Former Crow Greg Anderson took about 15 years to completely leave football.

Anderson, who featured in 59 AFL games for Adelaide between 1993 and 1996, became a coach after his playing career ended.

He spent time at the helm of Adelaide Football League clubs Gaza and St Ignatius Old Collegians, as well as Southern Football League’s Cove and South Adelaide in the SANFL.

“I reckon I coached for about 14-15 years, so it was a big part of my life and I enjoyed it,” Anderson told AFC Media.

“I had some good times and some tough times (coaching), like everything in footy.

“I coached South for four years, and it was great because we had to really work with the AFL teams most days. We had a few players from The Crows and a few from Port Adelaide, so quite often I had to shuffle my side.

“It took a little bit to get used to being the player who had just retired to coaching.

“There was that fine line of still wanting to be their mate but also needing to tell them to knuckle down, so it took me a while for me to be able to do that.”

Back then, coaching in the SANFL wasn’t a full-time gig, so Anderson opened a home theatre company on Unley Rd - a business he owned for more than a decade.

“It was really important to do well because I had children and a family to support, and as much as I loved coaching, it was sort of pocket money,” Anderson said.

“A really close friend of mine had gone overseas for about six months and when he came back, he said ‘Greg, you should see these things called plasma screens’.

“They were huge overseas, so he said that we should open up a little shop and so we inquired about what home theatre was all about and DVDs were coming out and full surround sound.

“One thing led to another and we opened up a store. We had a lot of fun. We had it open for more than 10 years and it was great.”

Anderson took his experience in business and moved to flooring company, Flooring Trade Depot, where he has held the position of manager for the past nine years.

“One of my really close friends from school… It's his family business and he was looking for someone and I wanted a bit of a change, so it really worked,” Anderson said.

“We were good mates before I jumped on board but we are probably even better mates now.”

It also allows Anderson, a father-of-four, to spend more time with his four grandchildren - a pastime the 58-year-old adores.

“They (the grandkids) keep me busy, but it’s the best thing in the world,” Anderson said.

“When you have children, it is your life, and grandchildren are beautiful, poppa always wants to be the good guy.”

Reflecting on his playing career, the wingman said he had been lucky to play for his boyhood club in Port Adelaide, as well as on the national stage for SA’s first AFL team in the Crows.

“Look, you can’t take the boy out of Port Adelaide but it was something very special to play for the Crows,” Anderson said.

“I feel part of the family here at the Crows and I really enjoyed my time playing for the Club.

“I’ve got some fantastic friends from playing at the Crows and I really did meet so many wonderful people and have great memories.”