FANS are backing Essendon to part ways with coach James Hird, with an online poll revealing overwhelming support for the club to sack the besieged former club champion.
With Hird's Federal Court appeal to start on Thursday morning, public support for the coach has diminished.
Hird wasn't present at Wednesday night's club best and fairest and wasn't mentioned at any stage of the evening.
In comparison, Mark Thompson – who is now out of the country for the next two weeks – was met with hearty cheers of support.
In a poll on AFL.com.au, over 32,000 voters believe Essendon should sack Hird.
Just over 5,000 believe he should remain at the helm of the club.
The fan vote comes on the back of another dramatic week for the club.
Hird's absence on Wednesday night came after he decided to appeal against the Federal Court ruling that the joint AFL-ASADA investigation into the club's 2012 supplements program was lawful.
The Bombers will not appeal last month's verdict.
Chairman Paul Little again stated on Wednesday the Bombers believed none of their players ingested "harmful or banned substances" during the supplements program of 2012.
But he said it was time to abandon legal challenges after last month's failed Federal Court push and do what they could to expedite the process to "clear our players' names for once and for all".
"We are of the strong belief that if there is no appeal, the show-cause process will recommence immediately and both ASADA and the AFL will undertake to move with as much expedition as possible," Little said.
"It is therefore my recommendation to all of you here tonight and our supporters generally, that it is now time to accept the Federal Court’s decision and move on."
On the same night, Thompson basically made it known he wanted to remain as senior coach and wouldn't take on a lesser role in 2015.
"The plan was to leave after this year. I don't really want to because I love this footy club and I love the players and I want them to do really well," Thompson said.
"I can't do a job that doesn't actually fill a need so we'll have to wait and see how we go in the next few days."
While Thompson hasn't personally spoken to Gold Coast about the Suns' vacant coaching role, it has been reported his manager has.
There were reports on Thursday that Hird had been removed from his role, or was in the early stages of being removed.
But he remains the coach as the saga enters yet another week where ASADA will seek legal advice over whether it can issue amended show-cause notices in the light of the appeal.
