Kevin Sheedy lashes Essendon for ‘insult’ after voting for James Hird to be coach over Brad Scott

Essendon Bombers club legend and board member Kevin Sheedy has revealed he voted for disgraced former coach James Hird to make a spectacular return to the club and slammed a media release saying the decision was ‘fully endorsed’.

Meanwhile Essendon president Dave Barham has left the door open for James Hird to return to the AFL club in some capacity despite being overlooked for the coaching post.

Newly appointed Essendon Bombers AFL coach Brad Scott poses for the media during a press conference at The Hangar

Former North Melbourne coach and AFL football operations boss Scott was ultimately endorsed as new coach in a 6-1 vote over Hird and Melbourne assistant Adem Yze.

Sheedy took exception to an official media release trumpeting the announcement, saying that the wording ‘fully endorsed’ was an ‘untruth’ and that he didn’t want Hird to think he didn’t vote for him. 

‘I am extremely disappointed that the comment from my club was that it was fully endorsed, when in fact I voted for James Hird to be the coach of Essendon,’ Sheedy told the Herald Sun.

Kevin Sheedy during his coaching days at the Bombers back in 2004 during the AFL finals

‘The vote was 6-1. Now, I would’ve expected that to have been written, and that in the end the board actually won that vote.

‘But I want to make sure all the fans know that I voted for James Hird and I’m extremely disappointed with the report that went out from the Essendon media department.

‘I’m not happy. Don’t tell the Essendon fan base an untruth. This is what happens when you bring new people into the club.

‘I actually felt insulted that Hird would think I voted against him after what he’s done for our club.’

Hird had been interviewed by Essendon’s coaching selection panel headed by football boss Josh Mahoney and including Robert Walls and Jordan Lewis after he received a 12-month ban over the club’s drawn-out supplements saga that ultimately cost him his job in his first stint as coach.

James Hird is seen during the 2022 AFL Round 13 match between the Essendon Bombers and the Carlton Blues at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

He returned from the ban to coach the club in 2014, but fell on his sword and resigned in August, 2015.

As a player, Hird notched up 253 appearances for the Bombers from 1992 to 2007, winning two premierships and earning five All-Australian team selections along with a host of other accolades. 

 While he was unsuccessful in his application to return as coach, Barham said the door remained open for him to return in another capacity.

‘Hirdy will always be a champion of this football club,’ Barham said.

‘I can’t speak for him on whether he wants to get involved or whatever, that will be something for him, but he’ll always be loved by this footy club.’