Clyde Laidlaw

DOB: 27 November, 1933
Debut: Round 2, 1954 against Carlton at Princes Park
Last Game: Round 15, 1962 against Collingwood at MCG

Games: 124
Goals: 58
Career Statistics

From: Portland

Number: 16 1954-1956, 35 1957-1962

Honours:
Premiership Player - 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960
150 Heroes selection

Laidlaw shared the 1953 Munro Medal (best and fairest in the Western District Football League, Later known as the Western Border League from 1964) with Hamilton Imperials player Ian Ridley who joined him at Melbourne. He played eight games in his first season, but was forced to undergo an operation at the end of that year to clear up an injury which had been hindering him.

Playing 18 games in 1955, Laidlaw ended the season playing in a Grand Final victory. He repeated the feat in 1956 but played just 6 games in 1957 due to a thigh injury.

Sidelined with an injury after the 1958 Semi Final victory over Collingwood, Laidlaw missed the return match where the Demons were defeated. He flirted with retirement after that season, but returned to play in three more Grand Finals.

Laidlaw won 81% of his career matches, making him the most successful Demon, and VFL/AFL player, in history. From 124 games he played in 99 wins, 22 losses and 3 draws.

Laidlaw moved to South Melbourne when Norm Smith took over as coach to take control of the reserves in a lineup also consisting of his old teammates Ian Thorogood, Brian Leahy and Don Williams.

Notes
Laidlaw is generally held to have missed most of 1957 due to injury, but ECH Taylor's 1958 club history suggests it was a temporary retirement due to business commitments.

Media
"Clyde Laidlaw to play in Demons' Practice Match" - The Age 15/03/1958