The new book “Strength Through Loyalty” is one for the true believers.

It’s a must for anyone whose heart beats to the red, white and black. It is for the Saints who have never given up.

To get an understanding of what makes St Kilda Football Club tick the book  talks to coaches, players officials and even opponents from the time the Saints made the ground-breaking move to Moorabbin in 1965 up to the present day.

The 320 page coffee table book includes magnificent illustrations and untold stories that will enlighten Saint fans and all footy lovers.

Here is a small taste.

Culture was never questioned when St Kilda was one of the more successful clubs in the 1960s. Players had a closeness that is evident in photos of them taking part in working bees around Cheltenham when they were setting up homes with their young families.

Bruce McMaster-Smith was one player who saw different cultures as he came from Fitzroy and Carlton. He saw nothing wrong with St Kilda’s at the time of his arrival in 1965. “They had a great side that was used to winning. But in later years I don’t think they held their nerve enough with coaches. They’ve always been too desperate. In my time there was good team spirit with a touch of larrikinism.”

Ian Dyer, who played 17 games in 1967-68, recalled being involved in a country clinic with teammates Allan Davis and the Pascoe brothers. “The Pascoe brothers had a.22 rifle and we were shooting crows on the way up. Coming back we were all tired and dozing off, even one of the Pascoes who was at the wheel. Davo yelled out ‘wake up’ and saved us running off the road.”

In the same era Kangaroo turned Saint Bob Pascoe was impressed with the culture by comparison to his previous home, although he regretted saying so. “I made a stuff-up when I said in the press that St Kilda was more professional than North with much better players around me. Some of the North players took umbrage!”

In the 1960s the on-field culture was dictated by men who set powerful examples. In short, they looked after each other. The tiny McMaster-Smith speaks glowingly of broad-shouldered ruckman Alan Morrow in this regard. “He was the toughest I have ever seen. In a game against Richmond he said to me that at the next bounce he was going to knee Neville Crowe or Mike Patterson in the chest. That would knock him out of the way and Morrow would give the ball to me as I ran through and I could kick a goal. I’m nine and a half stone, looking around at all these gorillas, and I couldn’t believe it. But he did just that. Then he did it again. Then he did it for a third time, but I wasn’t game to run through as I was certain I would get cleaned up. He asked why didn’t you go through and I just said: ‘I tripped over!’”

Of the modern day players, Justin Koschitzke is typical in having unabashed pride in being part of St Kilda and is adamant that isolated incidents indicate nothing deeper.

“I don’t know what it is, but we seem to get a magnifying glass put on us even when something is so small,” Koschitzke said. “With the quality of person that is involved here and the leadership we’ve had, I am totally proud of the time I’ve been here and the people I’ve been involved with. In our era the club is in a better situation than it was 10 years ago. Without winning a flag we’ve had sustained success. I reckon we have given our fans a lot to like. There’s a big core group of quality people – not only who work here and have been through the administration – the players. To see blokes like Dal and Rooey and Joey and Lenny – the quality of person they have all turned out to be. It makes you humble and proud to see the adversity they’ve come across and been able to deal with. Milney cops it from every angle in the world but have you seen a more resilient, family-oriented, and I’m even going to say, humble, bloke? I know he’s a smart arse when he’s up and about but he’s humble. He wants no more than success for this team. He’d rather this team would be successful than him. In 140 years the club has had 26 players who managed 200 games and I’ve played with half of them (14). I’m proud of that.”

“Strength through Loyalty” will be available from the Saints Shop at Linton Street Moorabbin from Monday May 6 (RRP $49.95) and can be ordered online here.

A special leather bound limited edition signed by St Kilda’s four 300 game players Robert Harvey, Nathan Burke, Stewart Loewe and Barry Breen is also available here.