goals up at the last break.

BG: Hopper supporter Cyril Hoffman sledged you at the last break?

LW: I was standing on the half-forward flank as all the spectators left the ground. Cyril walks past me and says 'How's your mighty team now Waldron. How's it feel to be undefeated and choke in the big dance?'

BG: History says you had the last laugh?

LW: I kicked the first goal of the last quarter after I threaded the needle from the boundary line. It sparked a bit of a momentum swing as we piled on five goals in 10 minutes. We won by five points.

BG; Did you say anything to Hoffman after the match?

LW: Don't worry, I went looking for Cyril but no surprise he didn't stick around to watch us run our lap of honour.

BG: The match was officiated by umpire Sheen?

LW: Unfortunately he got killed in a car crash the following week on his way to umpiring another grand final.

BG: How were the celebrations?

LW: We all went back to the pub and all the players stayed the night.

BG: You were the victim of a prank?

LW: I fell asleep in the beer garden but when I woke up the next morning I couldn't move. One of my team-mates had wrapped me from head to toe with the garden hose.

BG: How did you escape?

LW: I would have been lying there for an hour trying to get out. Thankfully the publican's wife found me and helped me get loose.

BG: Who were some of your premiership team-mates that you rated the highest?

LW: Obviously Grimmond as well as Murray McCooke, Mick Seymour and Bob Rahley.

BG: One of your team-mates Arnold Spence wasn't your biggest fan when you coached in 1971?

LW: Arnold was to put it kindly a fringe player who could take a good mark but couldn't kick.

BG: Spence refused to pass the ball to you one match?

LW: Arnold took a grab about 40m out. I was in the goal square by myself calling for the ball and he yelled out 'Waldron don't bother leading. I wouldn't kick it to you even if you were the last player on the ground.'

BG: Did Spence slot the goal?

LW: He did kick it over the umpire's head but the only problem was it was the boundary umpire.

BG: How many matches did you play throughout your career?

LW: It was more than 400, I was 38 when I retired.

BG: You were good mates with Des Kennedy?

LW: Des and I used to read the footy teams out on the radio on a Friday night. We would then slip down to the Boomerang for a few beers. It was good fun until Des went DUI driving back to Walla one night.

BG: You were an all-round sportsman?

LW: I remember for a lot of my footy career I would play table tennis on Monday, train Tuesday, play basketball Wednesday, train Thursday, play squash Friday and have a game of footy on Saturday.

BG: You were also an avid golfer?

LW: I got two holes in one within three months at the Hume Country Golf Club.

BG: You also played cricket in the summer?

LW: I played for Postal United and we made the B-grade grand final in 1963.

BG: You were given out in controversial circumstances in the grand final?

LW: I was opening the bat and Lavington made 200. We went in just before tea and were 0/12 at the break. During the tea break I decided to go and see my fiance and now wife who lived 100m up the road.

BG: You got back late?

LW: The umpires were walking out as I got back. I whacked the pads on and was heading out to bat when they told me that I had been timed out.

BG: You are also one of the most talented bowlers in the district?

LW: I've got the Carlton football club emblem on my bowls. I treat my bowls fairly seriously and don't talk to the opposition when I'm playing and like to concentrate instead.