It was the era of St Kilda heroes, but one severely marred by seemingly unbreakable droughts of success.

Five wooden spoons grounded the Saints as a bottom-tier club (1983-1986, 1988), with the red, white and black remaining in the bottom-three for eight consecutive years.

St Kilda set the notorious record for the most points scored against in a season (3052) in 1982, and in 1985 had three consecutive 100-point losses to open the season.

But it wasn’t the poor on-field performances, substantial defeats, increasing collection of wooden spoons, rapidly increasing debt or even the risk of folding that defined the club in the eyes of the St Kilda faithful.

Instead, it was defined by those who proudly represented the red, white and black and provided a light to cut through the seemingly endless darkness.

And Trevor Barker was the absolute hero who championed those values.

The idolised Saint with blonde locks, Hollywood looks and a penchant for spectacular marks gave fans a reason to cheer week after week.

‘Barks’ took out the club’s best-and-fairest award in just his second year, before adding another one to his collection in 1981.

That very medal would later be named in his honour, with the Trevor Barker Award, to this day, one of the most revered accolades that can be bestowed upon a Saint.

Despite receiving lucrative offers to join rival clubs which promised success, the four-time captain’s commitment to St Kilda never wavered.

His on-field traits were just a snapshot of the great man however, whose heart and genuine nature extended to everyone and anyone he came across.

External voices frequently labelled Barker as a mere glamour boy, but his devotion to others and his football club flew in the face of that accusation, immortalising him as a man of the people whose kindness was unparalleled.

The stories of the great Trevor Barker number as many as the lives he touched, including how he donated his car – which he’d won for taking out the club’s best-and-fairest – straight back to help rein in St Kilda’s increasing debt and pay players’ salaries.

After 230 games, Barker never played in a final and only tasted victory 29 times throughout the 1980s. 

He truly was the embodiment of the club motto, Strength Through Loyalty.

The No. 1 Saint wasn’t the only icon to hero the red, white and black through the trying times.

The arrival of one Tony Lockett to Moorabbin took the game by storm, with the boy from Ballarat going onto became a legend of the game.

Making his debut as a 17-year-old, ‘Plugger’ fast became one of the Saints’ most iconic heroes, with his hulking presence, strong hands, surprising speed and aggression making him one of the best players of all-time.

In tandem with the great high-flier Nicky Winmar, the duo formed one of the most dangerous partnerships up forward, despite their side’s minimal success. 

Winmar’s chemistry with ‘Plugger’ inside forward-50 was truly magical; without him, Lockett wouldn’t have kicked anywhere near as many goals as he did.

Lockett registered his best season in 1987, booting 117 goals to lift the Saints off the bottom of the ladder and taking out best-and-fairest, Coleman and Brownlow Medal honours as a result. 

‘Plugger’ would go on to become the game’s leading goalkicker of all-time, finishing his career with 1360 majors.

And with one of the club’s longest-serving captains, Danny Frawley, up the other end championing the defence, the age of heroes began to reach its peak.

While the 1980s spelled the end of Barry Breen’s 300-game career, the decade marked the beginning of three future triple-centurions – Robert Harvey, Stewart Loewe and Nathan Burke.

The trio would be instrumental in paving the way forward across the 1990s, which at long last, pulled the club out of its most desolate era.