Essendon have appointed former player Andrew Welsh as the newest member of the club's board of directors.
Welsh, who played 162 games for the Bombers between 2002-2011, will replace club great Simon Madden on the Bombers' board following Essendon's recent blood spill.
The 39-year-old will stand for election leading up to the club's AGM as he looks to rekindle his ties with the club.
“I am delighted to join the board of the Essendon Football Club and am excited to be part of the next chapter of this great club,” Welsh said in a club statement.
“This club has been a huge part of my life and I want to do everything I can to help it return to being a powerhouse in the AFL.
“I am pleased with the way the club is handling the appointment of a new coach. A fully independent panel, that is dedicated to finding us the best person is exactly the right process.
“I am also a big supporter of the club’s external review. For too long, we have not been successful on the field, and we need to work out why and address the issues.
“I look forward to reading the report and then playing an active part in making the necessary changes to help us become successful again.”
Since retiring from football, Welsh has been the managing director of Wel.Co, a property development business working on the periphery of Melbourne.
Welsh's running for election will come alongside Andrew Muir, who is hoping to be re-elected.
