In 1955, McGuire helped out too when the club staged “a monster cabaret  evening at Manhattan Gardens with dancing until midnight, ample refreshments  and an entertaining floor show.” It was midweek, in season, of course. 

The location was the old Hotel Manhattan before it became the Woolloongabba  Hotel.  

Gauld was a milko for much of his working life, delivering milk in suburbs around  Grange where he still lives. He worked in air freight at the old Ansett too. 

He played in the B grade side which made the 1950 semi-finals and he’ll never  forget the man he followed into A grade at fullback. 

“Eric Henzell…he always played without football boots, only in a pair of socks. He  must have had tough old feet,” Gauld said. 

“I think it was because of him they brought in a rule that you had to wear boots,  mainly for safety reasons. 

“There were no studs in those days. There were leather ones but once they were  worn the nails would show through. It could be dangerous to be trodden on.” 

Gauld played in an era where the great Des Connor played halfback for Brothers,  the uncompromising Neil “Tiny” Betts and Nev Cottrell were Wallabies in the formidable Souths front-row, John O’Neill was a classy utility back for University  and red-haired flyer Garth Jones was scoring tries for GPS.

Gauld’s teammates at Easts included Keith “Horse” Blake, George Pavelieff, Bruce  “Brick” Bradford and brother-in-law Mooney, who was Easts’ sole Wallaby of the  1950s at hooker for two Tests against Fiji in 1954.  

The early ‘50s were formative years for the young club. The club won five of 13  games in 1955 to finish sixth of seven teams. The highlight was skipper Wilson  leading the first-ever win over the powerful University club, 8-6.

“We did beat each club at least once in my time just not in the same year,” Gauld  said with a smile. 

“We were underdogs. We might not have won many games but there were no  bad eggs at the club. 

“Everyone pulled their weight on fundraising or on working bees like when one of  the players in the truck business brought in some soil and we properly top  dressed the field.” 

Gauld boarded a passenger liner to England with Tigers’ teammate Wilson in 1955  to see the world. They both ended up playing games for London club Saracens. 

When Gauld returned he took up refereeing and also devoted four years to  coaching the first grade side at Wests (1962-65) where Mooney was, by now,  coaching the club’s strong Under-19s. 

Gauld was nearly 70 when the Tigers made the 1997 grand final at Ballymore but  there was no way he was going to miss it.  

“Certainly, it was a good day and a very good win…it was a red-letter day for the  club,” Gauld recalled of the Tigers’ first premiership. 

“Easts has always been a friendly club, everyone for the club. 

“Sometimes you get people ‘ooh, I’m going to go to a stronger club’ but, no,  everyone stuck by Easts. That’s a good club.”