It was fate. Because even before he began an AFL journey that has taken in seven clubs across four states over more than 45 years the aspiring Tasmanian youngster had enjoyed a chance introduction to the two elements that make up the merged club.

On 20 September 1980, after a pivotal role in Hobart’s grand final win over Glenorchy at North Hobart Oval in the Tasmanian Football League grand final, Clayton celebrated with teammates at the Brisbane Hotel in the city.

And before the party got into full swing he had a surprise visit from Fitzroy stalwarts Arthur Wilson OAM and George Coates. They didn’t want to intrude, and didn’t stay long, but they asked if he’d be the club’s guest at the AFL grand final the following week.

Wilson, the long-serving Fitzroy football manager, and Coates, a 128-game Fitzroy player turned administrator who designed the prowling lion logo which later featured on the Fitzroy jumper, had identified Clayton as a likely prospect.

He attended the AFL grand final as a guest of Fitzroy the following week, signed with them shortly after, and played 10 years and 160 games in jumper #40 to rank 30^th on the club’s all-time game list of 1157 players from 1897-1996.

He joined a side coached by Robert Walls that was full of famous Fitzroy names … Bernie Quinlan, Garry Wilson, David McMahon, Ron Alexander, Laurie Serafini, Mick Conlan, Leon Harris, Grant Lawrie and his great mate Matt Rendell.

And along the way he welcomed such Fitzroy favorites as Richard Osborne, Paul Roos, Gary Pert, John Blakey, Michael Gale, Jimmy Wynd, Mathew Armstrong, Brett Stephens, Alastair Lunch and Jason Baldwin, all 100-gamers for the club.

It was the last successful era of Fitzroy. A high-regarded tagger who won plenty of the ball himself, Clayton missed the 1984 elimination final through injury but played in seven of the original Lions’ last eight finals in 1981-83-86.

The club’s last finals series in ’86 was unforgettable. They finished fourth on the home-and-away ladder before beating Essendon by one point and Sydney by five points before losing to eventual premiers Hawthorn.

It was an extra special day for the boy from Hobart… it was his 100^th game.

The last Fitzroy finals side (in notional positions) was:-

B: Graeme Hinchen, Gary Pert, Ross Thornton
HB: Tim Pekins, Paul Roos, Bill Lokan
C: John Blakey, Scott Clayton, Dean Turner
HF: Richard Osborne, Craig McGrath, Doug Barwick
F: Mick Conlan, Bernie Quinlan, Bernie Harris
R: Matt Rendell, Scott McIvor, Leon Harris.
INT: Michael Reeves, Mark Dwyer.
Coach: David Parkin

Clayton played in Fitzroy’s second-biggest win and their last 100-point win - by 150 points against North Melbourne at Junction Oval in 1983. It was their second-highest score all-time - 34-16 (220) to 10-10 (70) – as Rendell (8), Conlan (7) and Quinlan (7) kicked 22 goals between them.

He was vice-captain of the Tasmanian State of Origin team which, coached by Robert Shaw and captained by Darren Prichard, beat Victoria in front of a sellout and wildly parochial crowd of 18,000-plus at North Hobart Oval in 1990. He played in the centre in a 20-14 (134) to 14-17 (101) win – his last game at what for so long was the headquarters of Tasmanian football.

And in an unforgettable farewell he had a career-high 37 possessions and earned one Brownlow Medal vote in his last game – a 12-point win over Carlton at Princes Park – before winning the Mitchell Medal as Fitzroy Club Champion.

Clayton played under three Fitzroy coaches – Walls, David Parkin and Rod Austin – and was unashamedly a massive Walls fan. “He was just a great man – a great teacher who really cared for his players, who taught them so much and gave them a kick in the butt when they needed it. And he was a great tactician – ahead of his time in so many ways.”

He was a massive Arthur Wilson fan, too. “What a beautiful man… a gentleman and a really smart football person who worked tirelessly for the club,” he recounted.

So close was Clayton to Wilson and Walls through his time at Fitzroy that both wanted him as part of their ‘team’ after he’d retired.

Wilson wanted him to work as his off-sider at Fitzroy before taking over as football manager. Clayton wanted the job too, but in a move which ultimately back-fired on the club the idea was kyboshed at board level.

Instead, he accepted an offer from Walls to join him at the Brisbane Bears. He was the first person Walls called after he’d been appointed Brisbane coach ahead of the 1991 season, taking on the key role as the club’s first Victorian Manager and head of recruiting.

The pair worked closely throughout Walls’ five-year reign as Brisbane coach as Clayton began a 35-year career in recruiting which has taken in five clubs across four states.

After leaving Brisbane in 1997 he was 10 years at the Western Bulldogs, putting together the roots of their 2016 premiership side, and built the inaugural playing list at the Gold Coast Suns. He later worked at West Coast and North Melbourne before last year accepting a position with his ‘home’ club – the Tasmanian Devils.

He drafted no less than 13 members of Brisbane’s first premiership side in 2001 – Michael Voss, Simon Black, Nigel Lappin, Jason Akermanis, Luke Power, Darryl White, Justin Leppitsch, Daniel Bradshaw, Chris Scott, Clark Keating, Craig McRae, Tim Notting and Beau McDonald.

He pulled off one of the great recruiting coups when he lured ex-Fitzroy teammate and close friend Lynch to Brisbane on a famous 10-year contract which stretched to 12 years and included a key role in the 2001-02-03 premiership hat-trick.

And in what has subsequently proved to be a big thing for the Brisbane Lions, he gave current List Manager Dom Ambrogio his first break at AFL level, employing him first as his off-sider at the Bulldogs and later at the Suns before he joined Brisbane in 2017. It’s a legacy that has helped deliver the second premiership era of the club.

Such has been Clayton’s massive contribution to football he was awarded AFL Life Membership at the 2026 AFL Season Launch. This followed his inclusion as an inaugural member of the Tasmanian Hall of Fame in 2014 and Bulldogs Life Membership in 2008, and preceded his induction to the Lions Hall of Fame this year.

Throughout his journey he’s relished the support of 36-year wife Jacinta, a former top Victorian model who among a vast array of football involvements managed Sam Newman for 20 years until he quit Channel 9, daughter Millie, now a lawyer based in Sydney, and son Josh, who played two games with the Brisbane Lions in 2016 and has been a long-time best mate of Tyler Roos, son of Paul.

Sadly, the three football people who were closest to Clayton through his Fitzroy/Brisbane days will not be on hand to see him inducted into the Brisbane Lions Hall of Fame. Wilson died in 2021, Rendell died in 2023 and Walls died in 2025.

One of the last things Walls said before his passing was “make sure you get Scotty (Clayton) into the Hall of Fame... he’s a must.”

What does inclusion in the Brisbane Lions Hall of Fame mean to him? “Everything  … it’s huge because it’s where I started and has played such a big part in my life. And look at the success of that era and the people who came out of it … it’s phenomenal. I’m really proud and really honoured.”