His elder brother, Garry Sidebottom, had also played at Swan Districts before joining St Kilda.
[1] A ruckman, Sidebottom played only nine games in his first season for St Kilda but was a regular fixture in the side the following year after the retirement of Jeff Sarau.
[2] He played 21 of a possible 22 games in 1984, took 99 marks, the third most by a St Kilda player and polled well in the 1984 Brownlow Medal count to finish equal eighth.
[2] After making another 17 appearances in 1985, Sidebottom played just eight more games over the next one and a half seasons and midway through crossed to Fitzroy.
[4] He had also played a State of Origin match for Western Australia against Victoria back in 1985, sharing the ruck duties with Andrew Purser.