AS ST KILDA players went through their warm-ups in preparation for the recent game against Carlton, they may not have been aware of the historical figure watching on.

Barry Breen doesn’t get much of a chance to watch his beloved Saints these days but a trip from Sydney last week coincided with the Monday night clash and he discretely slipped into the rooms in the lead-up to the game.

The former club games record holder, who famously kicked the point that won the 1966 premiership, has lived in the harbor city for the past 30 years but has closely followed the club he has loved since he was a young boy growing up in bayside Melbourne.

Despite playing 300 games and being retired for more than 30 years, Breen said it still gave him a buzz to be in the rooms before a match.

“It does a bit. It’s a lot different and the facilities are a lot better. There is more room but it is not too dissimilar to what we had to do all those years ago,” Breen told saints.com.au.

“It’s just better facilities and they are obviously full-time professionals these days.”

Breen keeps close tabs on his beloved Saints and like many fans, says he is particularly fond of Lenny Hayes, suggesting that he will be remembered for years to come as one of the very best footballers to pull on a red, white and black jumper.

“If I had a pick, I’d say Lenny Hayes, then you’ve got Nick (Riewoldt) and Nick Dal Santo. But I think probably Lenny Hayes will finish up being in the top three, four or five players in the history of the club. He’s been a wonderful example for everybody,” he said.

Breen watched as the players donned the special commemorative 140^th jumper that was based on the very first guernsey the club wore when it was formed in 1873.

He said he was proud of the way the club had embraced its history which was evident at the recent 140 celebration and Hall of Fame function.

“From a past player’s point of view it is fantastic. Having followed St Kilda since I was four years of age it means a lot to me, the footy club. It’s great that they have survived the 140 years,” he said.

“They have had their ups and downs but it is wonderful that they can celebrate that and involve all the players as they did last Saturday night. Unfortunately I was away last week and couldn’t come down but I think it is outstanding.”

Breen didn’t attend the function but his era was strongly represented on the night with two of his former teammates Ross Smith and Trevor Barker as well as his childhood hero Neil Roberts acknowledged as official legends of the club.

[ RELATED: Roberts speaks of home ]

“I didn’t play with Neil but he was my favourite player growing up. Trevor Barker I played with and I knew his family since he was about seven or eight,” he said.

“It’s a great achievement for Ross - he was a fantastic player and a Brownlow medallist but all the other things he did around the club. He was ahead of his time, Smithy in the way he trained and played. He was just fantastic.”

[ RELATED: Ross Smith inducted to Hall of Fame ]

For all his achievements in his 300 games with the Saints, Breen is still remembered mainly for the wobbly kick that went through for a point on that fateful day in 1966.

He said that if fate had St Kilda in another close Grand Final in the near future, he would hope the ball would be in the hands of one of the team’s veterans.

“If it was Lenny or Milney that would be great. They had that opportunity a couple of years ago (against Collingwood) and fate was just against them and they were that close,” he said.”

“It was quite amazing how similar it was to ’66 with the setup and the shot at goal. Unfortunately we drew the game and didn’t win it. If it was Lenny or Milney I’d be happy.”