Inaugural Adelaide captain Chris McDermott remembers March 22, 1991, like it was yesterday.

It was the day that South Australian football took a giant leap into the national competition on the back of the new Adelaide Football Club, which was created and built over five hectic months.

That day was also momentous for McDermott individually, as the Club’s inaugural captain.

Speaking on AFC’s The History Locker: Hall of Fame podcast, McDermott said the Crows’ first game and subsequent 86-point victory over Hawthorn was a memory he would never forget.

 “It was amazing, just a privilege to be able to lead the team out,” McDermott, now 57, said. 

“The atmosphere was incredible (and) it had been all week.

“It’s one of those few memories from footy that remain as sharp as it was when it happened 30 years ago.

“Most of the memories die or fade and you sort of get a rough idea of what happened.“But that walk through the  tunnel, the stop at the end, the speech to the boys, the walk onto the ground, the roar of the crowd, the magnificent night it was and to be playing Hawthorn, it’s just stuff of fairytales.

“Then to go out and play the way we did, not better than we could, but as good as we wanted to play, was just a dream come true.”

McDermott, who went on to play 117 AFL games for the Crows, can even recall what he said to his teammates before running onto the oval to battle the Hawks.

“That moment, that night, those couple of hours was my most vivid memory from football,” McDermott said.

“Really, it was just about the steps we were about to take and how in 25 years or maybe even 30 years time, they would talk about that day.

“Everybody remembers that we played with some flair, we shared the ball, we played with some courage, we played hard, we played until the end. 

“I think at the end of the night, everybody walked away feeling pretty proud of the Adelaide Footy Club and the team that represented them.”

In the latest episode, McDermott also discusses his leadership qualities and the importance he placed on making everyone in the squad feel part of the Club, as well as missing out on the back-to-back flags.

“As soon as Adelaide were announced and they were coming in, it was a really easy decision, it felt like a State team of sorts,” McDermott, who was regarded as one of the toughest and most courageous midfielders, said.

“I always look back with great joy.

“I love the place as much as I love Glenelg.”