Barry Leslie has the unusual distinction of having been involved in one of the most controversial incidents in football history. Luckily it happened in the VFA, several years after his brief VFL career had ended, but that doesn't change the fact that he will always be associated with this extaordinary moment.

That was the last thing on his mind when he joined Collingwood in 1967 from South Bendigo. He had been a full-forward in the country, but after watching him play the Magpie selectors decided he would be better off switching to the opposite end of the ground. So he became a full-back, and that's where he played most of his football for the Magpies in the reserves and his solitary senior appearance.

He was a nice build for the position, standing just over 6'2" in the old language, and seemed to be a good reader of the game. He was also a nice mark and a decent kick. He played 17 reserves games that year and eventually won his senior debut for the Round 16 game against South Melbourne. His debut passed largely without notice and he was out of the side again the next week, never to return.

Barry was released by the Pies at the end of that year and he crossed to North Melbourne, where he added another four games to his CV. But his VFL career ended at the conclusion of that season and he crossed to Preston in the VFA.

He became a fine full-back with the Bullants and a key part of the defence for one of the competition's strongest teams. His big moment - for all the wrong reaaons - came in the 1971 VFA Grand Final against Dandenong.

Before the game even started, he and star Redlegs full-forward Jim 'Frosty' Miller were involved in a stoush in the goalsquare. Just as the field umpire was preparing to bounce the ball, he noticed what was going on, ran to the square and gave Miller a free kick for a push, from which he duly goaled.

Almost inevitably, the game ended up being decided in Dandenong's favour by, you guessed it, one goal. So Preston protested to the VFA, claiming that because the siren hadn't sounded and the ball hadn't been bounced, the game hadn't officially been 'started' and the umpire should not have been able to pay a free kick. They claimed the goal shouldn't have stood, the result should have been a draw and the game should be replayed the next week. Dandenong were livid, refused to train and said they would boycott any replay if one was scheduled.

They need not have worried. The VFA's Board of Management heard Preston's protest on the Wednesday after the game and overwhelmingly dismissed it, leaving the result to stand and the Bullants accused of being the sorest of sore losers. The incident would later be voted one of the 150 biggest in the game's 150-year history, when that milestone was celebrated in 2008.

That's not the way Barry Leslie would have wanted to be remembered, but it was out of his control. He stayed at Preston for years afterwards, but his name was always associated with that one huge moment in time. You have to feel sorry for the young man who came from South Bendigo that it all worked out that way.

- Michael Roberts