ESSENDON has decided the best way to handle February 5 is to confront it head on.

The club has started what appears to be a membership and marketing campaign with the simple slogan 05.02.14.

Wednesdaymarks the first anniversary of the momentous announcement that Essendonwas coming under AFL and Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authorityinvestigation for the club's supplements program.

Coach JamesHird, club chairman David Evans and chief executive Ian Robson fronted amedia conference to reveal the investigations and looked like someoneclose to them had died.

On Tuesday, the club's website carried four short video clips featuring interim head coach Mark Thompson andsenior players Brendon Goddard, David Zaharakis and Dyson Heppell.

TheBombers have also called a Wednesday media conference involvingThompson, captain Jobe Watson and their 1965 premiership captain KenFraser.

The supplements scandal has caused massive damage toEssendon and the worst might be yet to come, with ASADA's investigationcontinuing.

Robson resigned last May, Evans left his post because of ill health in August and Hird is under a 12-month AFL suspension.

The league also kicked Essendon out of the finals, docked them valuable draft picks and fined the Bombers $2 million.

Football manager Danny Corcoran was suspended and has subsequently resigned, while Thompson was fined $30,000.

Thescandal overshadowed the AFL season last year and came close to causingSupreme Court action as a bitter rift developed between the AFL andEssendon.

Hard-core Essendon fans remain firmly behind Hird andpost-season events such as the club's best and fairest count and annualgeneral meeting have demonstrated the depth of their passion.